Ginger Gene (article)

Actually many people get melanoma and they don't have red hair gene, light hair or blue eyes, but many get it from not enough sun because of lack of sun can cause it as well since the body would be lacking Vitamin D3.

So while your dermatologist is right in saying you could get it from not having ever seen the sun is correct but it wouldn't be because of the Ginger Gene as you call it since melanoma isn't caused by the sun.

If it was how could you get it in the parts the sun never sees such as your groin, soles of your feet or places the sun never shines and also why do dark skinned, dark eyed and dark haired people get it as well.  Or how about those that work night turn and sleep during the day get it the same as the sun bathers.  Maybe it is more something lacking in your system that can cause it.  Maybe your Vitamin D3 is extremely low because you don't get enough sun (10-15 minutes a day is all it takes in the sun to get enough Vitamin D3 for the day or even longer) and the type you get from supplements has to be converted to the proper type.  Vitamin D3 is actually a hormone and not really a vitamin at all.  Also those living above Atlanta, GA are usually deficient as we don't get enough sun or if you have the winter cold months when your body is covered up.  Maybe there could even be something else that the body is not getting enough of that causes it.  Could be the chemicals in the soil that goes into the food we eat, or the air we breathe and who knows because no one is researching that.  Maybe it is in the chemicals we put on our bodies, causing more cancers, like lotions, detergents.  Even if you use sunscreen it is full of chemicals and then you bake it into you body by being out in the sun.  The drugs you take cause reactions some of them are harmful so what we put on our skin could also be harmful reactions.  All the chlorine in our water and fluouride could be causing some of the harmful reactions.

Many people live where they wear little to no clothing but is melanoma running rabid there.  Lots to think about and we will probably never get answers as I don't think anyone has the answer.

I am light skinned, was a tow head as a youngster, blue eyes and I didn't get the melanoma my spouse did who has dark hair and worked 40 years of mostly midnights and afternoon turn with overtime as well so he never was out in the sun much.  We try to get 10-15 minutes a day of sunshine with no sunscreen.

Judy (loving wife of Gene Stage IV and now NED for 4 years)

Actually many people get melanoma and they don't have red hair gene, light hair or blue eyes, but many get it from not enough sun because of lack of sun can cause it as well since the body would be lacking Vitamin D3.

So while your dermatologist is right in saying you could get it from not having ever seen the sun is correct but it wouldn't be because of the Ginger Gene as you call it since melanoma isn't caused by the sun.

If it was how could you get it in the parts the sun never sees such as your groin, soles of your feet or places the sun never shines and also why do dark skinned, dark eyed and dark haired people get it as well.  Or how about those that work night turn and sleep during the day get it the same as the sun bathers.  Maybe it is more something lacking in your system that can cause it.  Maybe your Vitamin D3 is extremely low because you don't get enough sun (10-15 minutes a day is all it takes in the sun to get enough Vitamin D3 for the day or even longer) and the type you get from supplements has to be converted to the proper type.  Vitamin D3 is actually a hormone and not really a vitamin at all.  Also those living above Atlanta, GA are usually deficient as we don't get enough sun or if you have the winter cold months when your body is covered up.  Maybe there could even be something else that the body is not getting enough of that causes it.  Could be the chemicals in the soil that goes into the food we eat, or the air we breathe and who knows because no one is researching that.  Maybe it is in the chemicals we put on our bodies, causing more cancers, like lotions, detergents.  Even if you use sunscreen it is full of chemicals and then you bake it into you body by being out in the sun.  The drugs you take cause reactions some of them are harmful so what we put on our skin could also be harmful reactions.  All the chlorine in our water and fluouride could be causing some of the harmful reactions.

Many people live where they wear little to no clothing but is melanoma running rabid there.  Lots to think about and we will probably never get answers as I don't think anyone has the answer.

I am light skinned, was a tow head as a youngster, blue eyes and I didn't get the melanoma my spouse did who has dark hair and worked 40 years of mostly midnights and afternoon turn with overtime as well so he never was out in the sun much.  We try to get 10-15 minutes a day of sunshine with no sunscreen.

