redheads

Natural redheads are known for their fair skin and, yes, burn more easily, but new research shows that the melanin found in people with red hair is also linked to the development of melanoma — even without sun exposure. A study published in the online journal Nature found that redheads produce a different type of melanin than those with darker skin and hair called pheomelanin. Researchers found that this type of melanin in mice led to melanoma development even before they were exposed to UV light.

"There is something about the redhead genetic background that is behaving in a carcinogenic fashion, independent of UV," David Fisher, the cancer biologist who led the study, told Nature. The study shows that pheomelanin itself is a cancer-causing agent. But researchers say that the sun is still a driving force in the development of skin cancers in redheads, despite this genetic discovery.

The bottom line: Redheads should be even more keenly aware of changes in their skin, freckles, and moles. Make sure you have a dermatologist regularly check out your skin, and be proactive in keeping your skin protected.

He famously took Lady Gaga from blond to silvery-gray for the September cover of Vanity Fair, and now celebrity colorist Johnathan Gale is giving us his tips on amping up our own hair color. He's already talked about how blondes can spice things up, so let's see what he has to say about redheads. For a quick and easy way to perk your reddish tones right up, just read more.

Not only is Marie Robinson the color director for Clairol and colorist to stars like Anne Hathaway and Rachel McAdams, but she's also owner of the posh Marie Robinson Salon in NYC. Since last week, Marie's been sharing her advice with us on doing color right, from her at-home coloring essentials to selecting box color, but for the final installment of this series, Marie's talking Fall trends. To see what she has to say, just keep reading.

From lightning-fast lipstick applications to the longest ear hair (yep, you read that right), when it comes to setting Guinness World Records, the topics at hand are practically limitless.

Adding to the latest entry of the book of extremes is the Seattle suburb of Sammamish, where those with a variation of the MC1R gene flocked over the weekend. The mission? To assemble the largest gathering of redheads in one location in efforts to beat the record of 250. Dyed hair was not allowed. With 901 natural redheads in attendance, and entrants coming from as far as Arizona and Minnesota, the record-busting efforts were a success. Love beauty Guinness tidbits as much as we do? Take our quiz to find out more about records from the beauty world.

Photo by Alex Silverman, courtesy of mynorthwest.com

It's clearer than ever that tanning beds are dangerous and carcinogenic, but that apparently isn't stopping the people who are most vulnerable to skin cancer from using them — at least in the UK. The British Association of Dermatologists conducted a study and found that redheads and other pale, freckled people were the most likely to use tanning beds, even though they're at much, much higher risk of developing skin cancer already and almost never actually get a tan. So in lieu of prematurely aging yourself and damaging your skin, slather on wide-spectrum sunscreen and stick with the self-tanner instead.

Or, better yet, start trying to love the skin you were born with. This Bella grew up extra pale in a place where everyone else was golden brown, so I know how it feels. But for your health and psychological well-being, eventually you have to accept yourself and realize that other people's ignorance is their problem and that every skin tone is equally beautiful. That's just my two cents, but what do you think?

For some redheaded (or "ginger") kids in the UK, where there's a virulent strain of prejudice against people of the flame-haired persuasion, going to school can be an awful experience. (Bullies, of course, will pick up on any arbitrary feature as a reason to taunt and torture.) Recently, one little girl in England was forced to leave school after receiving death threats from a bullying clique. She'd been so desperate that she even dyed her beautiful hair blond so that they'd leave her alone. This particular form of discrimination seems pretty foreign to most Americans, but we have our own, albeit less prominent, issues with redhead stereotyping and bullying.

Have you ever seen or been subjected to something like this? And have you ever been bullied for your looks in general?

This very real ad by the Australian government features two people in bed, then says, "Don't Be a Dickhead" by driving and talking on cell phones. I get it, I thought. The message is: you wouldn't talk or text while getting it on, so why would you do it while driving? Wrong.

The ad says every time someone drives and talks or doesn't wear their seat belts (safety last!), two redheads (or "gingers") get it on. Get it? It's like It's a Wonderful Life, but a terrible ad!