They may be red – but their skin is not.
In a seemingly paradoxical study, American researchers found that redheads have a supernaturally high pain tolerance – wait for it – because a mechanism that increases your susceptibility to sunburn.
“These findings describe the mechanistic basis behind previous evidence that suggests varying pain thresholds at different origins of pigmentation,” said Dr. David Fisher of Massachusetts General Hospital in Massachusetts. He led the fiery study published in the journal Science Advances.
The research found that the cells that determine the color of the skin – called melanocytes – play a big role in deciding how people feel pain.
Since people with fire-colored hair sport a defective melanocyte, they cannot process enough dark pigment to tan, which has the added effect of raising their pain threshold.
Don’t worry, no Ron Weasleys have been harmed in the name of science. An examination of mice with red fur revealed that their melanocytes functioned similarly to humans with rust heads.
Like everyone else, those with crimson curls – the rarest hair color – have a melanocyte receptor called melanocortin 1, whose primary guideline is to determine when the body produces a dark brown and black color, reported the Daily Mail.
However, in redheads, the receiver does not work, which makes your pale skin practically incapable of tanning and also more vulnerable to sunburn.
Fortunately, despite their greater sensitivity to the sun, these “red hairs” are also less likely to feel the burn.
The screwy receptors mentioned earlier reduce the production of a chemical called POMC, causing lower levels of various hormones. This, in turn, brings balance between pain inhibition and intensification receptors, increasing the function of opioid sensors for pain cushioning not manufactured by skin-colored cells.
As a result, redheads are more tolerant of pain than their blond, dark brothers.
The aim of the research is not to confirm the “South Park” stereotype that gingers have strange superpowers (even if it is scientifically proven that they smell sexier, among other special skills).
Instead, “understanding this mechanism provides validation of this prior evidence and valuable recognition for medical staff when caring for patients whose pain sensitivities can vary,” said Dr. Fisher.
The Scut Farkuses in the world are not the only ones who can withstand abnormal levels of abuse. A 2019 study found that women are the top sex when it comes to processing the agony that has occurred in the past.