Blog Challenge- Day 10

10. What is your best physical feature?

in my opinion, my best physical feature is my hair. It's thick, straight, and above all, red. Not like carrot top red, but more auburn. In the summer, it gets lighter (according to my mom). The thickness can be aggravating, but really, I love being a redhead. I found some interesting facts about redheads and thought you might enjoy them too. :)

1. Red hair is a genetic mutation.

2. Red hair is a mutation of the MC1R gene on chromosome. The mutation blocks the production of eumelanin (dark brown and black pigment), which causes a buildup of the phaeomelanin (red and blond pigments). Some scientists believe that higher levels of phaeomelanin may produce more mutations and dangerous effects when exposed to UV radiation.

3. Harvard dermatologist Madhu Pathak calls redheads "three-time losers" because their red pigment is an inadequate filter of sunlight and their skin is more susceptible to sunburn, skin cancer and wrinkling with age.

4. According to the Outcomes Research Institute of the University of Louisville, another little known fact about natural red hair is that people who have it have a lower threshold for pain. A study performed in 2002 revealed that redheads require more anesthesia during surgery than blondes or brunettes.

5. Redheads don't turn grey. Red hair turned sandy, then white. They are also found to loose their color later in life than people carrying other hair colors.

6. Bees are thought to sting redheads more than others.

7. Only 2% of Americans have red hair.

8. Red heads tend to be more prone to allergies than other hair colors.

9. People with red hair have twice the risk of developing Parkinson’s Disease.

10. Ruadh gu brath is Gaelic for “Red heads forever!”

Here's some pictures that I thought showed off some of the red in my hair.

Mack and I, circa March 2011

Latest haircut

This picture isn't to show off the red- it's to show how long and thick my hair was before I donated it! The picture doesn't show the whole length- it went down to about my belly button, yikes!

xo
Hannah