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We all know that our genetics determine many of our physical traits. Hair color is a trait which is determined by genetics. While blonde, brown and black hair are all fairly common, red hair is much less so.
Red hair also seems to be a part of a package deal that includes fair skin and freckles. This is due to the fact that a red hair color is caused by the way that redhead’s bodies produce melanin, a pigment which is found in skin and hair. Redheads produce melanin differently than people with other colors of hair do.
The gene for red hair is recessive, and in order for a person to have red hair they must inherit that recessive gene from both of their parents. The reason that an individual’s chance of inheriting a red hair gene from both parents is so small is that only about four percent of people in the world carry that recessive gene.
We know that redheads are rare, but there has recently been some speculation that redheads are going extinct. Fortunately this is not true. They may be becoming even rarer than they are now, but the gene is not going anywhere. The reason for the decreasing numbers of redheads is that in our global society, people are mixing and mingling more than ever and the people who carry the recessive gene for red hair are less likely to find each other than when there were populations with higher concentrations of redheads (think of Ireland and Scotland).
If you have red hair, why not do something special this weekend to celebrate your hair. Get a nice hair cut or do a deep conditioning treatment at home. If your kids have red hair, let them know that there is a special holiday just for them. Also, take heart that most kids who lament being “different” because of their red hair grow to cherish it as they get older because of its uniqueness.
Photo by anitapatterson on morguefile.com