The list of myths and stereotypes about redheads
seems endless, but all joking about the red-headed
step-child aside, it turns out that our ginger
sisters and brothers really do have a special
set of attributes that their blonde and brunette
counterparts don't.
Genetic mutation
One of the reasons it's so hard to convincingly
fake being a redhead is because true redheads
are genetically different.
Specifically, they have a mutation on their
MC1R gene, according to the National Institutes
of Health.
So now you can tell all of your redheaded
friends that they're legit mutants.
So what does that mutation do, and how did
it give Reba McEntire and Jessica Chastain
those swoon-worthy locks?
In a nutshell, it increases the amount of
the red pigment that gingers have, and decreases
the amount of the darker pigment they produce.
That's what causes redheads to have fairer
skin, freckles, pale colored eyes and, of
course, red hair.
The 2 percent
Believe it or not, redheads account for only
two percent of the population worldwide, according
to Red: A History of the Redhead by Jacky
Colliss Harvey.
The genetic mutation is more common in places
like northern and western Europe, where redheads
in turn make up higher percentages of the
population.
So for the most part, gingers are a rare breed,
far outnumbered by the yellow and brown haired
members of our species.
The main reason gingers are so rare is because
the genetic mutation for being redheaded is
a recessive trait.
That means that in order to be born with those
famous crimson locks, both parents have to
be a carrier of the gene.
They don't have to be redheads themselves,
though, which is why gingers can sometimes
be an unexpected surprise.
Favorites for television
Although redheads are only a small fraction
of the world's population, they're over-represented
in television commercials, according to a
study conducted by Upstream Analysis.
During peak television viewing hours, 30 percent
of commercials will include at least one person
with red hair.
More often than not it's redheaded ladies
who are spotted - they're twice as likely
to be in a commercial than their male counterparts.
How's that for evidence that everyone loves
a ginger?
"I love those redheads, man!"
Responses to pain
The mutation on the MC1R gene that gives gingers
their unique coloring doesn't just affect
the way they look.
In a curious twist, gingers also feel pain
and respond to painkilling agents differently
than their blonde and brunette counterparts.
Redheads are more sensitive to certain kinds
of pain, according to a study by the National
Institutes of Health.
The study also concluded that redheads are
more resistant to the local anesthetic lidocaine
than the rest of us, so they'll need more
on the operating table.
That said, apparently our redheaded sisters
respond better to opiates than both men and
non-ginger ladies, according to Science Daily.
Who knew gingers had all kind of medical magic
going on?
Vitamin D machines
There's even more sorcery afoot when it comes
to redheads and their genetic superpowers.
According to The Big Redhead Book, gingers
make more vitamin D in their bodies than the
rest of us.
That's thanks to evolution, and to the concentration
of redheads in cloudy European countries - helping
them manufacture more vitamin D more efficiently
today.
By extension, gingers don't need to spend
as much time in the sun as others do to hit
their needed vitamin D levels.
That's a good thing, considering how sensitive
to the sun pale-skinned redheads can be.
Emergency?
Find a redhead
If you're ever in an emergency, you'd be fortunate
to have a redhead on your squad to help you
get through it.
That's because redheads have superior adrenaline
function.
Not only do they produce more of the hormone
compared to other folks, but they also can
access it more speedily than the rest of us.
That means that redheads can operate better
in fight-or-flight situations, which would
definitely give them a better chance of survival.
"You are a badass."
A whole different smell
It sounds crazy, but it's true: redheads have
such a unique biochemistry that they smell
different than the rest of the population.
This was first recorded all the way back in
1866 by Dr. Augustin Galopin.
In his book, Galopin theorized that women
smell differently based on their hair color.
While Galopin's findings weren't exactly scientific,
there's definitely science at work when it
comes to the bouquet of gingers.
That's because their skin mantle - the invisible
layer over the skin - is more acidic than
everyone else's.
That means when a redhead sprays perfume or
applies scented oil, it smells different than
it does on blondes or brunettes.
It also doesn't last as long, so redheads
may have to re-apply any scent sooner.
Hot and cold
Do you have a redheaded friend who's always
complaining that it's too hot or too cold?
Do you just write her off, thinking she's
just being fragile?
Science is on the side of our redheaded friends.
The same study that proved that gingers need
more anesthetic than non-gingers also validated
your cold redheaded friend, as it showed that
redheads are more sensitive to thermal pain.
That means she really is more vulnerable to
the extremes of hot and cold temperatures.
There's clearly no end to the mysteries!
Other disadvantages
It's clear that redheads have all kinds of
superpowers that separate them from the rest
of us, but being part of the ginger tribe
isn't always advantageous, especially when
it comes to certain diseases and conditions.
For one, on top of not being able to tan well,
redheads are more susceptible to developing
skin cancers like melanoma, according to Science
Daily.
Fortunately, scientists have shown that there
are ways to decrease the risk beyond limiting
sun exposure, and they're hoping that their
research will lead to the development of a
pharmacological solution.
