Do Redheads Metabolize Anesthesia Faster?

A 2004 study showed that redheads require, on average, about 20 percent more general anesthesia than people with dark hair or blond coloring. And in 2005, researchers found that redheads are more resistant to the effects of local anesthesia, such as the numbing drugs used by dentists.

Why do redheads metabolize anesthesia faster?

This hormone also stimulates a brain receptor that increases pain sensitivity. "In a nutshell, redheads are likely to experience more pain from a given stimulus and therefore require more anesthesia to alleviate that pain," he says.

Do redheads process anesthesia faster?

“Classic anesthesia literature has documented that redheads require more anesthesia,” she says. “In addition, there is recent evidence that redheads are more tolerant to local anesthetics and more sensitive to opioids.”