Let's talk about penises! You've probably noticed that genital areas are generally darker than the rest of the body. This applies not only to the penis, but also to nipples and labia majora in women. But how does this happen? Why this darkening?
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Hormones at the root of this change
To answer this question, let's go back to adolescence, and more specifically to puberty, a period that leaves us with inexhaustible memories. At puberty, estrogen production increases in women and testosterone in men.
These sex hormones are responsible for the changes we see: hair growing under the armpits and on the pubic area, breasts forming in girls, a moulting track in boys, and the impact on the sexual organs. So many excellent memories cited here to remind you that the body and sexual organs evolve under the influence of estrogen and testosterone.
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A question of melanin
It turns out that estrogen and testosterone are also responsible for the activity of melanocytes, the epithelial cells found in the upper layers of the skin and responsible for synthesizing melanin.
Melanin, you know, is the amino acid responsible for our skin and hair colour. For example, if we tan in summer, it's because melanocytes produce melanin to protect us from the sun's rays, and it's the presence of melanin that gives our skin a tanned complexion.
When puberty arrives, in both men and women, the increased production of sex hormones leads to bodily changes in the genital area. For a man, testosterone activates the melanocytes located on the skin of the penis. As a result, the penis takes on a slightly darker hue than the rest of the body. It's a natural phenomenon, rather like the morning erection.
And it's not the only area affected. In both men and women, the nipple areolas also undergo a slight color change. In adulthood, they become darker than in children.
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The penis can 'darken' for other reasons too
A number of other factors can influence the darker color of the genitals. The main one is friction, and this applies to all parts of the body. When skin cells are over-stimulated by friction, they trigger a process of thickening of the upper layers of the epidermis, which tends to darken the skin. This is a symptom sometimes seen in eczema patients who scratch uncontrollably at affected areas.
Regular hair removal can also have an impact on the skin colour of the genitals. Hair normally plays a protective role, and when we remove it, we multiply the points of friction, causing the skin to thicken slightly and take on a slightly darker color. In most cases, however, the difference is hardly noticeable.
For your information, pregnancy is often responsible for a slightly darker epidermis in specific areas. Most women often notice the appearance of a darker line between the pubis and the navel. The areolas also take on a much more pronounced hue. When the phenomenon marks the face, it's called a pregnancy mask. These phenomena are natural and disappear rapidly after birth.
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This article has been translated from Gentside FR.
