Redheads make up just two percent of the world’s population, so naturally the noticable difference in our hair color creates some rumors. In the times before genetic research, the rumors about redheads were a little more sinister, like that we were witches or the “Devil’s spawn”, but there are some modern myths that are unbelievable. The hard part is discerning which myths are pure fiction and which hold weight. That’s what I’m here for.
- Redheads Don’t Have a Soul
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Thanks to South Park this is THE ice breaker for everyone, apparently. I guarantee that if you say this to a redhead and get a laugh, it’s fake.
- Redheads turn into Vampires When they Die
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As cool as this would be, I’m not sure how great everlasting life would be if it was spent experiencing climate change.
- Redheads Don’t Feel Pain
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We are actually hypersensitive to pain due to a mutation in the MC1R gene. Any touch or feeling is amplified. Imagine what that means for stubbing your toe.
- Redheads are Resistant to Anesthesia
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This one is actually kind of true. A mutation in the MC1R gene affects an area in the brain which processes pain and creates a higher resistance to pain medication. While there are many conflicting studies about the validity of this phenomenon, as a redhead, I can tell you this is true. I know many other redheads who have all noticed that the need for more anesthesia is real for them, too.
- The Sun is Our Worst Enemy
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Yes. That’s it. It physically hurts to be in the sun without a hat or sunscreen for more than fifteen minutes. For a large part of my life, I didn’t know that people could go hours without sunscreen and escape painful burns.
In the end, redheads are just like everybody else, but with a mutation that gives us some mythic locks. We will always have sunscreen and hats on hand.