Have you stood naked, looked down and noticed that your privates are a completely different color than the rest of the skin on your body? It turns out that the color of your junk has little to do with what your natural skin tone is, and everything to do with the levels of sex hormones present in the body.

Testosterone and estrogen hormones help regulate melanocyte cells, which are the skin and hair cells that release the protein melanin that causes pigmentation in those areas.

When the levels of sex hormones increase during puberty, so does pigmentation in certain areas.

“Hormones regulate the way melanocytes produce their pigment,” Dr. Cameron Rokhsar told The Daily Mail. “Those can have an effect on the way the skin in that area pigments, so generally that area is darker.”

Although normal to have slightly different skin parts, Dr. Lindsey Bordone warns that a sudden change in skin color in those areas could be indicative of serious health problems and should not be ignored. It could even be an indication of diabetes. Dr. Bordone suggests discussing any concerns with a medical professional.

Wow