Redheads are people that catch your eye no matter what — they’re unique and quite rare. There are a lot of different types of red locks and they’re all amazing. But redheads are a little bit different than the rest of the world. They have some exclusive features that make them the subject of many mythological stories and old tales.
We at The Elite Indian gathered some facts about these amazing people so that we could understand why red-headed people are so special.
1. Red is the rarest hair color.
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.
2. They have less hair on their heads.
On average, a person with red hair has 90,000 strands of hair. Blondes have 110,000 strands of hair on average and brunettes have the most with 140,000 strands of hair. This leaves redheads with the least amount of locks.
3. Red hair can happen in any ethnicity.
Although this hair color appears more frequently in people of northern or western European descent, any population can find redheads among them.
4. It’s hard to dye.
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.
5. They need more anesthesia.
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.
6. Redheads need to be more aware of skin cancer.
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.
7. They’re more likely to be left-handed.
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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.
8. They can resist pain better than others.
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.
9. Redheads are less likely to have prostate cancer.
Studies published by the British Journal of Cancer revealed that men with red hair were 54% less likely to develop prostate cancer.
10. They can change their temperature quicker.
According to research, redheads are more sensitive to hot and cold, so they feel temperature in a different way.
11. They produce their own Vitamin D.
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.
Do you know any redheads that can confirm these facts? Let us know in the comments and don’t forget to share a photo with us!
Preview photo credit madelame / instagram
