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The Chemistry of Redheads (Video)

How red hair is produced by redheads’ cells might explain why they have different sensitivity to pain

by American Chemical Society
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Chemically speaking, what sets redheads apart from the crowd is pigmentation—specifically melanins. Most humans produce the brown-black eumelanin that results in varying shades of skin color and hair from blonde to black. Redheads have a genetic variant that causes cells to produce instead reddish pheomelanin, resulting in pale skin and fiery locks. How red hair is produced by redheads’ cells might also explain why they have different sensitivity to pain. Watch the Reactions video here: https://youtu.be/Ylt_p2zzONw.

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Reactions is a video series produced by the American Chemical Society and PBS Digital Studios. Subscribe to our weekly series at http://bit.ly/ACSReactions and follow us on Twitter @ACSReactions.

The American Chemical Society is a nonprofit organization chartered by the U.S. Congress. With nearly 157,000 members, ACS is the world’s largest scientific society and a global leader in providing access to chemistry-related research through its multiple databases, peer-reviewed journals and scientific conferences. ACS does not conduct research, but publishes and publicizes peer-reviewed scientific studies. Its main offices are in Washington, D.C., and Columbus, Ohio.