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Q J Med 1999; 92: 125-131
© 1999 Association of Physicians

Editorial

Pigmentation, melanocortins and red hair

J.L. Rees and N. Flanagan

Department of Dermatology University of Newcastle

`Do freckles and red hair help Irishmen catch leprechauns?'1

There are at least two reasons for being interested in the biology of hair and skin colour. First, variation in skin and hair colour is perhaps the most polymorphic of all visible differences between humans, and has historically been of profound social importance. We get used to seeing little people—they are called children—whereas even the most liberal parent shows concern when children start verbalizing their classification of human skin colours. It is likely that the influence of differences in pigmentation rivals or exceeds that of infectious diseases on human history. Second, variation in pigmentation is the most important risk factor for the major forms of skin cancer, both melanoma, and basal and squamous cell carcinoma.2,3 If one were to collect a random sample of people from around the world, their constitutional risk of developing skin cancer would vary over 100-fold, . . . [Full Text of this Article]

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