How many people here with melanoma also have red hair, blue eyes and have fair complexion?

I have red hair, fair skin, and green eyes.

I have red hair, fair skin, and green eyes.

reddish hair, fair skin and green eyes

Linda

reddish hair, fair skin and green eyes

Linda

My husband has red hair, blue eyes and fair skin also!

(so does my daughter, so I tell her to be aware of the risk)

Jan (wife to Dirk, stage IV)

My husband has red hair, blue eyes and fair skin also!

(so does my daughter, so I tell her to be aware of the risk)

Jan (wife to Dirk, stage IV)

Yep…red hair, blue eyes, pale skin.  Never liked being in the sun and have never been in a tanning bed.   Didn't know you could be in the sun and not get burned…till I learned the hard way!

Yep…red hair, blue eyes, pale skin.  Never liked being in the sun and have never been in a tanning bed.   Didn't know you could be in the sun and not get burned…till I learned the hard way!

dad is a red head, and so is my sister.  Both always sunburned and no melanoma.  

Dad hasn't used sunscreen his whole life and still refuses-he does work outside all the time though. 

I never used a tanning booth, and don't plan on starring in MTV's Jersey Shore.

dad is a red head, and so is my sister.  Both always sunburned and no melanoma.  

Dad hasn't used sunscreen his whole life and still refuses-he does work outside all the time though. 

I never used a tanning booth, and don't plan on starring in MTV's Jersey Shore.

Strawberry blonde, blue eyes, burned until I learned to hide. No tanning beds, but I probably would have as a teen if they'd been a prevalent as they are now.  Got a bit fed up with being teased about my pale skin  (and beat up for that matter).  I'm Irish and hear there's a celtic gene mutation.

Strawberry blonde, blue eyes, burned until I learned to hide. No tanning beds, but I probably would have as a teen if they'd been a prevalent as they are now.  Got a bit fed up with being teased about my pale skin  (and beat up for that matter).  I'm Irish and hear there's a celtic gene mutation.

Husband had dark reddsih hair and all freckled except where the sun doesn't shine, his mother was the same, 2 cousins light hair, daughter of one of the cousins – light, daughter of mother 's cousin light – all have the freckled skin – so all 6 in the family with melanoma are reddsih, light and freckled.

Husband had dark reddsih hair and all freckled except where the sun doesn't shine, his mother was the same, 2 cousins light hair, daughter of one of the cousins – light, daughter of mother 's cousin light – all have the freckled skin – so all 6 in the family with melanoma are reddsih, light and freckled.

That would be me! Red hair, blue eyes, very fair skin. Stage IIIa

That would be me! Red hair, blue eyes, very fair skin. Stage IIIa

Red hair, hazel eyes, freckled skin all over!  That's me.  Good friend in hight school also diagnosed red hair, blue eyes, freckled all over.  Wish we knew then what we know now.  I only used a tanning bed once in my life, but I laid out all summer with very little sunscreen.  The only way I would tan was to burn first. STUPID!!!

Amy S. in Micihgan

Red hair, hazel eyes, freckled skin all over!  That's me.  Good friend in hight school also diagnosed red hair, blue eyes, freckled all over.  Wish we knew then what we know now.  I only used a tanning bed once in my life, but I laid out all summer with very little sunscreen.  The only way I would tan was to burn first. STUPID!!!

Amy S. in Micihgan

My grandfather was a black Irish immigrant – black hair, white skin, blue eyes. I got medium brown hair, white skin and blue eyes just like my mother. Our maternal grandmother was Welsh. German on my father's side with fair skin, blonde hair and blue eyes. I am the only one in a family of five with four adult grandchildren all with very fair skin who ended up with skin cancer of any kind. 

My grandfather was a black Irish immigrant – black hair, white skin, blue eyes. I got medium brown hair, white skin and blue eyes just like my mother. Our maternal grandmother was Welsh. German on my father's side with fair skin, blonde hair and blue eyes. I am the only one in a family of five with four adult grandchildren all with very fair skin who ended up with skin cancer of any kind. 

Found this sentence in a 2003 study:

Compared with women who had dark brown or black hair, women with blond hair had an approximately twofold higher risk of melanoma, whereas women with red hair had an approximately fourfold higher risk.

http://jnci.oxfordjournals.org/content/95/20/1530.full

And in a 1996 study:

Found this sentence in a 2003 study:

Compared with women who had dark brown or black hair, women with blond hair had an approximately twofold higher risk of melanoma, whereas women with red hair had an approximately fourfold higher risk.

http://jnci.oxfordjournals.org/content/95/20/1530.full

And in a 1996 study:

Red hair, fair skin, lots of freckles, and hazel eyes!  Never a sun worshipper, but I went to Florida every summer as a kid.  Back then you had 3 choices to protect yourself:  sea and ski, coppertone, and stay indoors.  No such thing as SPF.  Definitely had my share of burns…even from the car ride down!

