While there may be some unique facts about redheads, one important fact to know is the genetic link between red hair and cancer. Redheads generally have fairer skin and are more susceptible to sunburn and skin cancer.
Aside from red hair and skin cancer, there are also known links between this particular hair color and physical health: redheads may be at higher risk of Parkinson’s disease, but they also produce more Vitamin D. Read on to find out more.
Redheads are more susceptible to skin cancer because they often have paler skin, and some studies have also linked red hair DNA to an increased risk of melanoma, a type of skin cancer that develops from melanin-producing melanocytes.
Redheads have two copies of the mutated melanocortin 1 receptor (MC1R) gene. The MC1R gene determines the amount and type of melanin produced by melanocytes in the skin. These types of melanin give rise to skin, eye, and hair color and include:
- Eumelanin: Dark hair, skin, and dark brown pigment in the eyes
- Pheomelanin: A reddish-yellow pigment that causes red hair, green eyes, pale skin, and freckles
Redheads have more pheomelanin and less eumelanin. Red hair mutations in the MC1R gene result in reduced amounts of eumelanin, resulting in pale skin. Eumelanin protects the skin from ultraviolet (UV) rays, but a deficiency of this pigment makes the skin more susceptible to sun damage and can lead to melanoma.
Other cancers associated with red hair
Some researchers have identified links between red hair and other types of cancer. One study found that redheads were more likely to have the following cancers:
The researchers also found a significant association between redheads and cancer incidence in women, although for men, this association was more significant for age than hair color.
Cancer isn’t the only link between red hair and physical health, as it has also been linked to Parkinson’s disease, other skin conditions, and vitamin D production.
Parkinson’s disease
Redheads may be at higher risk for Parkinson’s disease: One study analyzed the incidence of Parkinson’s disease in people with different hair colors and found a surprising correlation.
The lowest incidence of Parkinson’s was in people with dark hair, and the highest in people with red hair, and the researchers observed that the incidence of Parkinson’s increased as hair color became lighter.
Looking more closely at the genetic mutations, the researchers also found that redheads with the MC1R variant p.R151C were at even higher risk of Parkinson’s than the rest of the population, while those with p.R160W, the variant that also causes red hair, were not at increased risk.
Skin-related symptoms
Aside from skin cancer, sunburn can be an issue for redheads. The increased risk of sunburn is also due to the levels of pheomelanin and eumelanin in the skin.
Plus, there’s evidence to suggest that redheads often look older than their chronological age: One study, for example, found that adults with two copies of the MC1R gene mutation were more likely to look two years older than their peers. Researchers have shown that MC1R gene mutations correlate with thinning lips, sagging skin along the jawline, and other visible signs of aging.
Vitamin D Production
Your body produces vitamin D when the sun’s ultraviolet B (UVB) rays penetrate the top layer of your skin. UVB interacts with a protein in your skin (7-dehydrocholesterol, or 7-DHC) and activates a process that converts the protein into vitamin D3. One study found that redheads are more efficient at synthesizing vitamin D, which is one of the benefits of having red hair.
Vitamin D is essential for bone health, may prevent depression, and may help your immune system when you have a cold. Vitamin D deficiency may be linked to a variety of health conditions, from hair loss to cancer.
The researchers further speculate that redheads in darker climates, like those in Scotland and Ireland, may have a genetic advantage because they are able to produce more vitamin D than others in darker environments.
Genetic factors, namely having two copies of the MC1R gene, put redheads at higher risk of developing skin cancer, and may also increase the risk of developing colon, ovarian and cervical cancer.
Redheads may also be at higher risk for Parkinson’s disease, sunburn, and age-related skin changes. But red hair also has benefits: Redheads typically produce more vitamin D than people with other hair colors.
