Misplaced Pages

#418581

63-542: Red hair , also known as ginger hair , is a human hair color found in 2–6% of people of Northern or Northwestern European ancestry and lesser frequency in other populations. It is most common in individuals homozygous for a recessive allele on chromosome 16 that produces an altered version of the MC1R protein. Red hair varies in hue from a deep burgundy or bright copper , or auburn , to burnt orange or red-orange to strawberry blond . Characterized by high levels of

126-657: A Berber language also speaking Moroccan Arabic or Spanish. Nineteen groups or social units of Riffians are known: five in the west along the Mediterranean coast which speak Riffian and Moroccan Arabic, seven in the centre of which one speaks mainly Moroccan Arabic and rest Riffian, five in the east and two in the southeastern desert area also speak the Riffian language. They have inhabited an impoverished and an eroded, deforested, poorly irrigated region. Poverty rates and infant mortality rates among Riffians have been high, according to

189-455: A common, but not universal, feature of red-haired people. Red hair can originate from several changes on the MC1R-gene. If one of these changes is present on both chromosomes, then the respective individual is likely to have red hair. This type of inheritance is described as an autosomal recessive . Even if both parents do not have red hair themselves, both can be carriers for the gene and have

252-613: A few even have pale blue eyes". A phenotype study of Hmong people show they are sometimes born with red hair. The Kipchak people were a Turkic ethnic group from Central Asia who served in the Golden Horde military forces after being conquered by the Mongols. In the Chinese historical document Kang mu , the Kipchak people are described as red haired and blue-eyed. Reddish-brown ( auburn ) hair

315-460: A higher proportion of red-causing pheomelanin than is found in average brown hair. It is most commonly found in individuals of Northern and Western European descent, but is extant in West and Central Asia and North Africa also. It can also be the result of a mutation in the melanocortin 1 receptor gene. Red hair ranges from light strawberry blond shades to titian , copper, and completely red. Red hair has

378-477: A higher rate of bruising . Most red hair is caused by the MC1R gene and is non-pathological. However, in rare cases red hair can be associated with disease or genetic disorders: There have also been rare reports of scalp or beard hair spontaneously turning partially red, with no identified pathological cause. In various times and cultures, red hair has been prized, feared, and ridiculed. Queen Elizabeth I of England

441-645: A mixture of blond and red hair, is a much rarer type containing the most pheomelanin . Blond hair can have almost any proportion of pheomelanin and eumelanin , but has only small amounts of both. More pheomelanin creates a more golden or strawberry blond color, and more eumelanin creates an ash or sandy blond color. Blond hair is most commonly found in Northern and Northeastern Europeans and their descendants but can be found spread around most of Europe and also among West Asians and North Africans at lower frequencies. Studies in 2012 showed that naturally blond hair of Melanesians

504-414: A mutation in a hormone receptor that can apparently respond to at least two types of hormones: the pigmentation-driving melanocyte-stimulating hormone (MSH), and the pain-relieving endorphins (both derive from the same precursor molecule, POMC , and are structurally similar). Specifically, redheads have a mutated melanocortin-1 receptor (MC1R) gene that produces an altered receptor for MSH. Melanocytes,

567-413: A period of time—typically four to six weeks, so root regrowth is less noticeable. The final color of each strand is affected by its original color and porosity, so there will be subtle variations in color across the head—more natural and less harsh than a permanent dye. However, this means that gray and white hair will not dye to the same color as the rest of the head (in fact, some white hair will not absorb

630-508: A person with red hair. The origin of red hair can be traced to Central Asia , caused by a mutation in the MC1R gene. Red hair is most commonly found at the northern and western fringes of Europe; it is centred around populations in the British Isles and is particularly associated with the Celtic nations . Ireland has the highest number of red-haired people per capita in the world, with

693-558: A person's health and the different alleles on MC1R represent these adaptations. It also has been shown that individuals with pale skin are highly susceptible to a variety of skin cancers such as melanoma , basal cell carcinoma , and squamous cell carcinoma . Two studies have demonstrated that people with red hair have different sensitivity to pain to people with other hair colors. One study found that women with red hair are slightly more sensitive to thermal pain (associated with naturally occurring low vitamin K levels) and that lidocaine

