Naked Science Forum

Life Sciences => Physiology & Medicine => Topic started by: qazibasit on 26/08/2004 18:09:58

Title: Why do human lips look red ?
Post by: qazibasit on 26/08/2004 18:09:58

what cause the lips red and why do the lips get black in smokers.

Title: Re: Why do human lips look red ?
Post by: Exodus on 26/08/2004 19:43:10

I would have thought that lips get red when they, ahem, fill with blood...

Title: Re: Why do human lips look red ?
Post by: qpan on 27/08/2004 10:43:28

Lipstick.

"I have great faith in fools; self-confidence my friends call it."
-Edgar Allan Poe

Title: Re: Why do human lips look red ?
Post by: gsmollin on 27/08/2004 15:03:58

I think lips are a mucus membrane, and are therefore red from blood flowing in capillaries just below the surface.

Title: Re: Why do human lips look red ?
Post by: qazibasit on 27/08/2004 17:25:07

i have heard something like melanin keeps it red

Title: Re: Why do human lips look red ?
Post by: Exodus on 28/08/2004 01:08:03

Is it not just down to the number of capillaries under the skin?

Title: Re: Why do human lips look red ?
Post by: ChaoticLogic on 29/08/2004 12:31:08

The characteristic red color of the lips is unique to humans and comes from the blood vessels in the dermis. The many rete pegs (papillae) are long and narrow, and contain loops full of blood vessels. The closeness of these vessels to the surface, combined with a thin, almost transparent epidermis, gives rise to the red appearance of the lips.

Title: Re: Why do human lips look red ?
Post by: matrixer on 12/09/2004 19:48:17

lips r red coz pure oxygenated blood flows through here and they get red colour!another possibility is maybe our sliva* glands keep them red maybe!!!
and its proved that smoke can turn the colour of bright diamond into coal!lolz aint it ???