Natural redheads are rare, and they create admiration or mockery but always get noticed. There are myths, superstitions, and various theories about redheads, but we’ll try to stick to the facts and what applies to the majority. Fascination with fiery-colored hair started with the first humans, and it is still just as strong. Let’s learn more about redheads and how they differ from the rest of us.
Ginger hair doesn’t go gray

All other hair colors go gray, but natural red hair ages differently. Redheads retain their red pigment longer, and instead of going grey, in most cases, it simply fades into white. It goes from fiery red to faded copper, rosy blonde, and finally settles on silvery white.
Redheads with blue eyes are basically unicorns

The majority of redheads have brown eyes, followed by hazel and green. There are around 2% of redheads in the world. Those with red hair and blue eyes are the rarest minority in the world, with only 1% having both. Both are recessive traits, so parents would have to be quite lucky to have a baby with this stunning combination.
Health benefits

A study in the British Journal of Cancer found that men with red hair are 54% less likely to develop prostate cancer than those with brown or blonde hair. They are also better at manufacturing vitamin D, though it does not mean you shouldn’t check your vitamin D levels, even if you are a redhead.
Less hair, but thicker

Redheads have fewer strands of hair, around 90,000, compared to blondes, 140,000, and brunettes, between 100,000 and 110,000. However, each strand of ginger hair is much thicker, so it looks fuller. It also helps that it ages slower, so redheads have more than makeup for the lack of strands.
The capital of red hair is Edinburgh

Edinburgh, Scotland, has the highest concentration of people carrying variants of the red-haired gene. That does not mean everyone’s red-haired, though Scotland has 13% of the world’s redheads. However, it is believed that the genetic mutation began in Asia, and there are redheads from all ethnicities and races.
Sensitivity to pain

If you read that redhead people need more anesthesia and wondered how they came up with it, here’s your answer. People with red hair are commonly more sensitive to pain because the gene mutation (MC1R) that causes red hair is on the same gene connected to pain receptors.
Celebrations of red hair

World Redhead Day is celebrated every year on May 26. However, redheads have multiple holidays across the globe, from Italy and the Netherlands to Brazil and Russia. There are also Kiss the Ginger and Love Your Red Hair Day, so it pays off being a redhead if you convince everyone around you to bring you a present for each redhead holiday.
The downside of being red-haired

Redheads have a higher melanoma risk. In a 2015 study in the Journal of Photochemistry and Photobiology, researchers found that variations in the MC1R gene lead to reduced eumelanin and fairer skin in redheads. Eumelanin protects the skin from UV radiation, so lower levels make the skin more vulnerable.
Redheads often look older

A study published in 2016 in Current Biology found that most redheads look around two years older than others. That is partly because they have more wrinkles due to sun damage. However, the MC1R gene variant directly correlates with thinning lips, sagging skin in the jawline area, and other easy-to-spot signs of aging, making redheads look older faster.
Red hair through history

According to a legend, Romans sold red-haired slaves for higher prices. Aristotle reportedly said that redheads are “emotionally unhousebroken,” while Hitler allegedly banned marriages between two redheads. The Tudor dynasty had two red-haired rulers, Henry VIII and Queen Elizabeth I. Ramesses II or Ramesses the Great, who was an Egyptian pharaoh, had red hair.
More likely to be left-handed

Left-handed people make up around 10% of the world’s population. It is a recessive trait, and so is having red hair. Recessive traits tend to come in pairs, which explains why most redheads are left-handed. However, additional research is needed to link the red hair with the dominant hand.
Redheads are not going extinct

A popular theory links climate change with the supposed extinction of redheads or at least their genes. This myth comes from the idea that recessive genes can essentially die out. However, even if red-haired people stopped having children, thanks to carriers of the gene, redheads are here to stay.
Blondes do not have more fun

According to German research, natural redhead women spend more time in the bedroom than their counterparts. Another study in England confirmed this finding and stated that while brunettes and blondes are busy on average twice a week, redheads are busy thrice a week. PLOS One study found that despite struggling with fertility, redheads have more children.
Changing hair color for redheads is a nightmare

Natural red hair is more complex to dye than other shades. It holds its pigment much stronger than any other natural hair color. If redheads want to change their hair color, they must bleach it first for the new color to be visible.
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Kate Smith, a self-proclaimed word nerd who relishes the power of language to inform, entertain, and inspire. Kate's passion for sharing knowledge and sparking meaningful conversations fuels her every word.