SECTION 10

#1732852868419

756-451: A quality that is generally considered desirable. In several countries such as India, Iran, Bangladesh and Pakistan, henna and saffron are used on hair to give it a bright red appearance. Many painters have exhibited a fascination with red hair. The hair color " Titian " takes its name from the artist Titian , who often painted women with red hair. Early Renaissance artist Sandro Botticelli 's famous painting The Birth of Venus depicts

819-758: A redheaded child. Genetic studies of dizygotic (fraternal) twins indicate that the MC1R gene is not solely responsible for the red hair phenotype; unidentified modifier genes exist, making variance in the MC1R gene necessary, but not sufficient, for red hair production. The alleles Arg151Cys, Arg160Trp, Asp294His , and Arg142His on MC1R are shown to be recessives for the red hair phenotype. The gene HCL2 on chromosome 4 may also be related to red hair. There are at least 8 genetic differences associated with red hair color. In species other than primates, red hair has different genetic origins and mechanisms. The genes responsible for red hair can express themselves to different extents in different people. One consequence of this

882-507: A study published in 1980 by Terri Joseph. The Riffians have lived a largely settled, agricultural lifestyle, using hand tools, oxen and cattle to plow the steeply terraced land in their valleys. Horticultural produce along with sheep and goat meat, cheese, and milk provide the traditional sustenance. Some practice sardine-seining along the Mediterranean coast. Riffians have experienced numerous wars over their history. Some of their cultural traditions reflects and remembers this history, such as

945-498: Is Jewish remains in parts of Eastern Europe and Russia. In Italy, red hair is found at a frequency of 0.57% of the total population, without variation in frequency across the different regions of the country. In Sardinia, red hair is found at a frequency of 0.24% of the population. In Italy, red hair was associated with Italian Jews, and Judas was traditionally depicted as red-haired in Italian and Spanish art. In European culture, before

1008-507: Is a hair color which is a reddish shade of brown hair. In contrast to auburn hair, the reddish shade of chestnut is darker. Chestnut hair is common among the native peoples of Northern, Central, Western, and Eastern Europe and is also found in Asia Minor , West Asia and North Africa . Auburn hair ranges along a spectrum of light to dark red-brown shades. The chemicals which cause auburn hair are eumelanin (brown) and pheomelanin (red), with

1071-474: Is a proposed phenomenon in which sudden whitening is caused by stress. It has been found that some hairs can become colored again when stress is reduced. Children born with some hair colors may find it gradually darkens as they grow. Many blond, light brown, or red haired infants experience this. This is caused by genes being turned on and off during early childhood and puberty. Changes in hair color typically occur naturally as people age, eventually turning

1134-496: Is also found among some Polynesians , and is especially common in some tribes and family groups. In Polynesian culture, reddish hair has traditionally been seen as a sign of descent from high-ranking ancestors and a mark of rulership. Emigration from Europe has increased the population of red haired humans in the Americas, Australia, New Zealand and South Africa . Several accounts by Greek writers mention redheaded people. A fragment by

1197-481: Is always permanent because it removes the natural pigment. "Rinses" are a form of temporary hair color, usually applied to hair during a shampoo and washed out again the next time the hair is washed. Riffian Berbers According to Irina Casado i Aijon, Riffians have traditionally organized themselves under "patrilineality and patrilocality principles". The oldest man in the household commands authority and responsibility for decisions, while women jointly care for

1260-579: Is caused by a recessive mutation in tyrosinase-related protein 1 (TYRP1). In the Solomon Islands, 26% of the population carry the gene; however, it is absent outside of Oceania. Gray or white hair is not caused by a true gray or white pigment, but is due to a lack of pigmentation and melanin. The clear hairs appear as gray or white because of the way light is reflected from the hairs. Gray hair color typically occurs naturally as people age (see aging or achromotrichia below). Marie Antoinette syndrome

1323-462: Is denser than other hair colors and is the commonly seen hair color in Asia and Africa due the fact that the people in these regions tend to have lower levels of tyrosinase in their bodies. Black eumelanin secretion causes the hair to turn black, which indicates that the MC1R is in the active state. Jet black hair, the darkest shade will not have a warm, neutral tone but a sheen which can seem almost blue, like

