those historical gingers

[stumpy]

A doctor friend told me that red haired people need a lot more anaesthetic and painkillers than other people,rising to the phrase the ginger whinger.

[Kveto from Prague]

[quote=""Telynor""]When I was a very young child, my hair was a coppery tone, then it darkened to a very deep brown. But my father was a red-head and so is one of my half-sisters, so it does happen.

Keny, I'd say that was the Coliseum in Rome.[/quote]

correct, Telynor. Inside the coliseum. Im sending you your bonus points. dont spend them all in one place

[Susan]

[quote=""annis""]I think there might be red hair in the Spencer family as well. In fact during the televised funeral of Princess Diana, I noticed a Spencer cousin who looked the spitting image of Prince Harry![/quote]

Harry resembles his first cousin George McCorquodale, the son of Diana's sister Lady Sarah McCorquodale, whom you noticed at Diana's funeral. I used to have a link to a photo that showed Harry and George at the funeral, but the link no longer works.

Take a look at the Earls Spencer at Althorp and the Spencer Family. The 5th Earl was nicknamed "The Red Earl" and by looking at his portrait it is easy to see why. Diana's grandfather, father and brother all have reddish hair. Harry gets his red hair from the Spencers.

[Michy]

[quote=""stumpy""]A doctor friend told me that red haired people need a lot more anaesthetic and painkillers than other people,rising to the phrase the ginger whinger.[/quote] Is that really true? I've never heard that before, it's very interesting. I wonder what's the physiology behind it?

[Leo62]

[quote=""Kveto from Prague""]you could always attend this

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Redheadday[/quote]

Well that's my holiday for next year sorted.

[Leo62]

[quote=""stumpy""]A doctor friend told me that red haired people need a lot more anaesthetic and painkillers than other people,rising to the phrase the ginger whinger.[/quote]

for gawd's sake. This is "they're weird and different and witchy" type of (un)reasoning.

[annis]

Posted by Stumpy

A doctor friend told me that red haired people need a lot more anaesthetic and painkillers than other people,rising to the phrase the ginger whinger.

This is apparently true. Research has shown that there is a genetic variant present amongst redheads which can make them more sensitive to pain and resistant to anaesthetics and painkillers.

Detailed explanation here, though it may make your eyes glaze over--

"The unexpected relationship of hair color to pain tolerance appears to be because redheads have a mutation in a hormone receptor that can apparently respond to at least two different hormones: the skin pigmentation hormone melanocyte-stimulating hormone, and the pain relieving hormone known as endorphins. (These hormones are both derived from the same precursor molecule, POMC, and are structurally similar.) Specifically, redheads have a mutated MC1R gene, which produces a mutated MC1R receptor, also known as the melanocortin-1 receptor.Melanocytes, which are cells that produce pigment in skin and hair, use the MC1R receptor to recognize and respond to melanocyte-stimulating hormone from the anterior pituitary gland. Melanocyte-stimulating hormone normally stimulates melanocytes to make black eumelanin, but if the melanocytes have a mutated MC1R receptor, they will make reddish pheomelanin instead. The MC1R receptor also occurs in the brain, where it is one of a large set of POMC-related receptors that are apparently involved not only in responding to MSH, but also in responses to endorphins and possibly other POMC-derived hormones. Though the details are not clearly understood, it appears that there is some "cross talk" between the POMC hormones that may explain the link between red hair and pain tolerance"

Abstract here on the findings of one study

[Ludmilla]

They also say their hair turns white instead of gray. My father and grandmother were red-heads. I am brunette but have always had auburn highlights and I inherited the redhead complexion and sensitivity to sun (burn very easily). I am trying to remember whether my father's hair turned mostly white. To me, it still seemed more gray than white during his middle years, but was definitely white by his 60s and 70s. However, I've noticed when those stray hairs turn up in my hair, they appear to be more white than gray.

[Vanessa]

[quote=""Madeleine""]Yup, and of course the current Prince Harry is a redhead, which shows it's still in the genes (despite various rumours as to his parentage!:rolleyes .[/quote]

Well, he definitely doesn't look like Charlie! (James Hewitt has red hair! )

[Vanessa]

[quote=""Michy""]Aren't both of Diana's sisters redheads? And in pictures of her as a young girl, her hair looked definitely reddish, also.

Of course, thanks to Clairol anyone can be a redhead nowadays! [/quote]

Yes, my naturally blonde haired daughter has dyed her hair red, heading more to burgundy!