Why is fair skin a risk factor for skin cancer?

Skin cancer is more common in fair skinned people because they have less of the protective pigment called melanin. People with darker skin are less likely to get skin cancer.

Why is a light skinned person more susceptible to malignant melanoma?

This risk is likely related to the amount of sun protection in a person’s skin. Fair-skinned people are at greatest risk for melanoma because they have the least amount of melanin in their skin to protect them from the sun’s ultraviolet (UV) rays; dark-skinned people have the lowest risk.

What skin color is more prone to skin cancer?

People with light skin are much more likely to have their skin damaged by UV rays (and to get skin cancer), but darker-skinned people, including people of any ethnicity, can also be affected. For some people, the skin tans when it absorbs UV rays.

Does BCC increase risk of melanoma?

In an analysis of time to diagnosis of melanoma, we found a 3-fold increase in risk after BCC (HR 3.28; 95\% CI 1.66, 6.51), after adjustment for age, sex and smoking, skin reaction to chronic sun exposure and family history of non melanoma skin cancer.

Why is it less likely that melanomas result from UV light?

UVB exposure damages DNA directly, while UVA is thought to inflict its damage indirectly by inducing melanin free radicals that react with DNA to form oxidative damage that leads to melanoma.

Why does melanin protect skin?

UVA radiation causes lesions or DNA damage to melanocytes, which are the skin cells that produce the skin pigment known as melanin. Melanin is a protective pigment in skin, blocking UV radiation from damaging DNA and potentially causing skin cancer.

Can staying indoors make your skin lighter?

It depends on how potent that person’s skin Melanin is. Melanin in Blacks react to the sun for nourishment so the sun’s rays may darken the skin but staying inside and avoiding the sun seems to work at making a person’s skin lighter after the fact. Melanin itself is a shapeshifter that changes.

Can skin cancer be tan colored?

Melanoma often contains shades of brown, black, or tan, but some can be red or pink, such as the one shown here.

Why do I keep getting basal cell carcinoma?

Most basal cell and squamous cell skin cancers are caused by repeated and unprotected skin exposure to ultraviolet (UV) rays from sunlight, as well as from man-made sources such as tanning beds. UV rays can damage the DNA inside skin cells.

Is Basal Cell Carcinoma a big deal?

But for those of us who’ve had more than one, it’s important to understand that these skin cancers can be a big deal. While basal cell carcinomas almost never spread (metastasize), some can be aggressive, grow quite large and even become disfiguring.