Only about 2% of the world population are natural redheads. That`s roughly 140 million out of 7.7 billion people on Earth.
That`s why we rarely see natural redheads. Unless you live in Scotland or Ireland, where most of the natural redheads are from. Regardless of that, readheads occur in nearly every ethnicity.
For the child to have red hair, both parents need to pass along a recessive genetic trait. They inherit mutations in the melanocortin 1 receptor, or MC1R, on chromosome 16. MC1R gene is responsible for producing the skin pigment melanin, which redheads can’t produce because of the mutation. This same gene is responsible not only for hair and skin color, but also for the midbrain function that determines pain response.
Except for the awesome look, redheads are unique in other aspects as well. A Louisville University team led by anesthesiologist Daniel Sessler found that redheads require 19 percent more inhaled, general anesthesia than their dark-haired counterparts. Basically, if you give them local anesthesia, they don’t get as much pain relief as other people do.
According to Dr. Shalini Shah (UCI Health pain management specialist), redheads are harder to sedate, but they have different tolerance for pain. She advices that they should always tell their surgeon, anesthesiologist and dentist that they will most likely need more anesthetic or local anesthetic and that they might be more sensitive to opioids.
Because MC1R affects the body systemically, the mutation also dictates other differences in the ginger-haired. While it makes redheads more susceptible to sunburn, that very sensitivity to ultraviolet rays also allows their bodies to produce more vitamin D, which is essential to bone development and good health.
Another interesting thing about redheads is their eye color. Blue eyes and red hair forms the rarest combo on earth. Most natural redheads will have brown eyes, followed by hazel or green shades. Plus, on top of it, their hair does not turn gray as they age: it simply fades to white via rose gold when the time comes. Super-cool, isn`t it?
Sources: Cosmopolitan, UCI Health, PBS
