Please, please, PLEASE, read this study! (As a matter of fact, it would be great if the DIS put it in a special notice in every forum, it could save a life!)
People with red hair and freckles are at the most risk for skin cancer, and there are usually two genes that control this. HOWEVER, if you have only one of the genes, you won't have light skin and red hair, but YOU WILL STILL BE PREDISPOSED TOWARDS GETTING CANCER! At least in the states, god only knows what half of our ancestors were like no matter how dark your skin is now!
"Recent research shows that complex factors, such as skin type, genes, and melanin distribution -- may be as important in determining skin cancer risk as race and skin color are.
"Genetics are also critical in skin cancer risk. People with red hair, fair skin, and freckles have the highest risk for sun-induced skin cancer. They generally have two variations of the "red-hair" gene, MC1R. However, Australian research shows that people with just one variation also have an increased risk for skin cancer, even if their hair and skin color are dark. "People with only one variant copy of MC1R are at risk because they believe they can tan better than they actually do tan," says lead researcher Richard A. Sturm, PhD, a molecular biologist at the University of Queensland, Brisbane, Australia. "
Furthermore, they have found that no matter what, even if you have dark skin, after getting burned, the ability for melanin to repair damage is diminished.
http://www.skincancer.org/news/010605-sunalert.html
Please, please, please. Always put sunblock on your kids!
Katherine