Judy (loving wife of Gene Stage IV and now NED for 4 years)

Actually many people get melanoma and they don't have red hair gene, light hair or blue eyes, but many get it from not enough sun because of lack of sun can cause it as well since the body would be lacking Vitamin D3.

So while your dermatologist is right in saying you could get it from not having ever seen the sun is correct but it wouldn't be because of the Ginger Gene as you call it since melanoma isn't caused by the sun.

If it was how could you get it in the parts the sun never sees such as your groin, soles of your feet or places the sun never shines and also why do dark skinned, dark eyed and dark haired people get it as well.  Or how about those that work night turn and sleep during the day get it the same as the sun bathers.  Maybe it is more something lacking in your system that can cause it.  Maybe your Vitamin D3 is extremely low because you don't get enough sun (10-15 minutes a day is all it takes in the sun to get enough Vitamin D3 for the day or even longer) and the type you get from supplements has to be converted to the proper type.  Vitamin D3 is actually a hormone and not really a vitamin at all.  Also those living above Atlanta, GA are usually deficient as we don't get enough sun or if you have the winter cold months when your body is covered up.  Maybe there could even be something else that the body is not getting enough of that causes it.  Could be the chemicals in the soil that goes into the food we eat, or the air we breathe and who knows because no one is researching that.  Maybe it is in the chemicals we put on our bodies, causing more cancers, like lotions, detergents.  Even if you use sunscreen it is full of chemicals and then you bake it into you body by being out in the sun.  The drugs you take cause reactions some of them are harmful so what we put on our skin could also be harmful reactions.  All the chlorine in our water and fluouride could be causing some of the harmful reactions.

Many people live where they wear little to no clothing but is melanoma running rabid there.  Lots to think about and we will probably never get answers as I don't think anyone has the answer.

I am light skinned, was a tow head as a youngster, blue eyes and I didn't get the melanoma my spouse did who has dark hair and worked 40 years of mostly midnights and afternoon turn with overtime as well so he never was out in the sun much.  We try to get 10-15 minutes a day of sunshine with no sunscreen.

Judy (loving wife of Gene Stage IV and now NED for 4 years)

If we really knew or the scientists/doctors really knew; we'd all probably be in a better spot. I think there are various factors thatcan come into play. I truly believe for myself that it was overexposure to the sun. I've always had a dark complexion and take after my dad's side of the family who is from Sicily. I don't have any family history of melanoma and none of the "Primary" mutations BRAF & NRAS. So why me? I wish they could pin it down to my genome or in that case for anyoneand find a way to treat this terrible disease.

While I think for your dermatologist telling you that you probably would've ended up with melanoma anyway is ridiculous, I  can see how that Ginger Gene plays a role. It's kind of like markers in the blood or side effects indicating response to immunotherapy; do they really know…is there strong scientific evidence? So while I think the sun is good….everything in moderation.

Josh

If we really knew or the scientists/doctors really knew; we'd all probably be in a better spot. I think there are various factors thatcan come into play. I truly believe for myself that it was overexposure to the sun. I've always had a dark complexion and take after my dad's side of the family who is from Sicily. I don't have any family history of melanoma and none of the "Primary" mutations BRAF & NRAS. So why me? I wish they could pin it down to my genome or in that case for anyoneand find a way to treat this terrible disease.

While I think for your dermatologist telling you that you probably would've ended up with melanoma anyway is ridiculous, I  can see how that Ginger Gene plays a role. It's kind of like markers in the blood or side effects indicating response to immunotherapy; do they really know…is there strong scientific evidence? So while I think the sun is good….everything in moderation.

Josh

If we really knew or the scientists/doctors really knew; we'd all probably be in a better spot. I think there are various factors thatcan come into play. I truly believe for myself that it was overexposure to the sun. I've always had a dark complexion and take after my dad's side of the family who is from Sicily. I don't have any family history of melanoma and none of the "Primary" mutations BRAF & NRAS. So why me? I wish they could pin it down to my genome or in that case for anyoneand find a way to treat this terrible disease.

While I think for your dermatologist telling you that you probably would've ended up with melanoma anyway is ridiculous, I  can see how that Ginger Gene plays a role. It's kind of like markers in the blood or side effects indicating response to immunotherapy; do they really know…is there strong scientific evidence? So while I think the sun is good….everything in moderation.

