11 Problems Only Red Heads Understand

Let’s go ahead and get the elephant out of the room. Yes, my hair is red. Yes, it is my natural hair color. No, neither of my parents have red hair. No, I’m not a leprechaun. Anymore questions, or did I cover all the bases? Growing up with red hair, I’ve always known that I was different. I was made fun of, fawned over, and everything in between. Here is a list of common struggles every red head can attest to.

1. The constant nicknames. I grew up as “Red”, “Ginger” and “Carrot-top.” Y’all aren’t original, people.
2. The sunburns. The beach, or just the outdoors in general, might just be the death of our poor, pale skin. There was even that one time that I got one from standing too close to a window…
3. Our eyebrows. They are nonexistent. Even worse? No one makes an eyebrow pencil that matches our hair perfectly. You usually have to choose between a brown too light or a brown too dark. 
4. Freckles. I get that they can be cute, but come summertime when they don’t stop multiplying, it can become a problem.
5. People assuming we are evil. Do you really want to go there and find out?
6. St. Patrick’s day.  Despite UNT’s colors being green, I typically avoid wearing it to avoid the leprechaun jokes. Not all red heads are Irish. I am, but that’s besides the point. 
7. Dying your hair. Everybody is so against it. I begged my mom to let me dye my hair brown in high school. She told me no, and I am actually really glad she did. 
8. People asking if you have a soul. Nope, sorry. 
9. People assume we are hot-headed. The color of our hair has nothing to do with our attitude. It’s honestly just a coincidence. 
10. Avoiding fire colors. Maybe I am just speaking for the red heads I know, but reds and oranges can clash with our hair. I typically wear cooler toned colors. 
11. It becomes your main characteristic. We are forever the “red head friend.” 

Overall, I love my hair color. Growing up, I felt different, but now I know it makes me unique, and is often a conversation starter. Plus, I have realized how many people would kill for my hair color. Sure, some of the things above can be really frustrating but in the end, they make me who I am.