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Women's Hair Colour: Does The Attraction To Blonds Have Evolutionary Roots?

Does The Attraction To Blond Hair Have Evolutionary Roots?
CANNES, FRANCE - MAY 23: Kate Upton attends the 'On The Road' Premiere during the 65th Annual Cannes Film Festival at Palais des Festivals on May 23, 2012 in Cannes, France. (Photo by Vittorio Zunino Celotto/Getty Images)
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CANNES, FRANCE - MAY 23: Kate Upton attends the 'On The Road' Premiere during the 65th Annual Cannes Film Festival at Palais des Festivals on May 23, 2012 in Cannes, France. (Photo by Vittorio Zunino Celotto/Getty Images)

Many people are attracted to blond hair (real or fake), and according to a Canadian anthropologist it might be rooted, in evolutionary history.

At its root, the desire to have light hair represents an urge to look different, says Peter Frost, an anthropologist at Laval University in Quebec City. Most people have dark hair, so blonds stand out.

Frost says that the urge to be blond might be driven by deep evolutionary history beginning many millennia ago when light shades first appeared on women's manes, drawing the attention of potential mates.

"The more common a hair colour becomes, the less often it is preferred," Frost said to Fox News. "It's a kind of novelty effect. The moment you become ordinary, you no longer have the same appeal. There's selection for being a bit different and eye-catching."

Other than being different, "going blond" might represent a subconscious attempt to look young, sassy, sexy and attractive.

Of course, if every woman goes blond, that colour may just lose its appeal -- i.e. blond hair is eye-catching in places where blond hair is rare and dark hair is eye-catching in places where dark hair is rare.

And the moment "going blond" is no longer so unique and becomes ubiquitous, maybe blonds won't have as much fun.

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