Red Hair and Freckles? Your Genes Have Been Linked to High Rates of Skin Cancer
If you have red hair and freckles, your genes may predispose you to higher rates of skin cancer—a sobering reality for those with these distinctive traits. Research has uncovered a genetic connection where variants in genes responsible for red hair and fair skin also correlate with increased susceptibility to skin cancer, especially melanoma. Join us as we delve into this important topic, understanding the genetic factors at play and exploring the implications for sun protection and skin health. Stay informed about how your genetic makeup influences your skin’s vulnerability to sun damage, and learn essential precautions to reduce your risk of skin cancer while enjoying the outdoors.
The red hair gene variation drives up skin cancer mutations. Sad face. SUPER SAD FACE.
For the first time, researchers have proved that gene variants associated with red hair, pale skin and freckles are linked to a higher number of genetic mutations in skin cancers. The burden of mutations associated with these variants is comparable to an extra 21 years of sun exposure in people without this variant.
Even a single copy of a red hair-associated MC1R gene variant increased the number of mutations in melanoma skin cancer; the most serious form of skin cancer. Don’t have red hair? You are not entirely safe. Many non-red haired people carry these common variants, and it makes them susceptible to skin cancer. So ye all had better keep an eye on that big yellow ball in the sky, when it does actually appear.
Red hair occurs naturally in 1–2% of the human population across the world. But redheads today are commonly associated the Celtic Nations, at the northern and western fringes of Europe. Of which Ireland is one.
In Ireland, the percentage of population with red hair is estimated to be at around 10%. In fact, 34.7% of the Irish population carry the genes for red hair, although this doesn’t directly translate proportionally into births of red-haired children.
Scotland also has a very high percentage with around 6% of the population having red hair.
There is also a strange exception: The Udmurt people of the Volga, in Russia, have more redheads per population than anywhere else in the world with the exception of Ireland and Scotland.
Dr David Adams, joint lead researcher at the Wellcome Trust Sanger Institute, “It has been known for a while that a person with red hair has an increased likelihood of developing skin cancer, but this is the first time that the gene has been proven to be associated with skin cancers with more mutations. Unexpectedly, we also showed that people with only a single copy of the gene variant still have a much higher number of tumour mutations than the rest of the population. This is one of the first examples of a common genetic profile having a large impact on a cancer genome and could help better identify people at higher risk of developing skin cancer.”
Exposure to ultraviolet light from either sunlight or sunbeds causes damage to DNA. It has been thought that the type of skin pigment associated with red-heads could allow more UV to reach the DNA. While this may be one mechanism of damage, the study also revealed that cancer development in people with MC1R variation is not solely related to ultraviolet light.
Dr Julie Sharp, head of health and patient information at Cancer Research UK, said: “This important research explains why red-haired people have to be so careful about covering up in strong sun. It also underlines that it isn’t just people with red hair who need to protect themselves from too much sun. People who tend to burn rather than tan, or who have fair skin, hair or eyes, or who have freckles or moles are also at higher risk.”
Stay away from the sunbeds, redheads. This much we know for sure.