Naming Every External Part of the Human Body

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Naming Every External Part of the Human Body

By Your Health Magazine Health Information Team

You feel pain between your elbow and wrist, but should you call that area your arm, lower arm, or forearm? Everyday language is often less precise than anatomical language. Knowing the standard names for human external body parts can make it easier to describe symptoms, understand medical instructions, teach children about their bodies, and communicate clearly during an emergency.

No practical list can include every microscopic structure or specialized anatomical landmark. However, the guide below names the major external regions and visible surface structures from head to toe, including terms commonly used by healthcare professionals.

Head and Face

The head includes the scalp, skull region, hair, face, and external ears. The crown is the top of the head, the temples are on either side of the forehead, and the occipital region is the back of the head.

• Face: forehead, temples, cheeks, cheekbones, chin, and jawline
• Eyes: eyebrows, upper and lower eyelids, eyelashes, inner and outer corners, sclera or visible white, iris or colored portion, and pupil
• Ears: auricle or pinna, earlobe, and opening of the ear canal
• Nose: bridge, sides, tip, wings or alae, nostrils, and the tissue between the nostrils called the columella
• Mouth area: upper and lower lips, corners of the mouth, and philtrum, which is the vertical groove between the upper lip and nose
• Structures visible when the mouth opens: teeth, gums, tongue, inner cheeks, hard and soft palate, uvula, and tonsillar area

Although the eyes and mouth provide views of deeper structures, many of their visible features are included when discussing external anatomy.

Neck and Throat Area

The neck connects the head to the trunk. Its front surface includes the throat region and, in some people, a prominent laryngeal bump commonly called the Adam’s apple. The sides contain large neck muscles, while the posterior neck is called the nape. The base of the neck meets the shoulders and upper back.

Front of the Trunk

The trunk, or torso, is the central portion of the body excluding the head and limbs. Its upper front region is the chest or thorax. Visible and palpable areas include the collarbones, breastbone region, rib cage, breasts, nipples, and areolae. People of any sex can have breast tissue, nipples, and areolae.

Below the chest is the abdomen, commonly called the belly. Its surface includes the upper abdomen, central abdomen, lower abdomen, flanks, waist, and umbilicus or navel. The pelvis lies below the abdomen. External landmarks in this area include the hips, groin, pubic region, and creases where the thighs meet the trunk.

Back, Buttocks, and Perineal Region

The back is divided into upper, middle, and lower regions. Major surface landmarks include the shoulder blades, central line over the spine, lower-back or lumbar region, and sacral area near the base of the spine.

The buttocks form the rounded posterior portion of the pelvic region. They are separated by the intergluteal cleft, sometimes called the gluteal cleft. This fold can be affected by moisture, friction, skin irritation, wounds, and certain infections. Learn more about the anatomy and health importance of the intergluteal cleft.

The anus is the external opening at the end of the digestive tract. The perineum is the area between the external genitals and the anus.

Upper Limbs, Hands, and Fingers

In casual conversation, “arm” may describe the entire limb from shoulder to fingertips. Anatomically, however, the arm is the section between the shoulder and elbow. The forearm extends from the elbow to the wrist.

• Shoulder: the joint and rounded area connecting the upper limb to the trunk
• Axilla: the armpit
• Upper arm: the region between the shoulder and elbow
• Elbow: including the front elbow crease and the bony point at the back
• Forearm: the region between the elbow and wrist
• Wrist: the joint connecting the forearm and hand
• Hand: palm, back of the hand, heel of the hand, knuckles, and spaces between the fingers
• Digits: thumb, index finger, middle finger, ring finger, and little finger
• Finger structures: fingertip, finger pad, joints, nail plate, nail bed, cuticle, and nail fold

The palm faces forward when the body is standing in the standard anatomical position, with the arms at the sides and palms turned outward.

Lower Limbs, Feet, and Toes

The lower limb begins at the hip. The thigh extends from the hip to the knee, while the anatomical “leg” is specifically the region between the knee and ankle.

• Hip: the outer region where the thigh joins the pelvis
• Thigh: the upper portion of the lower limb
• Knee: kneecap or patella, front of the knee, sides, and hollow behind the knee
• Lower leg: shin at the front and calf at the back
• Ankle: the joint and inner and outer ankle bones
• Foot: heel, sole, arch, ball, top or dorsum, and outer and inner borders
• Toes: big toe, second toe, middle toe, fourth toe, and little toe
• Toe structures: toe pads, joints, toenails, nail beds, cuticles, and nail folds

External Genital Parts

External genital anatomy varies naturally among individuals. The vulva refers to the external genital structures that may include the mons pubis, labia majora, labia minora, clitoris, urethral opening, and vaginal opening. The vagina itself is an internal canal, not the general name for all external genital structures.

External male genital structures include the penis and scrotum. Parts of the penis include the root, shaft, glans or head, urethral opening, and foreskin when present. The scrotum is the external pouch containing the testes and related structures.

Skin, Hair, and Nails Cover the External Body

Skin covers the body’s external surface and helps protect underlying tissues, regulate temperature, limit fluid loss, and provide sensations such as touch, pressure, pain, heat, and cold. Hair, fingernails, toenails, sweat glands, and oil glands are associated with the skin and form the integumentary system.

Skin texture, thickness, pigmentation, hair distribution, body shape, and the prominence of surface landmarks vary with genetics, age, hormones, health, and normal human development. For additional reliable information organized by condition and body system, visit the MedlinePlus health topics directory.

Useful Words for Describing Location

• Anterior and posterior: toward the front and toward the back
• Superior and inferior: above and below
• Medial and lateral: toward and away from the body’s midline
• Proximal and distal: closer to and farther from the trunk or point of attachment
• Superficial and deep: nearer the surface and farther beneath the surface
• Right and left: always described from the perspective of the person whose body is being discussed

When to Seek Care

Consider contacting a primary care professional for a new or changing skin growth, persistent pain, an unexplained lump, ongoing swelling, a wound that is not healing, or redness, warmth, drainage, numbness, or loss of function. A dermatologist treats skin, hair, and nail concerns, while an eye doctor, ear-nose-and-throat specialist, orthopedist, gynecologist, or urologist may help with problems involving specific external structures.

Seek prompt or emergency evaluation for severe bleeding, major deformity after an injury, sudden loss of vision, sudden facial drooping or one-sided weakness, difficulty breathing, or sudden severe genital or testicular pain. Using accurate body-part names can help healthcare professionals understand where the problem is and how urgently it may need attention.