red-heads and bleeding?

Nurses General Nursing

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i heard, by several people, that red-heads tend to bleed more. i know it's true, but does anyone know why?? kinda strange that hair color can make a difference like that.

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Specializes in ICU, psych, corrections.

I know that redheads need up to 20% MORE anesthesia than folks with other color hair and that supposedly we have a higher tolerance to pain (tell that to my hubbie!), but I've not heard the bleeding one yet....hmmm. I'll have to take note of that next time I have a cut or scrape......

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yea...i've heard both, but the bleeding doesn't really effect me. mostly i hear the bleeding a lot after giving birth, but I dunno.

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I think they are old wives' tales . . .

steph

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Specializes in MedSurg-1yr, MotherBaby-6yrs NICU 4/07.

Postpartum nurse here- we tend to report "watch her bleeding - she's a redhead" because redheads seem to bleed heavier than others. It happens enough that we feel it needs to be reported. And I work at a teaching institution that delivers 7000 babies a year. Wives tales usually don't fly far around that place.

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Postpartum nurse here- we tend to report "watch her bleeding - she's a redhead" because redheads seem to bleed heavier than others. It happens enough that we feel it needs to be reported. And I work at a teaching institution that delivers 7000 babies a year. Wives tales usually don't fly far around that place.

Ok - not old wives' tale but it has been checked out.

Women with red hair report a slightly increased rate of bruising but have normal coagulation tests.

Anesth Analg. 2006; 102(1):313-8 (ISSN: 1526-7598)

Liem EB; Hollensead SC; Joiner TV; Sessler DI

Outcomes Research Institute and the Department of Anesthesiology & Perioperative Medicine, University of Louisville, Louisville, Kentucky 40202, USA.

There is an anecdotal impression that redheads experience more perioperative bleeding complications than do people with other hair colors. We, therefore, tested the hypothesis that perceived problems with hemostasis could be detected with commonly used coagulation tests. We studied healthy female Caucasian volunteers, 18 to 40 yr of age, comparable in terms of height, weight, and age, with natural bright red (n = 25) or black or dark brown (n = 26) hair. Volunteers were questioned about their bleeding history and the following tests were performed: complete blood count, prothrombin time/international normalized ratio, activated partial thromboplastin time, platelet function analysis, and platelet aggregation using standard turbidimetric methodology. Agonists for aggregation were adenosine diphosphate, arachidonic acid, collagen, epinephrine, and two concentrations of ristocetin. The red-haired volunteers reported significantly more bruising, but there were no significant differences between the red-haired and dark-haired groups in hemoglobin concentration, platelet numbers, prothrombin time/international normalized ratio, or activated partial thromboplastin time. Furthermore, no significant differences in platelet function, as measured by platelet function analysis or platelet aggregometry, were observed. We conclude that if redheads have hemostasis abnormalities, they are subtle.

Medscape: Free CME, Medical News, Full-text Journal Articles & More

However there does seem to be some truth to the pain threshold idea.

Increased sensitivity to thermal pain and reduced subcutaneous lidocaine efficacy in redheads.

BACKGROUND: Anesthetic requirement in redheads is exaggerated, suggesting that redheads may be especially sensitive to pain. Therefore, the authors tested the hypotheses that women with natural red hair are more sensitive to pain and that redheads are resistant to topical and subcutaneous lidocaine. METHODS: The authors evaluated pain sensitivity in red-haired (n = 30) or dark-haired (n = 30) women by determining the electrical current perception threshold, pain perception, and maximum pain tolerance with a Neurometer CPT/C (Neurotron, Inc., Baltimore, MD). They evaluated the analogous warm and cold temperature thresholds with the TSA-II Neurosensory Analyzer (Medoc Ltd., Minneapolis, MN). Volunteers were tested with both devices at baseline and with the Neurometer after 1-h exposure to 4% liposomal lidocaine and after subcutaneous injection of 1% lidocaine. Data are presented as medians (interquartile ranges). RESULTS: Current perception, pain perception, and pain tolerance thresholds were similar in the red-haired and dark-haired women at 2,000, 250, and 5 Hz. In contrast, redheads were more sensitive to cold pain perception (22.6 [15.1-26.1] vs. 12.6 [0-20] degrees C; P = 0.004), cold pain tolerance (6.0 [0-9.7] vs. 0.0 [0.0-2.0] degrees C; P = 0.001), and heat pain (46.3 [45.7-47.5] vs. 47.7 [46.6-48.7] degrees C; P = 0.009). Subcutaneous lidocaine was significantly less effective in redheads (e.g., pain tolerance threshold at 2,000-Hz stimulation in redheads was 11.0 [8.5-16.5] vs. > 20.0 (14.5 to > 20) mA in others; P = 0.005). CONCLUSION: Red hair is the phenotype for mutations of the melanocortin-1 receptor. Results indicate that redheads are more sensitive to thermal pain and are resistant to the analgesic effects of subcutaneous lidocaine. Mutations of the melanocortin-1 receptor, or a consequence thereof, thus modulate pain sensitivity

Medscape: Free CME, Medical News, Full-text Journal Articles & More

So, as the old saying goes, 6 of one, half a dozen of another . . . .;)

steph

0 Votes
Specializes in Pediatrics (Burn ICU, CVICU).
Ok - not old wives' tale but it has been checked out.

Women with red hair report a slightly increased rate of bruising but have normal coagulation tests.

