In case you never knew this, Redheads are actually the biggest bane of surgeons and for very valid and scientific reasons. The medical fraternity has stereotyped redheads with several factors as revealed in a new study published in BMJattest mixing physiological differences and ideas such as redheads being hotheads and even having increased sensitivity to pain.
Science has now acquired an even better understanding in relation to physiological attributes exclusive to redheads including why surgeons dread redheads.
Redheads are a minority comprising just 2-6% of the population in the Northern hemisphere and only 1-2% worldwide. Did you know that!! Genetics is responsible for making a redhead a rare bird.
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The carrot top color is because of a rare gene mutation present on chromosome 16 which affects what is called a melanocortin 1 receptor (MC1R) protein that gives the redhead the typical characteristic of red hair, pale skin and light eyes. The gene discovered only 15 years ago is recessive and both parents should carry it for a child to be born with red hair. The surprising thing is that although redheads are rare, the gene itself is present in almost 80% of the population. As mentioned earlier both parents need to possess the gene.
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Because of the light eyes and skin, redheads possess more sensitivity to Ultraviolet light. If you are a redhead, it is advisable to lather on a good sunscreen when out in the sun.
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The physical challenges of being a redhead go beyond just sunburn. Surgeons dread redheads because they know very well the constraints they face when performing surgery on redheads. This is exactly what the new study sought to analyze and research as to the reasons why.
Redheads need more anesthetic than others say surgeons and that can be a nightmare for an anesthetist during surgery on a redhead. A redhead needs 20% more anesthesia than dark-haired people. Research in the journal of American Dental Association found that redheads are twice more likely to avoid the dentist because if they aren’t given more than the usual dose of novocaine, they may experience more pain.
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This is what makes redheads confusing to surgeons. People with the M1CR gene mutation have increased sensitivity to opiate painkillers and less sensitive to other things like lidocaine injections. The gene mutation released hormones into the brains of redheads that mimicked endorphins which besides providing other functions also acted as an element of pain relief. This was found to give redhead increased sensitivity to opioid painkillers which redheads need to take reduced doses of.
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What makes surgeons even more worried and careful about redheads are the pain issues. A study using heat-induced pain found that redheads felt pain more acutely and unpleasantly than others. It was assumed that the MC1R mutation releases a hormone stimulating brain receptors associated with regulating pain.
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Redheads are said to be more susceptible to hernias. A study found evidence that provided a possibility of redheads being more susceptible to hernia. A link between the chromosome 16 and a condition called brittle cornea syndrome was found whose sufferers had an elevated risk of hernia.
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In a survey, it was found that 7% of both red-haired and control patients experienced post-surgical bleeding during tonsillectomies. Another study found that in blood coagulation in 50 women among which there were 25 redheads, there was no difference in clotting.
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The gene mutation also makes redheads more sensitive to even the slightest temperature changes. Redheaded people feel hot and cold temperature changes faster and with increased sensitivity than those with other hair colors. This means that if you have a red-headed friend and it’s too hot or too cold, she could be feeling it worse than you.
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Surprise surprise, this is one remarkable fact of redheads because did you know that the human body doesn’t usually produce vitamin D but sources it mainly from sunlight and supplements because you cannot get the right amount from food unless you start focusing on only Vitamin D rich foods.
When humans migrated out of Africa thousands of years ago, their skin lightened over time because they were exposed to less sun. Dark skin protects people from harmful UV rays but in this process, humans also lost the ability to produce vitamin D being reliant on the sun. But people with red hair due to decreased exposure to sun adapted their bodies to produce vitamin D sufficient for the bodies needs.
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Redheads are twice more likely to develop Parkinson’s disease in comparison to others. A study in 2009 published in the annals of neurology found those with red hair invited more risk unlike those with dark hair. However, they don’t really know the reason why although they found evidence that redheads were at greater risk of melanoma, a form of skin cancer. This was proved by a study at Harvard Medical School.
When a redheads skin is exposed to UV rays, PTEN is broken down making it easier for pigment-producing cells to grow faster that can turn into cancer.
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Research at the BMJ study about why surgeons dread redheads reached a conclusion that redheads do need extra care during surgery than others. However, this was more because of the stereotype than because of clinical evidence. “It would seem that the reputation of people with red hair for having increased perioperative risk is without any basis in fact and should only be used as an excuse of last resort by surgeons defending problematic bleeding or recurrent hernias.”
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