Josh

I honestly do not think we will EVER know what the true cause of Melanoma is.   Right now there is too much money on the table with  sunscreen industry.    It is easy to link Melanoma to sun exposure.  Almost every human alive has had a bad sun burn and when someone gets melanoma it is logical to say " Crap that sunburn from 10 years ago got me"    But the majority of people who have had a bad sun burn, bad 10 sun burns, bad 50 sun burns, used tanning beds etc, etc, etc, will NEVER get melanoma. 

It could be diet, it coule be genetics, it could be sun,  it could be stress, it could be a mixture of all these things or one of these cuprits can cause melanoma when our immune system is weak. 

All I know is more people than ever continue to put on their sun screen, summer, winter, fall, spring and the Melanoma rate continues to rise. 

I know two people who have had melanoma ! One of them is my best friend and the reason I found this forum.   She never saw the sun !  She did not have a ton of moles and she did not use tanning beds.  

The other guy was not a sunbather and had some casual exposure over his years.  

Yet most of my coworkers and friends work on their tans during the summer and spring months.  I know a few that have used tanning beds for over 15 years and keep a golden tan all year.  None of them have had melanoma.   A few of them have had stuff froze and scooped off their bodies.   

Even look at some of the medical studies on sun exposure.  Some of these studies link a high level of life time sun exposure to a reduced risk of melanoma.  Some studies show that sun exposure puts people at risk for melanoma.  Some studies show people with a large number of moles are at a higher risk for melamoma and the latest study shows that most people diagnosed with melanoma have very few moles.  

I do not have melanoma but when my friend was diagnosed I tried to help her out and research as much as I can and to be honest it pissed me off and frustrated me.  What is the answer ??

I honestly do not think we will EVER know what the true cause of Melanoma is.   Right now there is too much money on the table with  sunscreen industry.    It is easy to link Melanoma to sun exposure.  Almost every human alive has had a bad sun burn and when someone gets melanoma it is logical to say " Crap that sunburn from 10 years ago got me"    But the majority of people who have had a bad sun burn, bad 10 sun burns, bad 50 sun burns, used tanning beds etc, etc, etc, will NEVER get melanoma. 

It could be diet, it coule be genetics, it could be sun,  it could be stress, it could be a mixture of all these things or one of these cuprits can cause melanoma when our immune system is weak. 

All I know is more people than ever continue to put on their sun screen, summer, winter, fall, spring and the Melanoma rate continues to rise. 

I know two people who have had melanoma ! One of them is my best friend and the reason I found this forum.   She never saw the sun !  She did not have a ton of moles and she did not use tanning beds.  

The other guy was not a sunbather and had some casual exposure over his years.  

Yet most of my coworkers and friends work on their tans during the summer and spring months.  I know a few that have used tanning beds for over 15 years and keep a golden tan all year.  None of them have had melanoma.   A few of them have had stuff froze and scooped off their bodies.   

Even look at some of the medical studies on sun exposure.  Some of these studies link a high level of life time sun exposure to a reduced risk of melanoma.  Some studies show that sun exposure puts people at risk for melanoma.  Some studies show people with a large number of moles are at a higher risk for melamoma and the latest study shows that most people diagnosed with melanoma have very few moles.  

I do not have melanoma but when my friend was diagnosed I tried to help her out and research as much as I can and to be honest it pissed me off and frustrated me.  What is the answer ??

I honestly do not think we will EVER know what the true cause of Melanoma is.   Right now there is too much money on the table with  sunscreen industry.    It is easy to link Melanoma to sun exposure.  Almost every human alive has had a bad sun burn and when someone gets melanoma it is logical to say " Crap that sunburn from 10 years ago got me"    But the majority of people who have had a bad sun burn, bad 10 sun burns, bad 50 sun burns, used tanning beds etc, etc, etc, will NEVER get melanoma. 

It could be diet, it coule be genetics, it could be sun,  it could be stress, it could be a mixture of all these things or one of these cuprits can cause melanoma when our immune system is weak. 

All I know is more people than ever continue to put on their sun screen, summer, winter, fall, spring and the Melanoma rate continues to rise. 