SECTION 20

#1732852868419

1386-409: Is essential to match new hair growing in to the rest of the hair, and to remedy fading. A one-color permanent dye creates a flat, uniform color across the whole head, which can look unnatural and harsh, especially in a fair shade. To combat this, the modern trend is to use multiple colors—usually one color as a base with added highlights or lowlights in other shades. Semi-permanent color washes out over

1449-433: Is eumelanin. Pheomelanin is generally found in elevated concentrations in blond and red hair, representing about one-third of total melanin content. If there is no black eumelanin, the result is strawberry blond. Blond hair results from small amounts of brown eumelanin with no black eumelanin. Natural hair color can be black, brown, blonde and red. The Fischer–Saller scale , named after Eugen Fischer and Karl Saller

1512-554: Is found in some European populations, and hair turns gray, white, or "silver" with age . The full genetic basis of hair color is complex and not fully understood. Regulatory DNA is believed to be closely involved in pigmentation in humans in general, and a 2011 study by Branicki et al. identified 13 DNA variations across 11 different genes that could be used to predict hair color. Two types of pigment give hair its color, black-brown eumelanin and reddish-brown/reddish-yellow pheomelanin , synthesized by melanocytes . Inside

1575-494: Is now the northwesternmost province of China. Tarim mummies have been found with red hair dating to the 2nd millennium BC . In certain Biblical accounts, Hebrew and Israelite individuals were described as having ruddy hair. For example, Esau and David (Gen. 25:25; 1 Sam. 16:12, 17:42.), are described as " admoni ", meaning red or ruddy. The pigment pheomelanin gives red hair its distinctive color. Red hair has far more of

1638-456: Is removed, one or more shades, and synthetic color has been put in its place. All pigments wash out of the cuticle. Natural color stays in much longer and artificial will fade the fastest (depending on the color molecules and the form of the dye pigments). Permanent hair color gives the most flexibility because it can make hair lighter or darker as well as changing tone and color, but there are negatives. Constant (monthly or six-weekly) maintenance

1701-439: Is scarce. Studies by Bodmer and Cavalli-Sforza (1976) hypothesized that lighter skin pigmentation prevents rickets in colder climates by encouraging higher levels of vitamin D production and also allows the individual to retain heat better than someone with darker skin. In 2000, Harding et al. concluded that red hair is not the result of positive selection but of a lack of negative selection. In Africa, for example, red hair

1764-636: Is selected against because high levels of sun harm pale skin. However, in Northern Europe this does not happen, so redheads can become more common through genetic drift . Estimates on the original occurrence of the currently active gene for red hair vary from 20,000 to 100,000 years ago. A DNA study has concluded that some Neanderthals also had red hair, although the mutation responsible for this differs from that which causes red hair in modern humans. A 2007 report in The Courier-Mail , which cited

1827-407: Is strong (as in regions close to the equator) the lower concentration of melanin leads to several medical disadvantages, such as a higher risk of skin cancer. The MC1R variant gene that gives people red hair generally results in skin that is difficult or impossible to tan . Because of the natural tanning reaction to the sun's ultraviolet light and high amounts of pheomelanin in the skin, freckles are

1890-416: Is that a number of people have both dark hair and red beards. This may reflect the presence of a single copy of the MC1R gene, leading to differential expression in the beard versus the scalp hair. However, some red-bearded people lack MC1R genes. Red hair is the rarest natural hair color in humans. The non-tanning skin associated with red hair may have been advantageous in far-northern climates where sunlight

1953-476: Is the pigmentation of human hair follicles and shafts due to two types of melanin : eumelanin and pheomelanin . Generally, the more melanin present, the darker the hair. Its tone depends on the ratio of black or brown eumelanin to yellow or red pheomelanin. Melanin levels can vary over time, causing a person's hair color to change, and one person can have hair follicles of more than one color. Some hair colors are associated with some ethnic groups because of

Red hair - Misplaced Pages Continue

2016-435: Is used in physical anthropology and medicine to determine the shades of hair color. The scale uses the following designations: A (very light blond), B to E (light blond), F to L ( blond ), M to O (dark blond), P to T ( light brown to brown ), U to Y (dark brown to black ) and Roman numerals I to IV ( red ) and V to VI (red-blond). Black hair or jet black hair is the darkest hair color. It has large amounts of eumelanin and

