# Why is the anus (or more correctly, the skin surronding it) brown? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [May 4, 2007, 5:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-the-anus-or-more-correctly-the-skin-surronding-it-brown/402767 "2007-05-04T17:14:32Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![NatterJack\_Toad](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/e47c2d/32.png) [@NatterJack\_Toad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/NatterJack_Toad)\ **Post date:** [May 4, 2007, 5:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-the-anus-or-more-correctly-the-skin-surronding-it-brown/402767/1 "2007-05-04T17:14:32Z")
At a BBQ with friends last weekend we got onto discussing this question over burgers and snacks. Lovely dinner conversation and it’s still on my mind as some of the answers my pals were coming up with were quite strange indeed. So, I thought of this place here. Guys, can you help? ---
**Author:** ![ultrafilter](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/3d9bf3/32.png) [@ultrafilter](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ultrafilter)\ **Post date:** [May 4, 2007, 5:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-the-anus-or-more-correctly-the-skin-surronding-it-brown/402767/2 "2007-05-04T17:36:01Z")
There are a lot of blood vessels in that general region, and I believe that they contribute to the color. ---
**Author:** ![Fear\_Itself](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fear_itself/32/19637_2.png) [@Fear\_Itself](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fear_Itself)\ **Post date:** [May 4, 2007, 5:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-the-anus-or-more-correctly-the-skin-surronding-it-brown/402767/3 "2007-05-04T17:47:29Z")
You have not seen enough anuses. The range of colors out there is much wider than you have been lead to believe. More research is necessary. ---
**Author:** ![lieu](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/c2a13f/32.png) [@lieu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lieu)\ **Post date:** [May 4, 2007, 5:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-the-anus-or-more-correctly-the-skin-surronding-it-brown/402767/4 "2007-05-04T17:48:25Z")
BBQ sauce? ---
**Author:** ![Gfactor](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/9de053/32.png) [@Gfactor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gfactor)\ **Post date:** [May 4, 2007, 5:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-the-anus-or-more-correctly-the-skin-surronding-it-brown/402767/5 "2007-05-04T17:55:05Z")
> [@](#): > > The area around the anus is naturally red/brown from pigmentation. If it is only the colouration you have nothing to be concerned about. [http://www.malehealth.co.uk/userpage1.cfm?item\_id=206](http://www.malehealth.co.uk/userpage1.cfm?item_id=206) ---
**Author:** ![Zambini57](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/4491bb/32.png) [@Zambini57](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zambini57)\ **Post date:** [May 4, 2007, 5:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-the-anus-or-more-correctly-the-skin-surronding-it-brown/402767/6 "2007-05-04T17:55:06Z")
[QUOTE=NatterJack Toad] At a BBQ with friends last weekend we got onto discussing this question over burgers and snacks. Lovely dinner conversation and it’s still on my mind as some of the answers my pals were coming up with were quite strange indeed. So, I thought of this place here. Guys, can you help? [/QUOTE] Hmmm… I’m still a “Guest” here, I’ve made maybe 6 posts. Oh, well. Credibility be damned! Mine is more of a light reddish color. I use Charmin Freshmates. 😉 ---
**Author:** ![Scumpup](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ce73a5/32.png) [@Scumpup](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Scumpup)\ **Post date:** [May 4, 2007, 6:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-the-anus-or-more-correctly-the-skin-surronding-it-brown/402767/7 "2007-05-04T18:18:19Z")
Is there really such a thing as anal bleaching, or is that just an urban legend? ---
**Author:** ![Hampshire](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hampshire/32/4887_2.png) [@Hampshire](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hampshire)\ **Post date:** [May 4, 2007, 6:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-the-anus-or-more-correctly-the-skin-surronding-it-brown/402767/8 "2007-05-04T18:27:20Z")
[QUOTE=Scumpup] Is there really such a thing as anal bleaching, or is that just an urban legend? [/QUOTE] Jenny McCarthy has a whole chapter (humorous) dedicated to it in her latest book. Bleaching is supposedly pretty popular in Hollywood. ---
**Author:** ![lieu](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/c2a13f/32.png) [@lieu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lieu)\ **Post date:** [May 4, 2007, 6:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-the-anus-or-more-correctly-the-skin-surronding-it-brown/402767/9 "2007-05-04T18:34:14Z")
Marge: You’re soaking in it. Scumpup: Anal bleach? Marge: Relax, it’s Proctolive. ---
**Author:** ![Bootis](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/e8c25b/32.png) [@Bootis](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bootis)\ **Post date:** [May 4, 2007, 6:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-the-anus-or-more-correctly-the-skin-surronding-it-brown/402767/10 "2007-05-04T18:52:52Z")
Hmm. I figured It must be because of… you know… all the poop? ---
**Author:** ![Duke\_of\_Rat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/ad7895/32.png) [@Duke\_of\_Rat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Duke_of_Rat)\ **Post date:** [May 4, 2007, 7:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-the-anus-or-more-correctly-the-skin-surronding-it-brown/402767/11 "2007-05-04T19:03:44Z")
I’m blissfully ignorant of the color of my anus, but I can’t see getting it bleached. Suppose the roots came back in dark? Wouldn’t that be a dead giveaway? My Brown Eye Girl She’s the one eye love ---
