# Goosebumps

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/goosebumps/36192>\
**Category:** Factual Questions\
**Created:** [October 8, 2000, 10:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/goosebumps/36192 "2000-10-08T22:22:55Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 3\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![sunrise\_4836](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/3ab097/32.png) [@sunrise\_4836](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/sunrise_4836)\
**Post date:** [October 8, 2000, 10:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/goosebumps/36192/1 "2000-10-08T22:22:55Z")

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Why don’t you get goosebumps on your face? I’ve felt them every place else.

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**Author:** ![Gunslinger](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/4491bb/32.png) [@Gunslinger](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gunslinger)\
**Post date:** [October 8, 2000, 11:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/goosebumps/36192/2 "2000-10-08T23:11:35Z")

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FACT:  
Goosebumps are caused by your hair standing on end, a throwback to when our ancestors were much more hairy than they are now, and this caused the hair to trap air and insulate the caveman.  
SWAG:  
Your face has enough blood vessels near the surface to keep it warm without the hair standing on end as insulation.

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**Author:** ![TheNerd](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/858c86/32.png) [@TheNerd](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TheNerd)\
**Post date:** [October 8, 2000, 11:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/goosebumps/36192/3 "2000-10-08T23:13:17Z")

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Interesting question. But have you really felt them everywhere else?  
I’ve only experienced goosebumps on my arms and legs. Not back, not chest, not hands or feet. So, it seems the question would be why do we get goosebumps where we do, and not where we don’t.

I’m curious