Beyond their striking hair color, redheads might have an edge when it comes to their physical sensations. According to researchers, their unique genetic makeup could be the reason for these differences in how they perceive both pain and pleasure.

Professor Irene Tracey, the vice-chancellor of the University of Oxford and a renowned neuroscientist often called the ‘Queen of Pain,’ delved into this topic during an enlightening discussion on the Radio 4 Today program.

Scientists have revealed women with red hair have a different tolerance for painGetty Images

She explained: “Pain is subjective, it’s a private experience that you can’t really objectify, it’s an oddity in its own self.”

“The holy grail is to eradicate what we call bad pain, chronic pain, and actually target it at the right level and remove that suffering for patients. You don’t want to remove the good pain but you do want to eradicate the bad pain.”

“There’s often a comment about women with ginger hair, versus not, having that different genetic basis for how they experience the threshold for pain,” Tracey shared.

This intriguing phenomenon is linked to a genetic variation in the melanocortin-1 receptor (MC1R) gene, a trait found in the estimated two to six percent of the US population who have red hair.

The ‘Queen of Pain’ said pain is an individual experience but redheads might experience it differentlyFootsteps Festival/YouTube

Redheads produce a higher level of pheomelanin, which not only gives them their iconic hair color but also results in fair skin that is prone to sunburn and freckles. This genetic trait also influences their sensitivity to touch.

According to a report in the medical journal Anesthesiology, the unique pain perception in redheads might stem from the way their gene mutation partially switches off a sensory receptor, leading to higher pain tolerance.

People with red hair have a certain gene which makes them more likely to have freckles and pale skinGetty Images

While the connection between red hair and pain processing is evident, scientists have yet to pinpoint the exact biological reasons behind these differences.

Interestingly, redheads seem to have an edge not just in pain tolerance but in their experiences of pleasure as well, according to some researchers.

Research suggests women with red hair might have better sex livesGetty images

Researcher Dr. Werner Habermehl stated: “The sex lives of women with red hair were clearly more active than those with other hair colour, with more partners and having sex more often than the average.”

“The research shows that the fiery redhead certainly lives up to her reputation.”