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Three pigments determine skin color: melanin, carotene, and hemoglobin. However, only melanin is made in the skin. Melanin can be gradated into many different shades. It is this ability of Melanin that gives different races different skin coloration. A special type of cells known as melanocytes produces melanin, Melanocytes are primarily found in the stratum germinativum. Whenever the skin has had an exposure to sunlight, the stratum germinativum cells, phagocytize or eat the skin pigment melanin. After an amount of time, melanin accumulates within the stratum germinativum cells, and tends to form a protective pigment "umbrella". These "umbrellas of melanin pigment shields DNA from the damaging effects of ultraviolet radiation. When there is a lack of melanin, the DNA, or RNA, will be in direct contact with ultraviolet radiation, which can cause cancer or another type of adverse impact upon the skin. Carotene has a yellow-orange color and is primarily found in the palms and the soles. Hemoglobin gives fair-skinned people a pink hue to their skin due to the lack of melanin in the epidermis, which makes it almost transparent.