How ultraviolet rays cause skin cancer

Melanoma is a cancer of skin pigment cells called melanocytes, a fraction of those melanomas come from existing moles. When melanocyte stem cells accumulate a sufficient number of genetic mutations, they can become the cells cancers originate.

Under normal conditions, ultraviolet UV radiation from the sun activates melanocytes to release melanin, a pigment that protects the skin from the sun's rays. But if melanocyte stem cells have surpassed a threshold of genetic mutations, a tumor can start to grow. The skin stem cells can be activated by exposure to sunlight.

Exposure to sunlight triggers mutations that are sufficient for melanoma. A gene known as Hgma2 was suspected to become expressed in the skin under UV radiation. When expressed, Hgma2 facilitates melanocyte stem cells to move from the base of skin hair follicles to the skin's surface-the epidermis, where the cells release melanin.

Researchers used mice engineered with melanocyte stem cell mutations. One set of mice had the mutations, while another set with the mutations had the Hgma2 gene deleted. They then gave the mice a very low dose of UV radiation, just enough to trigger a tanning response. Mice with tumor-causing mutations and the Hgma2 gene intact developed melanomas, but the mice with mutations and the deleted gene remained healthy.
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Pigment transplant for vitiligo

Vitiligo is one of the most common autoimmune skin diseases and is caused by a lack of melanin, the pigment that gives skin its colour: the body’s immune system attacks the pigment cells, mistaking them for foreign invaders. This causes painless white patches on exposed areas such as the face and fingers, although they can also appear on the wrists, around the eyes, groin, armpits and inside the mouth.

Stressful activities like childbirth, hormonal changes or skin injury may trigger it, it could also be genetic, it affects all skin types, but not visible on fair skin. There are two types of vitiligo-generalised symmetrical type: it affects both sides of the body symmetrically and segmental vitiligo which affects only one area of the body and is less likely to progress- it is more responsive to treatment because a smaller area is affected.

Presently, there is no cure for vitiligo, but some treatments can reverse pigment loss if used early. These include topical steroids-to calm inflammation, and vitamin D cream, thought to have a protective effect on melanocytes, the cells that produce pigment in skin. Other options include pimecrolimus and tacrolimus, creams that are usually used for eczema, which can repigment the skin, protecting the skin from the sun is also important, as the white areas have no pigment to protect them from ultraviolet light. The use of narrow ultraviolet B light phototherapy can be useful with protopic cream, an immunosuppressant treatment that turns off the autoimmune reaction.

The ultraviolet light stimulates the melanocytes in a similar way, melanocytes proliferate when exposed to sunlight, to darken and protect the skin against sun damage. Another option is PUVA psoralen ultraviolet A light treatment, where the patient is given a drug to make them more sensitive to light, they are then exposed to UV light twice weekly for up to two years.

 For pigment transplant, researchers prepared the skin by using either a laser or a tool to injure the vitiligo patch, making it ready for the transplanted cells, the method is suitable for patients that have vitiligo that affects only a small area and has been stable for at least six months. 1-2cm square of skin from the thigh is removed taking just a thin, superficial layer, and put this into a chemical solution. This separates the pigment cells from fibrous tissue. Harvesting the cells from the chemical solution with a syringe and apply it to the area of skin affected by vitiligo, followed by Excimer laser treatments to correct the disease.
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Hair dye and chemical relaxer can increase risk of developing breast cancer

Common hair treatments like relaxer and dye can increase the risk of breast cancer. There treatments increase the risk of developing breast cancer among white and black women.

Para-phenylenediamine PPD is a chemical found in dark hair dyes concentration, it is easily absorbed through the skin on the scalp and the hands.

Peroxide breaks the melanin in the shaft to lighten the hair and changes its colour, it can cause allergic reactions and irritates the skin and lungs. According to researchers, the chemicals may have negative impact on DNA

Experts asked more than 4,000 black and white women in the New Jersey and New York area their habits of dying, relaxing or using deep conditioning creams.

Researchers then examined the study participants' medical history to see if these products elevated the risk of breast cancer.

Black women who used dark hair dye had an overall 51 percent greater risk of the cancer. They also had a 72  percent increased risk of developing estrogen receptor positive breast cancer, which is the most common type of the disease.

White women who used chemical relaxers/straighteners had a 74 percent increase in risk. Black women have an
11 percent chance of developing the disease and white women have a 13 percent chance.

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