**Author:** ![Chief\_Pedant](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/a6a055/32.png) [@Chief\_Pedant](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chief_Pedant)\ **Post date:** [May 4, 2007, 8:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-the-anus-or-more-correctly-the-skin-surronding-it-brown/402767/12 "2007-05-04T20:16:42Z")
[QUOTE=NatterJack Toad] At a BBQ with friends last weekend we got onto discussing this question over burgers and snacks. Lovely dinner conversation and it’s still on my mind as some of the answers my pals were coming up with were quite strange indeed. So, I thought of this place here. Guys, can you help? [/QUOTE] Generally the whole perineal region–Mr Happy’s knapsack, the external labia, the perianal area, and the skin in between, are more pigmented than the surrounding skin. Even when carefully scrubbed with lots of soap. Certainly not universally true, but more often than not, I’d say. I’ve had occasion to view thousands but never thought to tally 'em up for color differential. Gotta be related to visual cues somewhere in our evolutionary past but it’s kinda like asking why anything is different. Same deal w/ nipples and areolae; more visual than directly functional. ---
**Author:** ![CurtC](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/ce73a5/32.png) [@CurtC](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CurtC)\ **Post date:** [May 4, 2007, 8:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-the-anus-or-more-correctly-the-skin-surronding-it-brown/402767/13 "2007-05-04T20:24:01Z")
[QUOTE=Duke of Rat] …but I can’t see getting it bleached. [/QUOTE] Don’t they give you a mirror? ---
**Author:** ![Duke\_of\_Rat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/ad7895/32.png) [@Duke\_of\_Rat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Duke_of_Rat)\ **Post date:** [May 4, 2007, 8:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-the-anus-or-more-correctly-the-skin-surronding-it-brown/402767/14 "2007-05-04T20:28:10Z")
[QUOTE=CurtC] Don’t they give you a mirror? [/QUOTE] No, a telescope. Never did figure that one out. ---
**Author:** ![CeilingWhacks](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/8baadc/32.png) [@CeilingWhacks](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CeilingWhacks)\ **Post date:** [May 4, 2007, 8:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-the-anus-or-more-correctly-the-skin-surronding-it-brown/402767/15 "2007-05-04T20:30:57Z")
I figured this was done by the same method as by those people who pick out brown carpet for their homes. “Don’t worry Hank…if we get the brown, dirt will never show on it.” I figured some evolutionary bit of brilliance had managed the same thing. ---
**Author:** ![Zsofia](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/7bcc69/32.png) [@Zsofia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zsofia)\ **Post date:** [May 4, 2007, 8:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-the-anus-or-more-correctly-the-skin-surronding-it-brown/402767/16 "2007-05-04T20:43:51Z")
[QUOTE=CeilingWhacks] I figured this was done by the same method as by those people who pick out brown carpet for their homes. “Don’t worry Hank…if we get the brown, dirt will never show on it.” I figured some evolutionary bit of brilliance had managed the same thing. [/QUOTE] Then why didn’t evolution provide the same for cats? Or is it just that cats _want_ you to look? ---
**Author:** ![Pork\_Rind](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pork_rind/32/111_2.png) [@Pork\_Rind](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Pork_Rind)\ **Post date:** [May 4, 2007, 9:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-the-anus-or-more-correctly-the-skin-surronding-it-brown/402767/17 "2007-05-04T21:11:53Z")
[QUOTE=Zsofia] Or is it just that cats _want_ you to look? [/QUOTE] Absolutely. Why else would they walk around like that? ---
**Author:** ![Zsofia](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/7bcc69/32.png) [@Zsofia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zsofia)\ **Post date:** [May 4, 2007, 9:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-the-anus-or-more-correctly-the-skin-surronding-it-brown/402767/18 "2007-05-04T21:33:13Z")
[QUOTE=Pork Rind] Absolutely. Why else would they walk around like that? [/QUOTE] Hah! Ever _try_ to get a good look at Mr. Dibbles’ turdcutter? Because you have some actual good medical reason to do so? Oh no, then he acts like you’re some kind of pervert! ---
**Author:** ![jayjay](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jayjay/32/6765_2.png) [@jayjay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jayjay)\ **Post date:** [May 4, 2007, 9:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-the-anus-or-more-correctly-the-skin-surronding-it-brown/402767/19 "2007-05-04T21:33:33Z")
[QUOTE=Pork Rind] Absolutely. Why else would they walk around like that? [/QUOTE] And stick it in your face every chance they get… ---
**Author:** ![David\_Simmons](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/9de053/32.png) [@David\_Simmons](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/David_Simmons)\ **Post date:** [May 4, 2007, 9:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-the-anus-or-more-correctly-the-skin-surronding-it-brown/402767/20 "2007-05-04T21:42:51Z")
[QUOTE=Fear Itself] You have not seen enough anuses. The range of colors out there is much wider than you have been lead to believe. More research is necessary. [/QUOTE] You must have been one of the “bend over and spread your cheeks” guys. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-the-anus-or-more-correctly-the-skin-surronding-it-brown/402767.md?page=2)