According To Researchers, People With Red Hair Have Increased Risks Of Being Diagnosed With Cancer

People with red hair in their gene pool have high risks of being diagnosed with Cancer. According to Researchers of Wellcome Trust Sanger Institute, individuals who have two copies of this gene develop red hair, freckles and pale skin that increases the risk of being diagnosed with Skin Cancer. Those with one copy of this gene have pale skin without red hair but they are equally at risk when compared to the other. This gene is named as MC1R by the United Kingdom’s Wellcome Trust Sanger Institute.

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“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,” says David Adams of the Sanger Institute. Usually people with melanoma have tumour cells in them but the ones with this particular gene have tumour cells loaded with these mutations which are not necessarily caused by sun’s radiation.

According to Scientists, not true red heads but people with pale skin, freckles and a hair colour ranging somewhere between brown to blond with a tinge of red have high chances of being diagnosed with the same. Usually the exposure to ultraviolet rays radiated from sun or other artificial light causes damage to DNA but according to the scientists of Wellcome Trust Sanger Institute, people who have skin pigment related to red heads absorb high amount of this ultraviolet rays to their DNA.

Therefore, people with red hair make sure to cover yourself while you are out in the sun. Do regular checkups and make sure you consult a doctor.

To know more: Hair Dyes And Cancer Risk

According To Researchers, People With Red Hair Have Increased Risks Of Being Diagnosed With Cancer