The New York Times on Aug 6, 2009 published a story " The Pain of Being a Redhead " that describes research why redheads experience more pain than other individuals. Apparently, red hair color is caused by variants of the melanocortin-1 receptor (MC1R) gene. People with naturally red hair are resistant to subcutaneous local anesthetics and, therefore, may experience increased anxiety and pain regarding dental care as well as other surgical procedures. Having this gene variant sign…