I know two people who have had melanoma ! One of them is my best friend and the reason I found this forum.   She never saw the sun !  She did not have a ton of moles and she did not use tanning beds.  

The other guy was not a sunbather and had some casual exposure over his years.  

Yet most of my coworkers and friends work on their tans during the summer and spring months.  I know a few that have used tanning beds for over 15 years and keep a golden tan all year.  None of them have had melanoma.   A few of them have had stuff froze and scooped off their bodies.   

Even look at some of the medical studies on sun exposure.  Some of these studies link a high level of life time sun exposure to a reduced risk of melanoma.  Some studies show that sun exposure puts people at risk for melanoma.  Some studies show people with a large number of moles are at a higher risk for melamoma and the latest study shows that most people diagnosed with melanoma have very few moles.  

I do not have melanoma but when my friend was diagnosed I tried to help her out and research as much as I can and to be honest it pissed me off and frustrated me.  What is the answer ??

Hi Jenn,

Gee, it looks as though being a redhead simply increases risk, with sun exposure or not.  Ouch!  My son just married a redhead too.  I don't know whether to say something or not.  No doubt she knows of sunburn risk and follows the sunscreen rules, but its scary to think it may not matter, and worse, to create fear and stress about something you have no control over does nothing for quality of life.  I have little doubt a long and sordid history of blistering sunburns, combined with a particularly stressful point in my life lead to my illness, but at least I know, or should have known better what I was doing.

Gary

Hi Jenn,

Gee, it looks as though being a redhead simply increases risk, with sun exposure or not.  Ouch!  My son just married a redhead too.  I don't know whether to say something or not.  No doubt she knows of sunburn risk and follows the sunscreen rules, but its scary to think it may not matter, and worse, to create fear and stress about something you have no control over does nothing for quality of life.  I have little doubt a long and sordid history of blistering sunburns, combined with a particularly stressful point in my life lead to my illness, but at least I know, or should have known better what I was doing.

Gary

Hi Jenn,

Gee, it looks as though being a redhead simply increases risk, with sun exposure or not.  Ouch!  My son just married a redhead too.  I don't know whether to say something or not.  No doubt she knows of sunburn risk and follows the sunscreen rules, but its scary to think it may not matter, and worse, to create fear and stress about something you have no control over does nothing for quality of life.  I have little doubt a long and sordid history of blistering sunburns, combined with a particularly stressful point in my life lead to my illness, but at least I know, or should have known better what I was doing.

Gary

Jenn,

That article reminded me of this one. I hadn't read it in a long time. It backs up the article your father forwarded you. The gist I get out if it is, red heads' skin is more susceptible to mutations, whether from the sun or just the normal oxidative stresses of life in a cell nucleus. 

https://www.wistar.org/sites/default/files/content/Kalabis_2012_Nature.pdf

I guess there's a few different ways genetics-wise to end up with red hair, maybe with different effects on DNA damage. I had multiple blistering burns and was a redhead. The locations of both of my primaries are in sun-exposed areas, so that makes me think that the sun as an issue. But it sounds like we are at higher risk of both UV-caused and non-UV-caused melanoma. 

I think the takeaways for a redhead are 1) our skin is more susceptible to UV damage, but 2) our skin is more susceptible to genetic damage from normal oxidation. Which means I still get much more 'bang for my buck' with skin protection than a non-red head, on average. My skin is just more at risk, in two different ways.

Jenn,

That article reminded me of this one. I hadn't read it in a long time. It backs up the article your father forwarded you. The gist I get out if it is, red heads' skin is more susceptible to mutations, whether from the sun or just the normal oxidative stresses of life in a cell nucleus. 

https://www.wistar.org/sites/default/files/content/Kalabis_2012_Nature.pdf

I guess there's a few different ways genetics-wise to end up with red hair, maybe with different effects on DNA damage. I had multiple blistering burns and was a redhead. The locations of both of my primaries are in sun-exposed areas, so that makes me think that the sun as an issue. But it sounds like we are at higher risk of both UV-caused and non-UV-caused melanoma. 

I think the takeaways for a redhead are 1) our skin is more susceptible to UV damage, but 2) our skin is more susceptible to genetic damage from normal oxidation. Which means I still get much more 'bang for my buck' with skin protection than a non-red head, on average. My skin is just more at risk, in two different ways.

