Red is not a typical color and it has that catchy vibe that is bound to attract others even from far. Redhead locks no matter how different, have an exotic vibe that is hard to ignore. They have some exclusive features that make them the subject of many mythological stories and old tales.
Here are some unique facts about redheads that will give you the reason why these people are so special.
Less than 2% of the world’s population has red hair which is a result of the muted MC1R gene. The parents of redheads don’t have to have red hair themselves but if both of them carry the gene, the child has a 25% chance of getting red locks.
On average blondes have 110,000 strands on their head, brunettes have the most with 140,000 strands of hair while a person with red hair has 90,000 strands of hair.
Although this hair color appears more frequently in people of northern or western European descent, any population can find redheads among them.
Natural redheads have more difficulty dying their hair another color. This is because the hair holds onto its pigment tighter than any other hair color does.
According to research done by the Journal of Anesthesiology, redheaded women required 19% more of the anesthesia known as desflurane than women with darker hair.
They’re about 2.5 times more likely to develop skin cancer than people with other hair colors, according to a 2010 meta-analysis posted in the International Journal of Cancer.
Since being left-handed comes from recessive genes and appears in pairs, people that have red hair are more likely to write with their left hand.
Thanks to the MC1R gene, they have a higher pain threshold. This gene releases a chemical called pheomelanin, which blocks the brain’s receptivity to pain.
Studies published by the British Journal of Cancer revealed that men with red hair were 54% less likely to develop prostate cancer.
According to research, redheads are more sensitive to hot and cold, so they feel the temperature in a different way.
Due to their lower melanin-concentration, they can sufficiently absorb vitamin D. This means that Redheads produce their own when exposed to low light conditions.
