Hairy arm link to cancer

HAVING hairy arms has been linked to an increased risk of cancer, according to a study by Australian scientists.

The more hairs men and women have on their forearms, the greater the risk of the two most common types of skin cancer, the study found.

Researchers at the University of Queensland tracked more than 700 men and women for 20 years and found that the risk of the two most common types of skin cancer – basal cell carcinoma (BCC) and squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) – was linked to hair levels. Men with dense forearm hair were three times more likely to develop SCC, while women with moderate hair density were 2.3 times more likely to be affected by BCC.

One theory is that the cells that become non-melanoma skin cancer may come from stem cells, including hair-follicle stem cells, meaning a higher density of hair follicles equals a greater risk of cancer.