You searched for: “piloerection
piloerection
1. A skin reaction caused by erection of the hair follicles, as from cold or shock due to contraction of the arrector pili muscles. This causes transient roughness of the skin.
2. An involuntary erection or bristling of hairs due to a sympathetic reflex usually triggered by cold, shock, or fright, or due to a sympathomimetic agent.

"Goose bumps" (American English), also called "goose pimples", "goose flesh" (British English), "chicken skin" (Hawaiian Pidgin), or cutis anserina, are the bumps on a person's skin at the base of body hairs which involuntarily develop when a person is cold or experiences strong emotions; such as, fear. The reflex of producing goose bumps is known as horripilation or pilomotor reflex. It occurs in humans and in other mammals.

Piloerection starts when a stimulus such as cold or fright causes a discharge from the (involuntary) nervous system that triggers a contraction of the little arrectores pilorum muscles. Contraction of these muscles elevates the hair follicles above the rest of the skin so the hair seems to "stand on end".

This entry is located in the following unit: pilo-, pil-, pili- + (page 2)