Skin Cancer 
Melanin
- a pigment produced by the melanocyte and transferred to adjacent keratinocytes
- provides protection against UV light damage
- in large intracellular packages, such as is seen in the cells of blacks, is particularly protective
- in smaller packages, such as seen in Asians and in Caucasians, is considerably less protective
- eumelanin
- the most protective melanin, found commonly in all racial groups
- good eumelanin suntan equals a sun protective factor (SPF) of 4
- Black skin has a sun protective factor of 15
- phaeomelanin
- found in red-headed individuals
- is very ineffective at blocking ultraviolet light, and indeed may be activated, unlike eumelanin in darker skinned individuals, to a more active form that may well be carcinogenic in itself