Jenn,

That article reminded me of this one. I hadn't read it in a long time. It backs up the article your father forwarded you. The gist I get out if it is, red heads' skin is more susceptible to mutations, whether from the sun or just the normal oxidative stresses of life in a cell nucleus. 

https://www.wistar.org/sites/default/files/content/Kalabis_2012_Nature.pdf

I guess there's a few different ways genetics-wise to end up with red hair, maybe with different effects on DNA damage. I had multiple blistering burns and was a redhead. The locations of both of my primaries are in sun-exposed areas, so that makes me think that the sun as an issue. But it sounds like we are at higher risk of both UV-caused and non-UV-caused melanoma. 

I think the takeaways for a redhead are 1) our skin is more susceptible to UV damage, but 2) our skin is more susceptible to genetic damage from normal oxidation. Which means I still get much more 'bang for my buck' with skin protection than a non-red head, on average. My skin is just more at risk, in two different ways.

Good article  Jenn,

I've  read  several  others  like this, with some even suggesting  that redheads  are likely  to be few and far between  in the coming  decades . 

I am a redhead. Grew up in the sixties  when there was little , or no awareness  on the real dangers  of sunburns  . Heck I'm not even sure there was any serious  sun protection  available .  Zinc oxide  on the nose was considered  protection , but no one really  wanted to walk around with a white nose back then. So , uncountable  blistering  sunburns  was the norm for me .  As kids we use to see who could peel the largest  piece  of skin off after the burn. I usually  won. Always  had a perpetual  scab on the nose as a kid.

Of course  it's   of  little  wonder now ,considering  the gene aspect,and throwing  gas on the fire that melanoma  is part of my everyday  life now. Who knew?

Nine primaries  and counting .  Neck,back,both shoulders,abdomen ,   and an elbow  so far.

There was always  plenty of Copper tone  around back then. "TAN! Don't  burn,get a Copper tone tan!" The jingle  went  something  like that .  I am glad the awareness  has shifted . 

Be well.

Bob

Good article  Jenn,

I've  read  several  others  like this, with some even suggesting  that redheads  are likely  to be few and far between  in the coming  decades . 

I am a redhead. Grew up in the sixties  when there was little , or no awareness  on the real dangers  of sunburns  . Heck I'm not even sure there was any serious  sun protection  available .  Zinc oxide  on the nose was considered  protection , but no one really  wanted to walk around with a white nose back then. So , uncountable  blistering  sunburns  was the norm for me .  As kids we use to see who could peel the largest  piece  of skin off after the burn. I usually  won. Always  had a perpetual  scab on the nose as a kid.

Of course  it's   of  little  wonder now ,considering  the gene aspect,and throwing  gas on the fire that melanoma  is part of my everyday  life now. Who knew?

Nine primaries  and counting .  Neck,back,both shoulders,abdomen ,   and an elbow  so far.

There was always  plenty of Copper tone  around back then. "TAN! Don't  burn,get a Copper tone tan!" The jingle  went  something  like that .  I am glad the awareness  has shifted . 

Be well.

Bob

Good article  Jenn,

I've  read  several  others  like this, with some even suggesting  that redheads  are likely  to be few and far between  in the coming  decades . 

I am a redhead. Grew up in the sixties  when there was little , or no awareness  on the real dangers  of sunburns  . Heck I'm not even sure there was any serious  sun protection  available .  Zinc oxide  on the nose was considered  protection , but no one really  wanted to walk around with a white nose back then. So , uncountable  blistering  sunburns  was the norm for me .  As kids we use to see who could peel the largest  piece  of skin off after the burn. I usually  won. Always  had a perpetual  scab on the nose as a kid.

Of course  it's   of  little  wonder now ,considering  the gene aspect,and throwing  gas on the fire that melanoma  is part of my everyday  life now. Who knew?

Nine primaries  and counting .  Neck,back,both shoulders,abdomen ,   and an elbow  so far.

There was always  plenty of Copper tone  around back then. "TAN! Don't  burn,get a Copper tone tan!" The jingle  went  something  like that .  I am glad the awareness  has shifted . 

Be well.

Bob