It might be interesting to do our own study.  Perhaps create a survey for all interested patients to fill out and put all data into a spreadsheet.  Characteristics like hair color, eye color, skin type, stage, location of initial tumor, ulcerated, nodes involved, recurrence, treatments, etc.  Of course it might be skewed considering most people on the board are at more advanced stages…but we could see some trends.  Let me know if anyone is interested.  I'll be happy to create the form and enter the data.

Best to all for a 2011 filled with love, laughter, and prosperity…and melanoma free!!!!!!!!

Tricia

Red hair, fair skin, lots of freckles, and hazel eyes!  Never a sun worshipper, but I went to Florida every summer as a kid.  Back then you had 3 choices to protect yourself:  sea and ski, coppertone, and stay indoors.  No such thing as SPF.  Definitely had my share of burns…even from the car ride down!

It might be interesting to do our own study.  Perhaps create a survey for all interested patients to fill out and put all data into a spreadsheet.  Characteristics like hair color, eye color, skin type, stage, location of initial tumor, ulcerated, nodes involved, recurrence, treatments, etc.  Of course it might be skewed considering most people on the board are at more advanced stages…but we could see some trends.  Let me know if anyone is interested.  I'll be happy to create the form and enter the data.

Best to all for a 2011 filled with love, laughter, and prosperity…and melanoma free!!!!!!!!

Tricia

Now my hair is grey, thanks to my age and a few doses of radiation, so it's dyed blonde. But as a child, my hair was strawberry blonde. My eyes are blue, and my skin is fair and freckled. Never had a tan in my life, but as a teen and young adult, I always tried to get that elusive tan, and always ending up with a burn. Dumb, or what? I had to laugh when I read that ipi causes vertiligo, because I can't get any whiter than i already am! LOL!!!

Sharyn, Stage IV

Now my hair is grey, thanks to my age and a few doses of radiation, so it's dyed blonde. But as a child, my hair was strawberry blonde. My eyes are blue, and my skin is fair and freckled. Never had a tan in my life, but as a teen and young adult, I always tried to get that elusive tan, and always ending up with a burn. Dumb, or what? I had to laugh when I read that ipi causes vertiligo, because I can't get any whiter than i already am! LOL!!!

Sharyn, Stage IV

Light brown hair, blue eyes and very fair skin. My hair used to have a reddish tint in the right light.  I used to TRY to tan but very seldom got any change in skin color. Probably had fewer sunburns than most people I knew.

More freckles as I grew older. Uneven skin tone, especially on my arms and face, began in my 40s.

My sister, who fried herself and got very tan, developed basal cell skin cancer and was cured with minor surgery.  I have deliberately tried to stay OUT of the sun (especially since early 1970s when I first heard about skin cancer and sun exposure) and I got melanoma.

I grew up in the midwest, no beaches, no tropical vacations, no tanning beds, no sun lotion (except baby oil). Just lots of outdoor play in the sunshine and fresh air. Who would have thought!

Nicoli, stage 3b

Light brown hair, blue eyes and very fair skin. My hair used to have a reddish tint in the right light.  I used to TRY to tan but very seldom got any change in skin color. Probably had fewer sunburns than most people I knew.

More freckles as I grew older. Uneven skin tone, especially on my arms and face, began in my 40s.

My sister, who fried herself and got very tan, developed basal cell skin cancer and was cured with minor surgery.  I have deliberately tried to stay OUT of the sun (especially since early 1970s when I first heard about skin cancer and sun exposure) and I got melanoma.

I grew up in the midwest, no beaches, no tropical vacations, no tanning beds, no sun lotion (except baby oil). Just lots of outdoor play in the sunshine and fresh air. Who would have thought!

Nicoli, stage 3b

Red hair, blue eyes, pale skin, lots of freckles when I was young, plenty of sunburns growing up, followed by basal cell carcinomas, and finally melanoma.  If I'd protected my skin during my first 30 years as I have the last 25, maybe I could have avoided the melanoma.

Red hair, blue eyes, pale skin, lots of freckles when I was young, plenty of sunburns growing up, followed by basal cell carcinomas, and finally melanoma.  If I'd protected my skin during my first 30 years as I have the last 25, maybe I could have avoided the melanoma.

I do not have red hair or blond hair, it is light brown.   My skin is fair but not ghost white.  I used to tan very dark in the summer and I don't remember any sunburns that were severe.  I know my skin got pink in the first days of sun but nothing that sticks in my memory.  I grew up in the hot sun in eastern Washington, lots of time on the Snake River and working in the apple orchards where I was exposed extensively to the hot sun.  No one knew what sunscreen was back then.  When sunscreen came out in the 80's I became an advocate for it's use and talked to my family about it all the time.  It's rather ironic that I am the one with the melanoma since I am the one who preached "sunscreen…"   Too late by then though I guess. 

