Sexual swelling

Sexual swelling, sexual skin, or anogenital tumescence refers to localized engorgement of the anus and vulva region of some female primates that vary in size over the course of the menstrual cycle. Thought to be an honest signal of fertility, male primates are attracted to these swellings; preferring, and competing for, females with the largest swellings.

Though heavily investigated, the ultimate function of sexual swellings remains unknown. Over the last 50 years, eight principal explanations have been proposed, each claiming to account for the function of exaggerated swellings. Alone, however, no single hypothesis is believed to account for the function of sexual swellings; a combination of these theories may be more appropriate. In line with this ideal, the most recent account regarding the function of sexual swellings (the graded-signals hypothesis) combines several existing theories in the attempt to provide a more comprehensive account of sexual swellings.

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