why do black people have white palms and soles? seriously.?

Answer 1

Because the palms of the hands and the soles of the feet don't tan.

Answer 2

I don't really have white palms and soles of feet, but they are lighter than the rest of my skin. I imagine you're not accostomed to being around people of darker complexion and that would prompt you to ask such a strange question. But think about it. If you got a tan all over, your palms and soles of your feet will stay lighter coloured. That's because they don't have as much melanin as the rest of the body. I don't know why. There's probably some evolutionary reason for it.

But the fact is, it's not just black people. Everyone's palms and soles are going to stay lighter in pigment than the rest of your skin. The same way nipples are darker than the chest/breast. Whether darker means pink or brown or whatever, there's an evolutionary reason for it. (In the case of the nipples it's so that babies are directed to the right place to breastfeed).

Some people may be offended by this question because it looks like you're separating black people out like specimens to be studied under a microscope. Like I said, the phenomenon is found in every race and shade of human being. If you do find someone whose palms and soles are the same darkness as the rest of their body, you should ask about that. That would be like meeting someone with no belly-botton.

Answer 3

OK so you don't really mean "white" any more than you really mean "black".

The dark pigment (melanin?) makes the skin resistant to damage from the sun's ultraviolet rays. The pigment is a genetic trait, and like all genetic traits there's a cost to the body in producing it. Those whose genes originate in sunny areas will have more of the pigment than others, because if your genes did not expect you to be exposed to UV, there's no point putting in the effort to protect you from it.

Hence why if you're ethnically from my part of the world, you're probably quite pasty-faced, like me. Instead of producing melanin to protect from sunlight, my genes tell my body to accumulate layers of fat to protect against cold winters and bad harvests. Bummer, eh?

Back to the hands and feet. Palms of hands and soles of feet aren't attacked as much by the sun as the rest. So your body doesn't waste time pigmenting those areas.

What really freaks me out is how after 28 answers only 2 people bothered to mention this very basic, very mundane, very boring and not at all contentious scientific fact. Instead everyone's got all freaked by it. Believe me, not MLK, not Ghandi, not Malcolm X nor anyone else would have protested about this question. It's a question like why are leaves green, why are my eyeballs white, why is the sea wet. Simple answer, move on.

Answer 4

I used to wonder about that myself until I sat down and seriously thought about it. When I used to work outside in the summer the only places that woulnd't tan were the palms of my hands and some on the other under places on arms and the soles of my feet (of course, what else wasn't covered by clothing). Black people, before the migration out of Africa and into the other realms of the world, were subject to intense sunshine. Their bodies responded by producing melanin. The lighter areas are still that which didn't get much sun. I think that should answer your question. Blessings.

Answer 5

have you actually seen someone of the black race with white palms or soles i think not they a much lighter color than the skin as every ones soles and palms are not the same color as their skin their skin is darker so it makes the lightness of their palms and soles more noticeable. what color are yours I presume you are of the white race but this page is white so is that your color think of a little more intelligent questions and stop showing your immaturity if you really want answers to race sensitive questions look it up if you you know how to use search

Answer 6

The skin on your palms and soles only have pigment in the grooves or whatever you read for palmestry. Anyway, the darker the person, the darker the non pigmented skin on the palm and sole.

Answer 7

Strange question. I don't know, but my palms and soles are not white, just a shade or two lighter than the rest of my body.

Answer 8

I have often wondered this myself.
Apart from God creating us all different, I can only sumise
that these are the areas of the body where the sun dosn't hit and the reason why the skin is black is a way of protection for these
lovely people.
I think animals are like this as well.
I guess we have been created in wonderful and marvelous way.
King David said that in the psalms(bible).
He marvelled at the way God has created us - perfectly to fit
and survive in our own environments.

Answer 9

very interesting article on how skin color differences developed and why---and also would cover why soles of feet and palms are lighter--as these areas do not get as much exposure to sunlight--read the article it will be clearer!!! Very interesting indeed.---generally women all over the world, all different ethnic origins have lighter skin that men -- to protect their developing babies!!!

Answer 10

The black came off and turned white from slappin' people like u around! All jokes aside, my palms and soles are not white hun.

Answer 11

Paint chips after awhile.

Okay seriously this is one of those questions you ask when your drunk. The skin in those areas is usually rougher in those areas and as it is in white folks like us when our skin wears and gets dry it starts to turn lighter in shade. Same with all other pigments.

That's the best answer i can provide right now other than getting all dermatological on ya!

The fascinating thing is we're all the same color on the inside.

How are people like books?
When you open us we're red.

Get it red....read...????

Okay i'll go but i'm taking the cookies.