2079-404: Is usually: nose hair, hair on the head, beard, body hair, eyebrows. Hair color can be changed by a chemical process. Hair coloring is classed as "permanent" or "semi-permanent". Permanent hair color means that the hair's structure has been chemically altered until it is eventually cut away. This does not mean that the synthetic color will remain permanently. During the process, the natural color

2142-462: The National Geographic magazine and unnamed "geneticists", said that red hair is likely to die out in the near future. Other blogs and news sources ran similar stories that attributed the research to the magazine or the "Oxford Hair Foundation". However, a HowStuffWorks article says that the foundation was funded by hair-dye maker Procter & Gamble , and that other experts had dismissed

2205-599: The Book of Wei , Chinese author Wei Shou notes that Liu Yuan was over 6 feet (1.8 m) tall and had red strands of hair in his long beard. The ethnic Miao people of China are recorded with red hair. According to F.M Savina of the Paris Foreign Missionary Society, the appearance of the Miao was "pale yellow in complexion, almost white, their hair is often light or dark brown, sometimes even red or corn-silk blond, and

2268-448: The equator tend to have darker hair, because eumelanin is generally more photoprotective than pheomelanin. Pheomelanin colors hair orange and red . Eumelanin, which has two subtypes of black or brown , determines the darkness of the hair color; more black eumelanin leads to blacker hair and more brown eumelanin to browner hair. All human hair has some amount of both pigments. Over 95% of melanin content in black and brown hair

2331-449: The melanocortin 1 receptor (MC1R) gene can lead to red or auburn hair, and exposure to ultraviolet radiation can damage hair and alter its pigmentation. Ultraviolet radiation (UV radiation) triggers greater synthesis of several compounds, including pro-opiomelanocortin (POMC), α-MSH , and ACTH , the result being increased eumelanin production. UV radiation most commonly comes from the sun, and thus populations from places closer to

2394-815: The 20th century, red hair was often seen as a stereotypically Jewish trait: during the Spanish Inquisition , all those with red hair were identified as Jewish. The Berber populations of Morocco and northern Algeria have occasional redheads. Red hair frequency is especially significant among the Riffians from Morocco and Kabyles from Algeria, respectively. In Asia, red hair can be found among some peoples of Afghan , Arab , Iranian , East Indians , Mongolian , Turkic , Miao , and Hmong descent. Several preserved samples of human hair have been obtained from an Iron Age cemetery in Khakassia , South Siberia . Many of

2457-485: The RHC ( red hair colour ) alleles. Eighty percent of redheads have an MC1R gene variant within the RHC. Red hair is also associated with fair skin color because the MC1R mutation also results in low concentrations of eumelanin throughout the body. The lower melanin concentration in skin confers the advantage that a sufficient concentration of important vitamin D can be produced under low light conditions. However, when UV-radiation

2520-932: The Slavs assimilated the indigenous inhabitants of the Balkans, including Greek and Illyrian peoples. In the late 18th century, ethnographers considered the Udmurt people of the Volga Region in Russia to be "the most red-headed men in the world". The Volga region still has one of the highest percentages of red-headed people. Red hair is also found amongst the Ashkenazi Jewish populations. In 1903, 5.6% of Polish Jews had red hair. Other studies have found that 3.69% of Jewish women overall were found to have red hair, but around 10.9% of all Jewish men have red beards . The stereotype that red hair

2583-550: The cells that produce pigment in skin and hair, use the MC1R to recognize and respond to MSH from the anterior pituitary gland. Melanocyte-stimulating hormones normally stimulates melanocytes to make black eumelanin , but if the melanocytes have a mutated receptor, they will make reddish pheomelanin instead. MC1R 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

Red hair - Misplaced Pages Continue

2646-439: The color at all). A few gray and white hairs will blend in visually, but semi-permanent dye alone will not usually give the desired result where there is a lot of gray or white hair present. Sometimes a mixture of dyes is used while hair is greying: semi-permanent as a base color, with permanent highlights. Semi-permanent hair color cannot lighten hair. Hair can only be lightened using chemical lighteners, such as bleach. Bleaching

