Finally, an explanation for why redheads are so fiery.
Scientists have uncovered fascinating insights about redheads, claiming they experience pain differently and may even have more active sex lives compared to others.
Beyond their striking hair color, redheads might have an edge when it comes to their physical sensations. According to researchers, their unique genetic makeup could be the reason for these differences in how they perceive both pain and pleasure.
Professor Irene Tracey, the vice-chancellor of the University of Oxford and a renowned neuroscientist often called the ‘Queen of Pain,’ delved into this topic during an enlightening discussion on the Radio 4 Today program.
Scientists have revealed women with red hair have a different tolerance for pain Getty Images
Tracey, a leading expert in neuroscience, highlighted how each individual’s experience of pain is unique and deeply personal, making it a challenging area to study.
She explained: “Pain is subjective, it’s a private experience that you can’t really objectify, it’s an oddity in its own self.”
“The holy grail is to eradicate what we call bad pain, chronic pain, and actually target it at the right level and remove that suffering for patients. You don’t want to remove the good pain, but you do want to eradicate the bad pain.”
The professor also noted that research has shown people with red hair tend to have distinct pain thresholds and sensitivities compared to those with other hair colors.
“There’s often a comment about women with ginger hair, versus not, having that different genetic basis for how they experience the threshold for pain,” Tracey shared.
This intriguing phenomenon is linked to a genetic variation in the melanocortin-1 receptor (MC1R) gene, a trait found in the estimated two to six percent of the US population who have red hair.
The ‘Queen of Pain’ said pain is an individual experience, but redheads might experience it differently Footsteps Festival/YouTube
The MC1R gene is responsible for the production of melanin, the pigment that determines the color of skin, hair, and eyes.
Redheads produce a higher level of pheomelanin, which not only gives them their iconic hair color but also results in fair skin that is prone to sunburn and freckles. This genetic trait also influences their sensitivity to touch.
According to a report in the medical journal Anesthesiology, the unique pain perception in redheads might stem from the way their gene mutation partially switches off a sensory receptor, leading to higher pain tolerance.
People with red hair have a certain gene which makes them more likely to have freckles and pale skin Getty Images
Studies support these findings, with research from McGill University showing that redheads can endure up to 25 percent more pain than those with other hair colors. Similarly, a study from Oslo University found they feel less pain from pinpricks.
While the connection between red hair and pain processing is evident, scientists have yet to pinpoint the exact biological reasons behind these differences.
Interestingly, redheads seem to have an edge not just in pain tolerance but in their experiences of pleasure as well, according to some researchers.
Research suggests women with red hair might have better sex lives Getty images
A University of Hamburg study revealed that women with red hair report the highest orgasm rate of all hair colors at 41 percent and tend to have more active sex lives.
Researcher Dr. Werner Habermehl stated: “The sex lives of women with red hair were clearly more active than those with other hair colour, with more partners and having sex more often than the average.”
“The research shows that the fiery redhead certainly lives up to her reputation.”
Additional support for these claims comes from a 2022 Czech study, which found that women with red hair exhibited “higher sexual desire,” a greater number of partners, and a heightened level of sexual submissiveness, as reported by the Daily Mail.
