5 things you need to know about the nipples

Unless you’re breastfeeding, having sex, or considering a nipple piercing, you probably don’t have much of a reason to think about these active points on a regular basis. Additionally, there’s a lot more to your nipples than you probably realize. The nipples are capable of some pretty incredible features. Your nipples help deliver milk to a newborn, sexually sensitive enough to increase your satisfaction during sex and even give you an orgasm. Here’s what every woman should know about her nipples. 1. Your nipples don’t necessarily match Just as your breasts probably aren’t the exact same size and shape—one is fuller, or the other is closer to your armpit. Maybe one nipple is a little bigger, or higher, or lower, and that’s totally normal. ALSO READ:Poor men love big breasts, the rich prefer them smaller –Study Reveals 2. There are different kinds of nipples Most nipples protrude outward, coming to a point at the tip of each breast. But some women have nipples that are either perfectly flat or inverted, meaning they point inward and retract into breast tissue, forming a fold or indentation where the point would be. 3. There are various sizes and colours They can be as small as a dime or as wide as a teacup saucer. And while it's normal to wonder how your nipples size up in comparison to other women, the truth is, nipples come in all sizes, and they’re all normal. The areola—the darker, typically raised circle around the nipple—can have a diameter of less than an inch to several inches across. 4. Bumps on the areolas have a meaning The small bumps on the areolas are called montgomery tubercles, and they secrete oil that helps lubricate the nipple during pregnancy and lactation. That oil isn’t just to prevent dryness and chafing. Some women have just a few montgomery tubercles while others may have dozens. ALSO READ: 5 signs of breast cancer that have nothing to do with lumps 5. Pierced nipples can be health risks You may have heard that nipple piercings make foreplay more appealing. But before you take the dive yourself, it’s crucial to know the risks. There’s a possibility they could damage the ducts that produce milk for breastfeeding, trigger an allergic reaction and set you up for an itchy, ugly rash or swelling, or put you at risk for disease transmission if the instruments used during your piercing aren’t sterilized well.

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5 things you need to know about the nipples

2. There are different kinds of nipples