Why we get goosebumps when we're emotional, cold or aroused

When nerves in the skin notice a cold stimulus, they pass on the information to tiny muscles located under the sebaceous glands that are known as arrector pili muscles (literally, muscles that make hair stand on end).

A slight touch, an emotional moment, or a particularly cold day can all give us goosebumps. There's not a lot we can do about it and, in fact, it is an important protective mechanism for our bodies. So what is it that's actually happening when we get goosebumps?

When the body is exposed to cold conditions, it does its best not to cool down too quickly. When nerves in the skin notice a cold stimulus, they pass on the information to tiny muscles under the sebaceous glands, known as arrector pili muscles (literally, muscles that make hair stand on end).