It's probably a better idea to get medical advice from a doctor rather than TikTok. But if a doctor is on TikTok, and dropping some pretty interesting knowledge, it's probably worth hearing out.
A new TikTok video has gone viral after a doctor explained why people with naturally red hair should always let their anesthesiologist know.
While plenty of people dye their hair red for aesthetic purposes, only one or two percent of people have naturally red hair. It's most common in people with Northern or Northwestern European ancestry.
The viral video starts with TikToker @kaelagordon — who has naturally dark hair — using filters to envision herself with red hair. From there, it gets really interesting.
After the brief clip of @kalaegordon, Dr. Kunal Sood (@drsood) comes on-screen to discuss a unique quirk shared by naturally redheaded people: they require more anesthesia.
Dr. Sood explains that because of this quirk, it's critical for people with red hair to tell their doctor, dentist, or anesthesiologist. After all, no one wants to be put under — but not fully under — and endure a procedure while still awake.
After Dr. Sood drops the knowledge, another doctor — dentist Ben Kim (@niiidental) — pops up on screen to thank him for the insights.
"Same thing with dentists, you need to let us know," he says.
We're getting into the weeds a bit, but here's the quick and dirty: redheads generally have red hair because of a mutated MC1R gene. There's evidence to suggest that this gene affects pain regulation, which could make redheads feel more pain or require more anesthetic.
Again, everything on TikTok, especially medical advice, should be taken with a grain of salt. But there's plenty of evidence to support what the doctor is saying.
And yes, if you're about to go under, you should tell medical professionals whether you're a natural redhead or not.
Have you ever felt like you need more anesthetic, or that you feel pain really easily? If so, it may be because you're a ginger!
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