2709-466: The details are not clearly understood, it appears that there is some crosstalk between the POMC hormones that may explain the link between red hair and pain tolerance. There is little or no evidence to support the belief that people with red hair have a higher chance than people with other hair colors to hemorrhage or suffer other bleeding complications. One study, however, reports a link between red hair and

2772-404: The hair gray and then white. This is called achromotrichia. Achromotrichia normally begins in the early to mid-twenties in men and late twenties in women. More than 60 percent of Americans have some gray hair by age 40. The age at which graying begins seems almost entirely due to genetics . Sometimes people are born with gray hair because they inherit the trait. The order in which graying happens

2835-487: The hair samples appear red in color, and one skull from the cemetery had a preserved red moustache . Ancient human remains described as having red or auburn hair have been discovered in various parts of Asia, including the Tarim mummies of Xinjiang , China. In Chinese sources, ancient Kyrgyz people were described as fair-skinned, green- or blue-eyed and red-haired people with a mixture of European and East Asian features. In

2898-722: The highest amounts of pheomelanin , around 67%, and usually low levels of eumelanin . At 1–2% of the west Eurasian population, it is the least common hair color in the world. It is most prominently found in the British Isles and in Udmurtia . Scotland has the highest proportion of redheads; 13 percent of the population has red hair and approximately 40 percent carry the recessive redhead gene. Red hair can also occur in Southern Europe, West Asia, North Africa and Central Asia. Blond (sometimes blonde for women) hair ranges from pale white (platinum blond) to dark gold blond. Strawberry blond,

2961-582: The iridescence of a raven's wing; hence, sometimes referred to as raven-black. Jet black hair appears to have reflective silver color in bright sunlight. Brown hair is the second most common human hair color, after black. Brown hair is characterized by higher levels of eumelanin and lower levels of pheomelanin. Of the two types of eumelanin (black and brown), brown-haired people have brown eumelanin; they also usually have medium-thick strands of hair. Brown-haired girls or women of European, West Asian or North African descent are often known as brunettes. Chestnut hair

3024-416: The levels of melanin needed to prevent UV-induced DNA-damage . Studies have shown that red hair alleles in MC1R increase freckling and decrease tanning ability. It has been found that Europeans who are heterozygous for red hair exhibit increased sensitivity to UV radiation. Red hair and its relationship to UV sensitivity are of interest to many melanoma researchers. Sunshine can both be good and bad for

3087-448: The melanocytes, tyrosine is converted into L-DOPA and then L-dopaquinone , which in turn is formed into pheomelanin or eumelanin. Different hair color phenotypes arise primarily as a result of varying ratios of these two pigments in the human population, although Europeans show the greatest range in pigmentation overall. In addition, other genetic and environmental factors can affect hair color in humans; for instance, mutations in

3150-721: The mythological goddess Venus as a redhead. Other painters notable for their redheads include the Pre-Raphaelites , Edmund Leighton , Modigliani , and Gustav Klimt . Sir Arthur Conan Doyle 's Sherlock Holmes story " The Red-Headed League " (1891) involves a man who is asked to become a member of a mysterious group of red-headed people. The 1943 film DuBarry Was a Lady featured red-heads Lucille Ball and Red Skelton in Technicolor . Notable comic book characters with red hair include Jean Grey , Red Sonja , Mystique , and Poison Ivy . A book of photographs of red haired people

3213-451: The observed higher frequency of particular hair colors within their geographical region, e.g. straight, dark hair amongst East Asians , Southeast Asians , Polynesians , some Central Asians , and Native Americans ; a large variety of dark, fair, curly, straight, wavy or bushy amongst Europeans , West Asians , some Central Asians, and North Africans ; and curly, dark, and uniquely helical hair amongst Sub Saharan Africans . Bright red hair

SECTION 50

#1732852868419

3276-546: The painkiller pentazocine than do either women of other hair colors or men of any hair color. A follow-up study by the same group showed that men and women with red hair had a greater analgesic response to morphine-6-glucuronide . However, a later study of 468 healthy adult patients found no significant difference in recovery times, pain scores, or quality of recovery in those with red hair compared with dark hair in either men or women. The unexpected relationship of hair color to pain tolerance appears to exist because redheads have