Shelly stage IV

Roche Braf trial since June 14, 2010

I do not have red hair or blond hair, it is light brown.   My skin is fair but not ghost white.  I used to tan very dark in the summer and I don't remember any sunburns that were severe.  I know my skin got pink in the first days of sun but nothing that sticks in my memory.  I grew up in the hot sun in eastern Washington, lots of time on the Snake River and working in the apple orchards where I was exposed extensively to the hot sun.  No one knew what sunscreen was back then.  When sunscreen came out in the 80's I became an advocate for it's use and talked to my family about it all the time.  It's rather ironic that I am the one with the melanoma since I am the one who preached "sunscreen…"   Too late by then though I guess. 

Shelly stage IV

Roche Braf trial since June 14, 2010

I have red hair, hazel eyes and pale skin tone.

I have red hair, hazel eyes and pale skin tone.

my skin is fair with freckles, eyes are brown (mom said cuz im full of shit, lol) and my hair was read ..then an auburn color..now its mostly brown… i have no idea how the hair colors changed over the years…. but i was never a sun-worshiper. however, growing up in florida and having a pool in the backyard, i can remember getting so burned as a child that my skin  would peel off in thick chunks that bled. 

thats me…. melanoma IIIc….. and holding!!

my skin is fair with freckles, eyes are brown (mom said cuz im full of shit, lol) and my hair was read ..then an auburn color..now its mostly brown… i have no idea how the hair colors changed over the years…. but i was never a sun-worshiper. however, growing up in florida and having a pool in the backyard, i can remember getting so burned as a child that my skin  would peel off in thick chunks that bled. 

thats me…. melanoma IIIc….. and holding!!

Dark brown hair, hazel brown eyes, fair skin. No family history (of melanoma or any other cancer). Plenty of beauty marks but no moles. No tanning beds. A few sunburns in my past (3 on the front of my scalp and one on the back of my legs) but generally I prefer to stay out of the sun cause I'm not a fan of sweating. No major tanning sessions out in the sun. Was undergoing fertility treatments so my melanoma may have brought on by hormones but who knows. I don't fit the classic melanoma profile in my opinion.

Maria, Stage 1 NED

Dark brown hair, hazel brown eyes, fair skin. No family history (of melanoma or any other cancer). Plenty of beauty marks but no moles. No tanning beds. A few sunburns in my past (3 on the front of my scalp and one on the back of my legs) but generally I prefer to stay out of the sun cause I'm not a fan of sweating. No major tanning sessions out in the sun. Was undergoing fertility treatments so my melanoma may have brought on by hormones but who knows. I don't fit the classic melanoma profile in my opinion.

Maria, Stage 1 NED

Blond hair, blue eyes, fair skin……..some sunburns as a child but not a "sun worshipper".  I am 41 years old  and do not remember much about SPF in my childhood years.

Blond hair, blue eyes, fair skin……..some sunburns as a child but not a "sun worshipper".  I am 41 years old  and do not remember much about SPF in my childhood years.

I have auburn hair, fair skin, brown eyes.  I avoided the sun as a child then discovered the beaches as an adult. I even conditioned in the tanning beds before a vacation each year. 

I have auburn hair, fair skin, brown eyes.  I avoided the sun as a child then discovered the beaches as an adult. I even conditioned in the tanning beds before a vacation each year. 

Light brown, reddish highlights. A zillion freckles, hazel eyes. Irish/Scottish decent.

I am from the "baby oil" generation. Pale skin was always out. When I was a kid, I thought the more sun, the more my freckles would all blend together and make a big tan. yes, i am the poster child.

Joan

Light brown, reddish highlights. A zillion freckles, hazel eyes. Irish/Scottish decent.

I am from the "baby oil" generation. Pale skin was always out. When I was a kid, I thought the more sun, the more my freckles would all blend together and make a big tan. yes, i am the poster child.

Joan

Yep, Red hair, green eyes, fair skin!

Been reading the board since my diagnosis, finally decided to join. Thank you for all the information I have gained here.

Yep, Red hair, green eyes, fair skin!

Been reading the board since my diagnosis, finally decided to join. Thank you for all the information I have gained here.

Light brown hair, blue eyes, and fair, freckled skin. I had some pretty good burns as a kid & back then the only reason to avoid a sunburn was b/c it hurt, not b/c it could cause cancer!

Light brown hair, blue eyes, and fair, freckled skin. I had some pretty good burns as a kid & back then the only reason to avoid a sunburn was b/c it hurt, not b/c it could cause cancer!

Irish, red hair, fair and freckled, green eyes….have you heard that red-heads are dying out? Interesting lore about our tribe: We have a lower tolerance to extremes of temperture. We supposedly are more difficult to put under (said an anesthesiologist to my dermotologist). I have heard from a midwife and a tatoo artist that we are bleeders…interesting stuff!

Irish, red hair, fair and freckled, green eyes….have you heard that red-heads are dying out? Interesting lore about our tribe: We have a lower tolerance to extremes of temperture. We supposedly are more difficult to put under (said an anesthesiologist to my dermotologist). I have heard from a midwife and a tatoo artist that we are bleeders…interesting stuff!