- Dec 31, 2009
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http://www.lifescript.com/life/looks/hair/what_hair_color_says_about_your_health.aspx
Very interesting article. it essentially says that blondes, redheads and brunettes are mutations.
Health and Hair: The Color Connection
What Your Natural Hair Color Says About Your Health
The genes that give your hair a charcoal, chestnut, honey or amber hue also affect health conditions like Parkinson’s, multiple sclerosis and endometriosis, says Cleveland Clinic geneticist Rocio Moran, M.D.
That's because "the melanocytes, or DNA, that produce hair pigment are controlled by genes that have roles in other processes in the body,"
Greater chance of skin cancer
It’s no secret that fair skin increases your chances of melanoma, but light hair is a risk factor too.
"Blondes produce less melanin, the cells that give your hair and skin its pigment. [It] can leave them especially sensitive to sunburns, sun damage and developing skin cancer," says dermatologist Joel Schlessinger, M.D., president emeritus, American Society of Cosmetic Dermatology and Aesthetic Surgery.
And a 2008 Australian study found brunettes have less of a chance of developing multiple sclerosis.
"In most cases, brunettes tend to have darker complexions than blondes and redheads, which seems to provide some protection from multiple sclerosis," Dr. Schlessinger says.
Very interesting article. it essentially says that blondes, redheads and brunettes are mutations.
Health and Hair: The Color Connection
What Your Natural Hair Color Says About Your Health
The genes that give your hair a charcoal, chestnut, honey or amber hue also affect health conditions like Parkinson’s, multiple sclerosis and endometriosis, says Cleveland Clinic geneticist Rocio Moran, M.D.
That's because "the melanocytes, or DNA, that produce hair pigment are controlled by genes that have roles in other processes in the body,"
Greater chance of skin cancer
It’s no secret that fair skin increases your chances of melanoma, but light hair is a risk factor too.
"Blondes produce less melanin, the cells that give your hair and skin its pigment. [It] can leave them especially sensitive to sunburns, sun damage and developing skin cancer," says dermatologist Joel Schlessinger, M.D., president emeritus, American Society of Cosmetic Dermatology and Aesthetic Surgery.
And a 2008 Australian study found brunettes have less of a chance of developing multiple sclerosis.
"In most cases, brunettes tend to have darker complexions than blondes and redheads, which seems to provide some protection from multiple sclerosis," Dr. Schlessinger says.