RANGA. Ginger. Bloodnut. Fanta pants.

If it sometimes seems you need a thick skin to be a redhead - don’t worry - because if looks like nature’s already done some of the heavy lifting for you.

European scientists have discovered redheads actually have a higher tolerance for different types of pain - especially stinging pain in the skin.

Researchers from Aalborg University in Denmark injected test subjects with the active ingredient from chilli and found redheads coped better than others.

"Our tests showed that redheads are less sensitive to this particular type of pain,” Professor Lars Arendt-Nielsen from the Center for Sensory-Motor Interaction said.



“They react less to pressure close to the injected area, or to a pinprick.

“They seem to be a bit better protected, and that is a really interesting finding.”

The study focused on the effect of a gene known as MC1R which produces the brown skin pigment melanin.



Redheads have a variant which does not produce the pigment and makes them more susceptible to sunburn.



Prof Arendt-Nielsen said the study may indicate that the gene could have a greater relation to the nervous system than was previously thought.

Latest research also shows redheads feel the cold more and are less susceptible to anaesthetic injected under the skin.

