Anyone with red hair issued urgent warning over painkillers

Like it or not - hair is a pretty big deal.

Waking up to a bedhead or a mane of perfectly-coiffed locks can genuinely be the difference in whether you have a good or a bad day that day.

But hair is apparently so much more than just cosmetic, as, depending on your natural hair colour, it could be the reason why we respond to painkiller medication so differently.

Redheads specifically, who are already more susceptible to developing freckles and burning, feel pain completely differently from blondes, brunettes and people with black hair.

According to the National Institutes of Health (NIH), research has shown that people with red hair can be more sensitive to certain types of pain, yet sometimes have a higher overall pain tolerance.

Anyone with red hair has been issued a warning over the use of painkillers (Lambert And Young / Getty Images)

Additionally, such individuals often need higher doses of some anaesthetics.

Interestingly though, when it comes to opioid painkillers, they actually need less - confusing, we know.

The reason behind such a phenomenon is all to do with genetics as redheads usually carry a variant of the MC1R gene, which is in charge of making melanin which is the pigment behind our hair, skin, and eye colour.

While most people make more of the darker eumelanin, redheads release mostly pheomelanin, which brings the ginger tones, freckles, and skin that rarely tans.

The likes of Dr. David E. Fisher at Massachusetts General Hospital explored such a mystery using red-haired mice, with results published in 2021 in Science Advances.

The little critters in question had the same MC1R variant as humans with ginger locks, and they turned out to be more tolerant of pain.

And, even when researchers crossed them with albino mice to stop pigment production entirely, the red-hair gene still made a difference.

So, what's the actual science behind this?

Well, the MC1R variant changes how pigment-producing cells (melanocytes) make certain hormones.

Normally, these cells create POMC, a protein that’s chopped into different hormones - some that increase pain sensitivity, and some that block it.

Redheads' genetics can make a real difference in how they feel and respond to pain (Getty Stock Images)

In redheads, the pain-enhancing hormone levels drop, while the pain-blocking opioid signals stay steady which results in tipping the balance towards feeling less pain overall.

"These findings describe the mechanistic basis behind earlier evidence suggesting varied pain thresholds in different pigmentation backgrounds," Dr. Fisher explained. "Understanding this mechanism provides validation of this earlier evidence and a valuable recognition for medical personnel when caring for patients whose pain sensitivities may vary."

Based on research, doctors might warn redheads about a few things including the fact they often need higher doses of certain anaesthetics (like those used in surgery), so standard doses might not be enough.

Additionally, they have different painkiller needs as, while opioids may work more effectively (meaning they might need less than average), other pain meds might require more, so dosages should be tailored carefully.

There's also a risk of underestimating pain due to the fact that their bodies can sometimes block pain more effectively, meaning that redheads might not notice injuries or discomfort as quickly, which could delay treatment.

And lastly, if medical staff don’t know about these MC1R-related differences, they might assume redheads’ pain experiences match everyone else’s, which could lead to over or or under-medicating.