# Why do we have lips?

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-we-have-lips/84682>\
**Category:** Factual Questions\
**Created:** [October 1, 2001, 12:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-we-have-lips/84682 "2001-10-01T00:24:59Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 4\
**Page:** 2

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**Author:** ![DeadlyAccurate](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/ac91a4/32.png) [@DeadlyAccurate](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DeadlyAccurate)\
**Post date:** [October 1, 2001, 12:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-we-have-lips/84682/21 "2001-10-01T12:14:56Z")

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> [@](#):
>
> \*Originally posted by ShibbOleth \*  
> \*\*Ha! Everyone knows the answer is so that our mouths don’t fray at the edges. \*\*

Now this was funny. Thank you.

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**Author:** ![Johnny\_L.A](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnny_l.a/32/1084_2.png) [@Johnny\_L.A](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_L.A)\
**Post date:** [October 1, 2001, 12:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-we-have-lips/84682/22 "2001-10-01T12:38:48Z")

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No lips? Hmmm. I’m imagining a horror movie. Know what I mean? Ever use your middle and ring fingers to spread your lips apart, showing your teeth and gums? I’m thinking of the same thing, but without the fingers.

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**Author:** ![toadspittle](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/c0e974/32.png) [@toadspittle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/toadspittle)\
**Post date:** [October 1, 2001, 3:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-we-have-lips/84682/23 "2001-10-01T15:25:46Z")

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We have lips, like chimps, for manipulating food. Fruit, specifically. Have you ever seen a chimp take apart an orange or a banana?

I’d vote that our lips are probably as visisbly red as they are due to sexual selection. (Same reason we have hair where we do, why lions have manes, why some babboons have red or blue posteriors, etc.) Undoubtedly, the runaway development of complex speech had an impact on the flexibility, etc. of the lips, too.

So, in other words, a little of everything. 🙂

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**Author:** ![Crafter\_Man](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/crafter_man/32/458_2.png) [@Crafter\_Man](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Crafter_Man)\
**Post date:** [October 1, 2001, 3:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-we-have-lips/84682/24 "2001-10-01T15:39:58Z")

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And let’s face it, some people (and vegetables) just [love their lips](http://www.ultimateveggie.com/silly/silly05.html).

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