Anesth Analg. 2006; 102(1):313-8 (ISSN: 1526-7598)

Liem EB; Hollensead SC; Joiner TV; Sessler DI

Outcomes Research Institute and the Department of Anesthesiology & Perioperative Medicine, University of Louisville, Louisville, Kentucky 40202, USA.

There is an anecdotal impression that redheads experience more perioperative bleeding complications than do people with other hair colors. We, therefore, tested the hypothesis that perceived problems with hemostasis could be detected with commonly used coagulation tests. We studied healthy female Caucasian volunteers, 18 to 40 yr of age, comparable in terms of height, weight, and age, with natural bright red (n = 25) or black or dark brown (n = 26) hair. Volunteers were questioned about their bleeding history and the following tests were performed: complete blood count, prothrombin time/international normalized ratio, activated partial thromboplastin time, platelet function analysis, and platelet aggregation using standard turbidimetric methodology. Agonists for aggregation were adenosine diphosphate, arachidonic acid, collagen, epinephrine, and two concentrations of ristocetin. The red-haired volunteers reported significantly more bruising, but there were no significant differences between the red-haired and dark-haired groups in hemoglobin concentration, platelet numbers, prothrombin time/international normalized ratio, or activated partial thromboplastin time. Furthermore, no significant differences in platelet function, as measured by platelet function analysis or platelet aggregometry, were observed. We conclude that if redheads have hemostasis abnormalities, they are subtle.

Medscape: Free CME, Medical News, Full-text Journal Articles & More

However there does seem to be some truth to the pain threshold idea.

Increased sensitivity to thermal pain and reduced subcutaneous lidocaine efficacy in redheads.

BACKGROUND: Anesthetic requirement in redheads is exaggerated, suggesting that redheads may be especially sensitive to pain. Therefore, the authors tested the hypotheses that women with natural red hair are more sensitive to pain and that redheads are resistant to topical and subcutaneous lidocaine. METHODS: The authors evaluated pain sensitivity in red-haired (n = 30) or dark-haired (n = 30) women by determining the electrical current perception threshold, pain perception, and maximum pain tolerance with a Neurometer CPT/C (Neurotron, Inc., Baltimore, MD). They evaluated the analogous warm and cold temperature thresholds with the TSA-II Neurosensory Analyzer (Medoc Ltd., Minneapolis, MN). Volunteers were tested with both devices at baseline and with the Neurometer after 1-h exposure to 4% liposomal lidocaine and after subcutaneous injection of 1% lidocaine. Data are presented as medians (interquartile ranges). RESULTS: Current perception, pain perception, and pain tolerance thresholds were similar in the red-haired and dark-haired women at 2,000, 250, and 5 Hz. In contrast, redheads were more sensitive to cold pain perception (22.6 [15.1-26.1] vs. 12.6 [0-20] degrees C; P = 0.004), cold pain tolerance (6.0 [0-9.7] vs. 0.0 [0.0-2.0] degrees C; P = 0.001), and heat pain (46.3 [45.7-47.5] vs. 47.7 [46.6-48.7] degrees C; P = 0.009). Subcutaneous lidocaine was significantly less effective in redheads (e.g., pain tolerance threshold at 2,000-Hz stimulation in redheads was 11.0 [8.5-16.5] vs. > 20.0 (14.5 to > 20) mA in others; P = 0.005). CONCLUSION: Red hair is the phenotype for mutations of the melanocortin-1 receptor. Results indicate that redheads are more sensitive to thermal pain and are resistant to the analgesic effects of subcutaneous lidocaine. Mutations of the melanocortin-1 receptor, or a consequence thereof, thus modulate pain sensitivity

Medscape: Free CME, Medical News, Full-text Journal Articles & More

So, as the old saying goes, 6 of one, half a dozen of another . . . .;)

steph

Hmmm...it appears from this study that redheads are have less of a pain threshold.

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Hmmm...it appears from this study that redheads are have less of a pain threshold.

That is why I looked it up . . the title of this thread is about bleeding and that part was proven wrong. Redheads don't bleed more. However, there is some credence to the idea that they have less of a pain threshold.

steph

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I think they are old wives' tales . . .

steph

me too.

yes, i can have a temper;

but so can my non-redhead dtr.

and my non-redhead husband.

i don't have prolonged bleeding.

and i don't fit in with any other of the stereotypes.

could it be because my hair has brown in it?

after all, am i not a true redhead if my hair is auburn?;)

leslie

0 Votes
me too.

yes, i can have a temper;

but so can my non-redhead dtr.

and my non-redhead husband.

i don't have prolonged bleeding.

and i don't fit in with any other of the stereotypes.

could it be because my hair has brown in it?

after all, am i not a true redhead if my hair is auburn?;)

leslie

I have a redhaired son and daughter (#3 and #4 children) . . . my #2 son has a red beard. All have high pain tolerances. I have reddish tones to my hair but was born a towhead and have a high pain tolerance. My husband is a redhead and has a very very high pain tolerance.

No one has bleeding probs.

Anecdotal - I know. ;)

The research seems to show some agreement with the lower pain threshold idea but not to the bleeding idea.

steph

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i guess we have broken the mold, steph.

why does that not surprise me? :balloons:

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