# Question on skin colour

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/question-on-skin-colour/456575>\
**Category:** Factual Questions\
**Created:** [July 15, 2008, 3:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/question-on-skin-colour/456575 "2008-07-15T15:56:25Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 5\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![Indian](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/c0e974/32.png) [@Indian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Indian)\
**Post date:** [July 15, 2008, 3:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/question-on-skin-colour/456575/1 "2008-07-15T15:56:25Z")

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Why are the human genitals darker in colour than the thigh skin ?? Is there any genetic reason ??

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**Author:** ![Enola\_Gay](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/3ab097/32.png) [@Enola\_Gay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Enola_Gay)\
**Post date:** [July 15, 2008, 10:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/question-on-skin-colour/456575/2 "2008-07-15T22:26:05Z")

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I don’t think this is a universal phenomenom. It certainly doesn’t apply to me. My genitals rarely (if ever) see the sun and are lighter than the rest of my skin, even in the winter.

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**Author:** ![ultrafilter](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/3d9bf3/32.png) [@ultrafilter](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ultrafilter)\
**Post date:** [July 15, 2008, 11:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/question-on-skin-colour/456575/3 "2008-07-15T23:02:54Z")

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Higher concentration of blood vessels in that area.

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**Author:** ![Colophon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/f05b48/32.png) [@Colophon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Colophon)\
**Post date:** [July 16, 2008, 12:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/question-on-skin-colour/456575/4 "2008-07-16T00:46:36Z")

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Assuming you’re talking about male genitals, I suspect it might also be because the skin is rather thicker in its flaccid state, to allow for the necessary stretching at, uh, non-flaccid moments.

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**Author:** ![Indian](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/c0e974/32.png) [@Indian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Indian)\
**Post date:** [July 17, 2008, 3:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/question-on-skin-colour/456575/5 "2008-07-17T03:32:06Z")

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[QUOTE=Colophon]  
Assuming you’re talking about male genitals, I suspect it might also be because the skin is rather thicker in its flaccid state, to allow for the necessary stretching at, uh, non-flaccid moments.  
[/QUOTE]

This is most likely ..