9 Nipple Types You Should Know About – Which One Do You Have?

Chances are you haven't come across all that many nipples in your lifetime. Maybe you've glimpsed your mom's, a sister's, a close friend's, or those of a woman nursing a baby — but comparing nipples just isn't something women commonly do. Porn and the internet have probably widened what you've seen, yet it's completely normal to still be unsure what counts as a "normal" nipple or how many nipple types actually exist.

Keep reading to explore the various nipple types and what men actually think about them.

Anatomy of a Breast

The darker ring of skin encircling your nipple is called the areola, though plenty of people mistakenly refer to this whole area as the nipple itself. Even so, our rundown of nipple types will touch on areola differences alongside the nipples themselves.

Areolas vary quite a bit from person to person — some are wider, some smaller, changing the nipple-to-areola ratio. Their coloring ranges too, from darker to paler, redder, pinker, or more brown. All of this falls within normal. No two sets of nipples are identical, the same way every vagina looks different.

1. Protruding Nipples

These might be what you'd picture as the "default" nipple. At rest, or when it's cold, they sit raised above the areola, and they become firmer and more pronounced when you're turned on or chilly.

Some women have nipples that stick out more noticeably than average, which can mean going braless isn't really an option if they'd rather not show through their clothes. There are even bra inserts made specifically to conceal protruding nipples.

Protruding nipples happen to work especially well with nipple clamps, a favorite accessory in many bondage scenes. Or you might opt for sexy lingerie designed to put them on display — cupless styles or pieces with breast slits do the job nicely.

Discover how to pick the perfect lingerie for your body type.

2. Puffy

You can spot puffy nipples by their cone-like shape, where most of the areola puffs outward like a little cap sitting on the breast. This is entirely normal and isn't a sign of swelling — plenty of porn performers have this exact nipple shape.

3. Inverted Nipples

Think of this as the "innie" version of a nipple — it's not simply flat, it actually turns inward. It's totally normal and usually painless, though it can complicate or prevent breastfeeding.

Inverted nipples get graded by severity, broken into three levels:

• Grade 1 inverted nipples are flat or only mildly inverted. Cold or stimulation will pop them outward temporarily, and squeezing the nipple from the sides will also make it evert. They eventually settle back into their inverted resting state.
• Grade 2 inverted nipples show more noticeable inversion. Stimulation or cold can still evert them, but only briefly before they snap back in. Breastfeeding remains possible, though it's typically harder than with Grade 1.
• Grade 3 inverted nipples represent the most severe form. The nipple stays tucked inside permanently and won't evert under any circumstances. Breastfeeding is generally not feasible.

If your nipples have always been inverted, that's rarely a medical problem on its own — unless breastfeeding becomes an issue. And you're in good company: roughly 35% of women have somewhat flat nipples, with about 10% experiencing true inversion [1].

Read: 10 Ways to Use Nipple Play During Sex

If a nipple that was previously fine suddenly becomes inverted, that change is worth mentioning to a doctor, since it can occasionally signal breast cancer.

4. Unilateral inverted

What happens if one nipple everts normally while the other stays inverted? That's called unilateral inversion, and the same grading scale above applies to whichever nipple is affected.

5. Bumpy Nipples

Technically speaking, it's the areola doing the bumping here. Most nipples have a texture that resembles a raspberry rather than being perfectly smooth, and the areola surrounding it is often bumpy too — those little bumps are your Montgomery glands.

6. Pierced Nipples

We wouldn't normally list pierced nipples as their own nipple "type," but they're worth a mention anyway. Piercings can heighten sensitivity, and depending on the jewelry, it might show through a thin t-shirt.

Breastfeeding is usually unaffected by piercings.

Curious about sexy clit piercings too?

7. Hairy Nipples

Hairy nipples aren't just a guy thing — plenty of women grow hair around their areolas, and it's often not just soft peach fuzz but coarser hair similar to pubic hair.

Understandably, this can bring on some self-consciousness. What if a partner notices? The good news is that a few stray hairs are easy to pluck, and shaving works too if there's more growth than tweezing can handle — just know shaving means ongoing upkeep depending on how fast the hair grows back.

Related: How to shave your pubic area.

Cream hair removers like Nair are another option, but remember these products work by chemically dissolving hair, and nipple skin is extremely delicate. Stick to a gentle, facial-formula version, and always patch-test before applying it to the whole area.

8. Supernumerary Nipples

Breaking down the word, "supernumerary" essentially means "extra in number." A supernumerary nipple is exactly that — an additional nipple, usually appearing somewhere on the chest, and it can occur in men too. It forms before birth (similar to that small dimple some people have above the tailbone), though it often goes unnoticed until puberty or pregnancy makes it more visible.

The extra nipple might be fully developed or just partially formed. A single extra nipple is the most typical presentation of this condition, though it can come complete with its own areola, glandular tissue, fat, or even hair.

A handful of conditions are sometimes linked to having an extra nipple: Turner syndrome, Fanconi anemia, ectodermal dysplasia, Kaufman-McKusick syndrome, Char syndrome, Simpson-Golabi-Behmel syndrome, and epibulbar lipodermoids associated with preauricular appendages syndrome. That said, most of the time an extra nipple simply appears on its own with no underlying condition.

In rare cases, the extra nipple or its associated tissue can develop cancer. Surgical removal is an option, and it's important that all of the nipple and breast tissue in that area gets taken out to reduce the risk of cancer developing there.

9. Sensitive Nipples

Some women's nipples are especially sensitive — sensitive enough that a cold room or ordinary sexual touch can feel intense. When that sensitivity works in your favor, though, it can be a real source of pleasure. Some women can even reach orgasm purely from nipple stimulation.

Learn more about nipple orgasms.

Worth remembering: not every nipple is highly sensitive. Some women aren't fans of nipple stimulation at all, and for others, their breasts simply aren't much of an erogenous zone, so breast play does little for them.

Related: All 12 Erogenous Zones In Your Body

Curious to learn even more about women's bodies? There are also many different types of vaginas worth reading about.

And one more thing — each nipple can technically be its own type, meaning it's entirely possible to have one inverted nipple and one everted one.

Surprised by just how many nipple types exist, or that a single person can have more than one type at once? Media representation of atypical nipples is pretty sparse, even though it's all completely normal, and having a less common nipple type can feel embarrassing to talk about for some people.

Being Comfortable With Your Nipple Type

It's normal to feel nervous about showing your nipples to a new partner, but most men genuinely just love breasts, full stop. He might have a mild preference for a certain size or color, but odds are he cares far less about your nipples than you do. The same applies to your areolas.

Here at Love Curi, we believe every nipple — and every breast, and every woman attached to them — is unique and worth celebrating. If a guy can't get on board with your nipples, he's probably not worth your energy. Feel free to remind him that his own nipples are basically decorative and not much else!

That said, there are situations where you might want to address atypical nipples directly — maybe you're planning to have kids, or your inverted nipples cause you real anxiety. A doctor can sometimes correct inversion through plastic surgery if function or appearance is a serious concern, often by releasing the tendon that's keeping the nipple pulled inward.

Bottom line: when it comes to nipples, like most body parts, there's no single "normal." Natural variation means nipples of every shape and size can function just fine. So unless yours are causing pain or other problems, rest easy knowing they're entirely typical.

December 17, 2020