3339-518: The percentage of Scots with red hair to be 5.3%. A 1956 study of hair colour among British Army recruits also found high levels of red hair in Wales and in the Scottish border counties of England . Byzantine writers Jordanes and Procopius described the early Slavic peoples as having ruddy hair and skin tone. Later by the 10th century, Southern Slavic populations would have darker hair and skin tone, as

3402-513: The percentage of those with red hair at around 10%. Great Britain also has a high percentage of people with red hair. In Scotland, around 6% of the population has red hair, with the highest concentration of red head carriers in the world found in Edinburgh , making it the red head capital of the world. In 1907, the largest ever study of hair colour in Scotland, which analysed over 500,000 people, found

3465-402: The pigment pheomelanin than it has of the dark pigment eumelanin. The genetics of red hair appear to be associated with the melanocortin-1 receptor (MC1R), which is found on chromosome 16 . In 1995, Valverde, et al. identified alleles on MC1R associated with red hair. The number of alleles linked to red hair has since been expanded by other authors, and these variants are now identified as

3528-523: The poet Xenophanes describes the Thracians as blue-eyed and red-haired. The ancient Budini and Sarmatians are also reported by some classical Greek authors to be blue-eyed and red-haired. It was once believed that Sarmatians owed their name to their red hair, but this claim was later debunked. In Asia, red or auburn hair has been found among the ancient Tocharians , who occupied the Tarim Basin in what

3591-463: The reddish pigment pheomelanin and relatively low levels of the dark pigment eumelanin , it is typically associated with fair skin color , lighter eye color , freckles , and sensitivity to ultraviolet light . Cultural reactions to red hair have been varied. The term "redhead" has been in use since at least 1510, while the term "ginger" is sometimes used, especially in Britain and Ireland, to describe

3654-451: The research as either lacking in evidence or simply bogus. The National Geographic article in fact states, "while redheads may decline, the potential for red isn't going away". Red hair is caused by a relatively rare recessive allele , the expression of which can skip generations. It is not likely to disappear at any time in the foreseeable future. Melanin in the skin aids UV tolerance through sun tanning , but fair-skinned persons lack

3717-658: The singing and dancing of Ayara Liyara, Ayara Labuya , which literally means "Oh Lady oh Lady, oh Lady Buya" and is accompanied by izran (couplets) and addjun (tambourine tapping). This tradition, states Hsain Ilahiane, is linked to the 11th-century destruction and deaths of the Riffian fathers during the raid by the Almoravid leader Yusuf ibn Tashfin . In more modern times, the Rif War caused numerous deaths of Riffian people and of Spanish as well as French soldiers. The Rif War witnessed

3780-519: The young and sick without any discrimination. Like other Berbers, temporary migration is an accepted tradition. The Riffians have been a significant source of Moroccan emigrants into some European countries such as the Netherlands, Belgium and Germany. Riffians speak Tarifit , which belongs to the Zenati group of Berber languages . The languages spoken depend on the region, with many Riffians who speak

3843-588: Was a redhead, and during the Elizabethan era in England, red hair was fashionable for women. In modern times, red hair is subject to fashion trends; celebrities such as Nicole Kidman , Alyson Hannigan , Marcia Cross , Christina Hendricks , Emma Stone and Geri Halliwell can boost sales of red hair dye. Sometimes, red hair darkens as people get older, becoming a more brownish color or losing some of its vividness. This leads some to associate red hair with youthfulness,

SECTION 60

#1732852868419

3906-566: Was published in 2020, Gingers by Kieran Dodds (2020). There has been an annual Redhead Day festival in the Netherlands that attracts red-haired participants from around the world. The festival was held in Breda , a city in the south east of the Netherlands, prior to 2019, when it moved to Tilburg . It attracts participants from over 80 countries. The international event began in 2005, when Dutch painter Bart Rouwenhorst decided he wanted to paint 15 redheads. Human hair color Human hair color

3969-405: Was significantly less effective in reducing pain. Another study concluded that redheads are less sensitive to pain from multiple modalities, including noxious stimuli such as electrically induced pain. Researchers have found that people with red hair require greater amounts of anesthetic . Another study showed women with gene variants associated with red hair had a greater analgesic response to

#418581