Many redheads have natural blonde highlights from the sun. You may see more of a blonde sparkle naturally woven into your red locks in the summer months and then, they may fade in the autumn and winter months. But, there is one blonde streak that most redheads have year-round. It’s at the nape of the neck and it’s a distinct streak of blonde in a sea of red.
In a 2018 Reddit post, a redhead user posted the below picture and said, “This random streak of blonde that grows at the nape of my neck.”
With over 33 comments from other redheads saying they have the same streak, one mom wrote in about her redhead son saying, “My son has almost the same color hair but he gets silver pieces all over (he’s seven). The doctor says it’s nothing to worry about – it’s just some kind of mutation on the gene for red hair. It’s kinda neat I think!”
As redheads, you may have heard something about a mutant gene called MC1R. It’s the gene that makes red hair! In 2018, we interviewed Dr. Leslie Baumann on the How to be a Redhead podcast. She said, “Red hair appears in people with two copies of a mutation in the MC1R.”
So, what happens when redheads get a random blonde streak? Baumann says, “It is the defect in the MC1R gene that causes red hair and freckling.” When a blonde streak is produced, the mutation that causes red hair doesn’t defect in that certain area and changes to blonde. Interesting, right?
This is just one more reason redheads are true unicorns.
Do you have a blonde streak? Share with us!
Rock it like a Redhead!
Subscribe to the H2BAR Box: A monthly and quarterly beauty subscription box for redheads! Use code: REDHAIR for 10% off. Subscribe now!