The health benefits of having red hair

Since South Park declared that gingers have ‘no soul’, that's pretty much what every redhead hears as a standard joke. You would think (and hope) that after seventeen years (yep, that episode came out in 2005) a new comment would have been invented, but no. Maybe because it's actually just great to be a redhead? There are indeed many advantages. Besides being very beautiful, it's also good for your health.

For example, people with natural (important detail) red hair can actually produce their own vitamin D. How handy is that? I take vitamin D like crazy every winter, but gingers don't need that. Their bodies produce it on their own when they are exposed to too little sunlight. Now that's a life hack.

Additionally, redheads can also tolerate pain better, which means they need less medication. The gene for red hair (MC1R) also releases a hormone that is similar to endorphins, which makes you feel less pain.

This same gene also ensures that you age much more beautifully than us non-redheads. The Erasmus University in Rotterdam researched this: in general, people with red hair are estimated to be two years younger than they actually are.

Okay, okay, here's another advantage that is purely about appearance: people with natural (again: important detail before you dye your hair red) red hair turn gray less quickly or not at all. The pigment disappears much less quickly, so you will first become blonde and then white. No gray hairs: ideal. And the hair you have is also thicker than hair in other colors.

Well, you may not have a soul (I had to try it, but it's true: it's really not funny) but you redheads have it really good.