# Why are your lips red? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [February 15, 2003, 4:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-your-lips-red/155268 "2003-02-15T16:55:16Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 10\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![oldman\_withers](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/9fc29f/32.png) [@oldman\_withers](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/oldman_withers)\ **Post date:** [February 15, 2003, 4:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-your-lips-red/155268/1 "2003-02-15T16:55:16Z")
Why are human lips red? Does the tissue there have some sort of advanced blood flow, or is it simply transparent? Thanks for your time. ---
**Author:** ![Enderw24](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/ba9def/32.png) [@Enderw24](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Enderw24)\ **Post date:** [February 15, 2003, 5:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-your-lips-red/155268/2 "2003-02-15T17:07:10Z")
If it were transparent, you’d actually see the veins. That would be really cool, to be honest, though probably a little freaky. I have no idea why they’re red though. It’s the same color as the inside of the mouth though, so perhaps it’s just extra skin. The question then becomes, why is the entire mouth red? ---
**Author:** ![Smeghead](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/f1d935/32.png) [@Smeghead](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Smeghead)\ **Post date:** [February 15, 2003, 6:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-your-lips-red/155268/3 "2003-02-15T18:21:00Z")
Thin skin. ---
**Author:** ![Slip\_Mahoney](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e47774/32.png) [@Slip\_Mahoney](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Slip_Mahoney)\ **Post date:** [February 15, 2003, 6:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-your-lips-red/155268/4 "2003-02-15T18:28:37Z")
Desmond Morris, in _The Naked Ape,_ claims it’s a secondary sexual characteristic. ---
**Author:** ![Neurotik](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/91b2a8/32.png) [@Neurotik](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Neurotik)\ **Post date:** [February 15, 2003, 6:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-your-lips-red/155268/5 "2003-02-15T18:29:07Z")
Thin skin is correct. All of your skin is composed of transluscent layers. The reason you don’t see veins and such in your lips is because they are mostly capillaries in there. In cases where not enough oxygen is getting into your blood, your lips will turn bluish to reflect that. ---
**Author:** ![oldman\_withers](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/9fc29f/32.png) [@oldman\_withers](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/oldman_withers)\ **Post date:** [February 16, 2003, 10:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-your-lips-red/155268/6 "2003-02-16T22:15:27Z")
Not those lips Slip, but I appreciate the attempt. Thanks for the responses guys. ---
**Author:** ![scr4](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/59ef9b/32.png) [@scr4](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/scr4)\ **Post date:** [February 17, 2003, 2:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-your-lips-red/155268/7 "2003-02-17T02:36:54Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by oldman\_withers \* > **Not those lips Slip** Which lips do you think **Slip** is talking about? It makes sense that the red lips are a sexual characteristic. Why else do women emphasize and enhance it with lipstick? ---
**Author:** ![Hrdygrdymn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/77aa72/32.png) [@Hrdygrdymn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hrdygrdymn)\ **Post date:** [February 17, 2003, 3:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-your-lips-red/155268/8 "2003-02-17T03:08:58Z")
Its a visual signal for sexual arousal. When we are aroused, blood courses through our capillaries (of which our lips have many) making our lips, genitals, etc. even redder. Then again, some guys go for the goth chics… ---
**Author:** ![beajerry](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/7bcc69/32.png) [@beajerry](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/beajerry)\ **Post date:** [February 17, 2003, 5:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-your-lips-red/155268/9 "2003-02-17T05:46:40Z")
Lips are very vascular, just like the anus. It’s all one long tube. But please, people, one is for entry and one for exit! ---
**Author:** ![danceswithcats](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/9e8a1a/32.png) [@danceswithcats](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/danceswithcats)\ **Post date:** [February 17, 2003, 6:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-your-lips-red/155268/10 "2003-02-17T06:02:23Z")
Which is a matter of personal perspective, between two consenting adults and a small farm animal. Naah!