Red hair is the rarest natural human hair color, but you wouldn’t know it from our visually driven society. Redheads fill our history and myth. The Greek hero Achilles and the Norse god Thor are often depicted with red hair. Redheaded historical leaders include King David and Queen Elizabeth I. Red-haired characters feature prominently in pop culture, including the Red-Headed League from Sherlock Holmes, Dorothy Gayle from the Wizard of Oz, and Harry Potter’s Weasley family. On my occasional visits to our local mall, I see red-haired models in nearly every clothing display.
Genetics of Red Hair
Four out of five redheaded people possess variants in the melanocorin-1 receptor (MCR1) on chromosome 16. MCR1 is a protein-coupled receptor associated with melanin production. People with the MCR1 variation produce lower amounts of eumelanin, which allows the pigment pheomelanin to express itself in their red hair. The lower concentration of the darker pigment eumelanin also contributes to their fair skin tone. The MCR1 mutation occurred during the overlap of modern humans and Neanderthals. Genetic analysis found no evidence of the MCR1 mutation in Neanderthals. Perhaps the red hair mutation contributed to our species outliving our Neanderthal cousins.
Benefits & Risks
Humans need vitamin D to absorb calcium, which is critical for strong bones. The vitamin also supports brain, muscle, and immune system health. The human body produces vitamin D when the skin is exposed to UV radiation. Lighter skin absorbs UV radiation more readily than darker skin. Thus, the MCR1 mutation enables people to continue vitamin D production in lower light conditions. On the downside, lower eumelanin levels make it more difficult for the skin to tan and increase the risk of sunburn and skin cancer. Studies suggest that redheads experience pain differently from others. In addition to needing more anesthetic, they also seem more tolerant of electrical shocks, but more sensitive to thermal pain.
Stereotypes
One of the most common stereotypes about redheads is that they possess fierce tempers, barbed tongues, and lustful libidos. In the Middle Ages, red hair and green eyes were associated with witches, werewolves, and vampires. During the Spanish Inquisition, red hair was frequently associated with persecuted Jews. Sadly, this antisemitism and its association with red hair survived for hundreds of years. Today, redheads or ‘gingers’, as they’re often referred to in the UK, are harassed because of their hair color. I guess that just proves no matter how much humans ‘evolve’ we’re still capable of immense stupidities.
Featured Map
That brings us to our map showing the prevalence of red hair in Europe courtesy of Amazing Maps.
As always thanks for reading.
Armen
Note to pay the bills
If you’re interested in a PG-rated James Bond-like thriller in a high fantasy setting, check out a summary of the Warders series here or find links to purchase books here. FWIW, there are a few prominent redheads in the series.
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