Do redheads really need more anesthesia?

As a redhead, I can agree 100% Any time I go to the Dentist for a procedure that requires a numbing shot, I generally need 2 or 3 injections to be fully numb.

I had a patient once that was telling me pre-op that she had very weird reactions to medications. As she told me about it (with her family in the room), I asked her if she had any redheads in her family? She stated that she was one, but her sister convinced her to dye it! I think she was so relieved to have someone believe her. Told her and her family about "Redhead Syndrome". Often require more anesthesia, and can be bleeders as well. People are very unique.

I’m a redhead and have experience this on more that one occasion. If I mention it to the anesthesiologist they sometimes look at me like I’ve grown two heads. I’m glad it’s being talked about more now.

As a female redhead in my late fifties, I have resigned myself to not being believed about anything I tell my doctors. It would be awesome for the gaslighting to just stop. Thank you for this.

I'm a redhead and during surgery I heard everything the nurses and doctors were discussing while under anesthesia. I told the doctors this during recovery and they didn't believe me, so I told them what was said. Needless to say, everyone was surprised. Also, after given an epidural during childbirth, I could feel all the pain anyway.

I’m red haired, like most of mums family. I had a hip replacement under spinal anaesthetic as I’m scared of general anesthesia. About an hour into surgery I started to feel sharp tugging where the surgeon was working. The anesthesiologist was very surprised it was wearing off so fast but gave me a shot of fentanyl to twilight me while the surgeon finished. I was wide awake again as they wheeled me into recovery which they didn’t expect!

Thank you - great video. My girlfriend is a redhead and had two cataract surgeries. The first, the anesthesiologist was very familiar with the “Redhead Effect” and gave appropriate medication. The second anesthesiologist felt the redhead effect was “myth”. My girlfriend had an awful experience, feeling the pain through the entire procedure. Keep up the good work. You do very interesting and educational videos.

I'm a red head and I've woken up in almost every surgery I've ever had. The last surgery my anesthesiologist was amazing and tracked my brain waves to watch for wakening and I didn't wake up. I also don't have any of that twilight time when waking up...I go from out to fully awake and scare recovery nurses almost every time

As a blonde wth two red headed children, I also have this problem with anaesthesia. I’ve been told when having dental surgery “I’ve put enough in to sedate a horse” . Funny thing is my hair changed colour from blonde to blonde with red streaks naturally when I was Pregnant with those two children and yes those two children need more anaesthetic than non red heads.

I'm a redhead, and this not only applies to sedation, but to numbing agents as well.

As a redhead, I can also attest to this. I've been very fortunate that most of my anesthesiologists were well aware of this "myth" and treated me appropriately. Those who didn't quite buy into it, were educated quickly as soon as they began prepping me. I also have a very high pain tolerance. I guess the two go hand-in-hand.

Well yeah it is true. Let me tell my story- was having an endoscopy- in my case an EGJ because post bypass my duodenum is pretty inaccessible. Was prepped, bite block in place, tube after back of throat numbed nicely in place, Anesthesia ( I suspect a resident) stated" you'll be going to sleep shortly". Okay- there I am , on my left side and peacefully waiting & waiting- and it didn't happen. I watched the monitor, much better than even YouTube cause this was ME. After the procedure was over, my endoscopy performer stated " Okay I'm through Wake Her Up!" I flopped over onto my back , stated " I'm still awake" the people there tried to tell me I'd merely dreamed it. Nope, described where everyone was- looked over my right shoulder and there was the Anesthesia Guy, red- faced and cowering.in the corner. Hey, NBD. I truly enjoyed it- if it HAD to Happen- I was cool with it. You know I counted myself blessed to be in America where they don't do it with patient sitting up in a chair like a dental chair. Incidently my next such procedure I was given enough sedation to stop a plow horse in its tracks- no more Oopsies for ME, at least at This Hospital. And thats my story, such as it Is! Still gingerly red hair after 76 years on this earth!

I’m not a redhead but carry the gene, and always need more anaesthetic for every procedure I’ve had done, local, general and sedation. Was my biggest fear with my last surgery under sedation, that they wouldn’t give me enough and I’d wake up. Thankfully I didn’t!

As a redhead, any time I need either general or local anesthesia, I always ask if they know about The Redhead Effect. One doctor, doing a needle biopsy on my thyroid, didn't believe me, until I wouldn't let him stick the needle in because I could still feel it. He became a believer, when it took a lot more than he was used to having to use.

My dad was a strawberry blond and as a child my hair was red but darkened over time. However my pain sensitivity is out of this world. Way beyond normal.

As a redhead, I think there should also be more studies into the after effects. I had a c-section with my daughter. I made sure to let the anesthesiologist know that I was a natural red head and did not react well to anesthesia. He was great about taking me seriously. But it took me 8 HOURS to recover from the anesthesia and they had to keep me in observation because I wasn't recovering well. My right side recovered but my left was still fully numb. They brought in a neruologist and it was decided that it had to do with that mutated gene. Same for the dentist. I had to have a partial root canal and received the max amount of numbing. I still felt the pain and was crying the whole time. Luckily my dentist was nice and tried to work fast. I cracked a tooth that had to be pulled and they again, gave me the max amount. The dentist told me he could give me more but that it wouldn't do anything. It took FOUR assistants holding me down and me screaming like I was being murdered while he took the tooth out. The pain was so bad that I lost my lunch after he pulled it.

As both a health care provider & a frequent surgical patient who happens to be a redhead, I've known about this phenomenon for a very long time & it's appalling how few clinicians are aware of this. Very scarey! I had a total hip 3 years ago & was treated kike a drug addict.

I love this. As a child I've woken in the middle of surgeries. I am a genetic redhead and my mother used to say there is no such thing. I've always been able to absorb or have a higher tolerance of anesthesia and pain killers. Along with that I also process pain differently. With dentists I need almost double the dose to numb or stop my pain receptors. I absolutely love what you've covered and I appreciate you dispelling the myth that red heads are no different than others. Many anesthesiologists don't ask if someone is a genetic redhead. (genetic being natural, not dyed) And it frustrates me when others around me tell me I am lying or that there is no such thing.

Very much appreciate the extra time my anesthesiologists have taken when interviewing me pre-surgeries. Awareness has definitely improved over the last two decades.

Being a red head my experience with anesthesia is also somewhat interesting: When I was about 2 years old I ended up being attacked by a dog and thus I was taken to the hospital. The hospital staff was shocked that I was still awake at chatty after one dosage, in the end, they gave me three dosages.