How Often Does Albinism Occur – Albinism is a genetic disorder in which there is little or no melanin, or pigment, in the skin, hair and nails. It can occur in any racial group around the world. People with albinism need to take extra care to avoid sun damage.
In this article, we talk about what albinism is, what causes it, and steps to manage albinism symptoms and complications.
How Often Does Albinism Occur
A person with albinism has little or no pigment, called melanin, in their skin, hair, and eyes. This condition is due to a lack of melanin production and often results in much paler than normal skin, a reddish tint to the usual white coloring of the eyes, and colorless hair.
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Melanin is also important in the development of the optic nerves, so some people with albinism also have vision problems.
A person with this condition prefers to be referred to as a person with albinism rather than an “albino”. It reminds them that they are a person first and that their medical condition does not define them.
This type of albinism affects the hair, skin and eyes. There are several different subtypes of oculocutaneous albinism, depending on which melanin-producing genes have mutations.
This type of albinism is less common and only involves the eyes. The hair and skin of someone with ocular albinism is similar to that of their family members.
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Melanin production is an important function in the body. An underproduction can affect many areas, including hair, skin and eyes.
Skin and hair changes can vary greatly depending on the type of albinism and the severity of the condition. Typical hair and skin symptoms of albinism include white hair, eyelashes and skin, as well as pink eyes.
With some forms of albinism, there may be a slight pigment in the hair and skin, which may darken over time.
Most people with albinism have light eyes. Because melanin plays a role in the development of specific optic nerves, albinism can create problems with eye development and function.
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People with albinism often have limited vision. Sometimes glasses can help, but in some cases, vision remains limited even with glasses.
Albinism can affect any racial group around the world. Researchers estimate that up to 1 in every 20,000 people have albinism. About 1 in 70 people carry the genetic mutation that they can pass on to their children.
Type 2 is the most common form of albinism in African Americans, some Native American groups, and people from sub-Saharan Africa. Type 3 is more common in people from southern Africa.
In sub-Saharan Africa, it is a cultural norm for close relatives to marry. Since albinism results from a genetic mutation that people can pass on to each other, intermarriage of close relatives increases the occurrence. In this part of the world, as many as 1 in 1,000 people may have albinism.
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Albinism results from a genetic mutation passed on by both parents. It is a condition present at birth.
The genetic mutation disrupts the function of melanocytes, which are cells that create melanin. In albinism, these cells are unable to produce melanin and distribute it throughout the skin and hair.
Even if the parents don’t have symptoms of albinism, they may still have the genetic mutation that they can pass on to their children. If both parents have the mutation, there is a 1 in 4 chance that their child will have albinism.
The hallmarks of albinism are typically present at birth or as the child grows. A doctor will perform a physical examination of the skin, hair, and eyes.
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To confirm the diagnosis of albinism, your doctor may perform genetic testing. Genetic testing for family members can help determine who else has the gene mutation and the likelihood that other children will inherit the condition.
There is still no treatment or cure for albinism. Doctors will work with you to manage associated symptoms and conditions, particularly effects on vision.
However, people with albinism have a higher risk of skin cancer. Taking precautions against sun exposure may reduce your risk of skin cancer.
Albinism creates an increased risk of sunburn, skin problems and skin cancer. Therefore, using adequate sun protection is vital for people with non-pigmented skin.
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Children with albinism have normal intelligence. However, they may face additional challenges in their academic, social and emotional growth.
If both parents have a genetic mutation for albinism, then their children will also have albinism if they inherit the mutation in an autosomal recessive manner. However, the answer becomes more complicated if both parents have different types of albinism. A genetic counselor can help assess your individual albinism and the risk of passing it on to your children.
Albinism can affect people of any racial group anywhere in the world. Because you can pass on albinism genetically, cultures where intermarriage is the norm see a higher occurrence of albinism in their populations.
Albinism itself does not shorten a person’s life expectancy. However, albinism puts a person at a higher risk of skin cancer. Taking precautions to protect your skin from the sun can lower your risk of skin cancer.
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Albinism is a condition in which the body does not produce melanin. This results in symptoms such as paler-than-normal skin, white hair, and pink eyes.
People with albinism are at increased risk of skin cancer and should take extra precautions in the sun. Albinism also causes eye problems that may require treatment and therapies to improve vision.
Albinism is a genetic condition that results from a genetic mutation that parents can pass on to their children. If you have a family history of albinism, talk to your doctor or a genetic counselor about genetic testing and the likelihood of passing the condition on to your child.
Heather Smith holds a BA in Nursing and has been working in the field since 2014 in hospital and home health settings. Raised in Southern California, she now lives in beautiful eastern Oklahoma. Another passion of hers is regenerative agriculture. When not writing health articles, Heather is working with her husband and three children on their 86 acres to build her dream farm. She wants to put the best of the best nutrition on her family’s table. She is achieving this by growing and raising most of her food.
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Albinism is a rare group of genetic disorders that cause the skin, hair, or eyes to have little or no color. Albinism is also associated with vision problems.
According to the National Organization on Albinism and Hypopigmentation, about 1 in 18,000 to 20,000 people in the United States have a form of albinism.
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Albinism is an inherited disorder that is present at birth. Children have a chance of being born with albinism if both parents have albinism or if both parents carry the albinism gene.
The cause of albinism is a defect in one of several genes that produce or distribute melanin, the pigment that gives color to skin, eyes and hair. The defect can result in no melanin production or a reduced amount of melanin production.
For most types of albinism, both parents must be carriers of the gene for their children to develop the condition. Most people with albinism have parents who are only carriers of the gene and do not show symptoms of the condition.
Other types of albinism, including one that only affects the eyes, occur primarily when a parent passes the albinism gene to a child assigned male at birth.
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OCA1 albinism, or oculocutaneous type 1, is a type of genetic disease caused by a genetic mutation. OCA1 affects melanin production in the skin, hair and eyes. These individuals will have white skin, white hair and light eyes due to the complete absence of pigment. Rawpixel.com/Shutterstock
OCA2 albinism, or oculocutaneous type 2, is a more common type of albinism caused by genetic mutation. OCA2 comes with some differences from OCA1. Individuals may have some pigment in their skin color and hair color. OCA2 comes from a mutation in the P gene, which is also associated with other rare genetic diseases such as Prader-Willi syndrome. Masego Morulane/Getty Images
OCA2 is less severe than OCA1. It is caused by a defect in the OCA2 gene that results in reduced melanin production. People with OCA2 are born with fair coloring and skin. Their hair can be yellow, blonde or light brown.
OCA3 is the result of a defect in the TYRP1 gene. It usually affects people with dark skin, mostly black people in southern Africa. People with OCA3 have reddish-brown skin, reddish hair, and hazel or brown hair.
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