Conclusion: Red hair is the phenotype for mutations of the melanocortin 1 receptor. Our results indicate that redheads are more sensitive to thermal pain and are resistant to the analgesic effects of subcutaneous lidocaine.
The summer heat can be red hot, particularly for gingers, who are much more sensitive to heat and at higher risk of skin cancer.
The majority of redheads burn very easily, and this is something waaaay past their control. It's due to redheads having low levels of eumelanin and high levels of pheomelanin. What is melanin, you ask? It's what controls the colour of every human's skin.
"Red hair and blue eyes are not adapted to a warm climate," the scientist said. "It is just a theory, but the recessive gene may likely be lost.
They easily detect changes in hot and cold temperatures. They may be less sensitive to electric shock, needle pricks and stinging pain on the skin.
Redheads feel hot and cold temperatures more severely than anyone else. In 2005, the University of Louisville discovered this hidden gift and hypothesised that the redhead gene, MC1R may cause the human temperature-detecting gene to become over-activated, making redheads more sensitive to thermal extremes.
The skin of a redhead is thinner compared to others and is derived from the ectoderm. Teeth enamel is also derived from the ectoderm and thus is thinner than usual. Since the enamel coating is thin, the inner layer of tooth-dentin is more visible and offers a yellowish appearance.
Research has shown that people with red hair perceive pain differently than others. They may be more sensitive to certain types of pain and can require higher doses of some pain-killing medications. However, studies suggest that their general pain tolerance may be higher.
However, people with red hair produce little of the melanin that is good at blocking the sun's harmful light, and produce more of the melanin that doesn't do as good of a job in blocking sunlight, making them more likely to get sunburned.
Only 2 percent of the world's 7.7 billion humans have naturally red hair. It's in their genes — specifically the one called MC1R. If your hair is red, your MC1R gene will have a mutation (or possibly several).
Natural red hair holds its pigment more firmly than other types. So even though its lighter appearance might make you think it would be easier to dye than dark brown hair, red hair needs to be bleached before it can be dyed.
Redheads Look Older Than They Are
That wasn't because redheads had more wrinkles, which you might guess since they're more prone to sun damage. The researcher showed the MC1R gene variant correlated to thinning lips, sagging skin along the jawline, and other visible signs of aging.
And when you meet a red head with blue eyes, you are looking at the rarest colour combination of all for human beings. Around 17 per cent of people have blue eyes, and when combined with 1-2 per cent having red hair, the odds of having both traits are around 0.17 per cent.
People with red hair are also susceptible to feel hot and cold temperatures more quickly, as well as having a higher pain threshold. Due to this increased sensitivity, it is believed people with ginger hair find it easier to reach orgasm during sex.
Scientists have found that those who have red hair are more likely to develop skin cancer than those who have other hair colors. This can also lead to debilitating and fatal brain disorders. Redheads become especially vulnerable due to the MC1R gene that limits the amount of dopamine released into the brain.
People with darker skin and the ability to tan have high eumelanin levels and low pheomelanin levels. Redheads, however, have low levels of eumelanin and high pheomelanin levels. Pheomelanin's pinkish colour also explains the red pigments found in ginger hair, and in most cases, a warm, rosy skin tone, too.
Researchers think that the ginger gene, known as MC1R, may cause the temperature-detecting gene to become over-activated, making redheads more sensitive to the cold.
Someone with red hair has two copies of the MC1R gene, receiving one from each parent. The gene also carries a certain mutation in most people who have red hair. It's this variant that has been identified as playing a role in why redheads may respond to pain drugs differently than others.
Some studies indicate that redheads are more prone to illness because they prefer to keep out of the sun and so lack vitamin D, or because their ability to absorb the vitamin is less efficient.
Lifespan: up to 20 years in captivity, 5-10 years in the wild. Special Adaptations: Males have an elaborate courtship dance where they throw back their heads, almost touching their tail!
A study headed by Dr. Edwin Liem at the University of Louisville in Kentucky found that redheads are more sensitive to hot and cold, and are hurt by the cold at temperatures nearly 11 degrees Fahrenheit warmer than others.
Having red hair and blue eyes is the rarest hair/eye color combination possible. The odds of a person having both of those recessive traits is around 0.17%. Instead, most redheads have brown, hazel or green eyes, according to Medical Daily.
Did you know that red hair is a genetic mutation? Both parents must be carriers of the mutated MC1R gene to be able to produce redhead offspring.