You're a natural redhead, right?

[EggLover]

WAS a natural auburn red as a youth, now at 49 it's majorly darkened/browned with 5-10% white as well. To the point of not even looking red in most lighting.

Currently growing out hair and trying to decide what to do. My options are: Nothing (although it's painful because I identify as a redhead), Henna roots every 4-6 weeks (although I hate the patches of orange whites at temples), OR Redken Shades EQ every 4-6 weeks. Not an easy decision to make.

To the question: I find it extremely rude, but as a nurse I get asked it several times a week! I cannot fathom asking someone this. I usually just say "Yes, but at 49 I'm helping nature out." Part of me hates it though, because I'm going along with their rudeness. What can I do though? As an ER nurse they're patients that I usually have to interact with for hours and it would be so awkward to say "I'm not answering because it's a rude thing to ask." So it's lose/lose for me.


Edited to add that it seems like for me, at least 25% of the time, it is asked with a subtle sexual undertone. It's so often men. But not always. The worst is when it's a couple and the wife will say "oh my husband is going to like you...he has a thing for redheads." Um, what? WTHECK? How can I possibly respond to that. So sick. It's like "Can we just get back to discussing your congestive heart failure and massively swollen lower extremities m'am??"

[Für immer]

Funny thing is I got that question when I wasn't even having red hair (natural blonde, but had a chestnut color at the time).
Got the question because of my pale white-as-sheets skin. As if only redheads can be pale.