Celebrate the 2%: Today Is National Love Your Red Hair Day!

Today is the day we celebrate redheads!!!

National Love Your Red Hair Day

Today is the day we celebrate all things redhead. It is also a great day to share some cool tidbits about those blessed with red locks. National Love Your Red Hair Day was founded by natural redhaired sisters Stephanie and Adrienne Vendetti in 2011.

How Common is Red Hair?

If you have red hair, you are part of a small, select group. Less than 2% of people worldwide have red hair. Scotland can lay claim to the largest number of redheads at 13%, while Ireland comes in second at 10%.

The Rarest Redhead

While being a redhead is rare, a particular hair and eye color combination is even more rare. According to MedicalDaily.com, the odds of having red hair and blue eyes are 0.17%. You are more likely to find redheads with green, hazel or brown eyes.

Having Red Hair Can Hurt!

According to the National Library of Medicine, it can be painful to be a redhead! A 2004 study found that redheads may be more sensitive to pain due to the same gene that gives them red hair. It turns out that the gene is also linked to pain receptors. It is because of this that redhead patients required 20 to 30 percent more anesthetic than other women to reach the same level of sedation.

With Redheads, Less is More!

I have no idea who counted the hair strands, but “experts” say that redheads have fewer strands of hair. On average, redheads have 90 thousand stands of hair compared to brunettes who have 140 thousand. That being said, redheads have thicker strands of hair. Redheads also possess the gift of never growing gray. Their hair fades to blonde and then white.