Nipples are one thing that all humans have in common.
Here’s what most people generally know:
- Nipples produce milk, which comes in handy for breastfeeding.
- Nipples bring some extra excitement to the bedroom.
- Women’s nipples tend to be more sensitive than men’s.
Well, get ready to expand your mind!
1. Nipple orgasm
Did you know that it’s possible for a woman to achieve orgasm solely through nipple play? It’s true! This doesn’t happen for every woman, but certain women can have genital orgasms that are caused by intense nipple stimulation.
Feel free to test this one out, ladies!
2. Let’s talk about areole, baby
For those who aren’t aware, the circular pigmented area around the nipple is called the areola. Small openings around the nipple called lactiferous ducts release milk during lactation, while sebaceous glands provide lubrication, protection, and help with suckling during breastfeeding.
Some more tidbits about the areolae:
- They range in color from pale yellow to nearly black.
- Their darkness tends to fit with the person’s skin tone; darker areolae for dark skin, etc.
- Their pigment is darker than the surrounding skin so that the baby can find it easier.
- Sexually mature women usually have larger areolae than men or young girls
3. They come in threes
Statistically, one in 18 people is born with a third nipple. One in 18! Any day on the street, you could pick out a group of 18 people, and chances are that one of them is blessed (or cursed) with one or more extra nips.
These nipples rarely serve a purpose; they are simply remnants of the multiple nipples that usually disappear from a baby before birth.
4. Men can breastfeed
Though it isn’t common by any means, male lactation has happened more often in recent years as a result of hormonal treatments for prostate cancer.
What is really interesting, though, is that both men and women can actually lactate from excessive massaging and sucking on the nipples over an extended period of time. Who knew?
4. Babies about to burst
You may think that lactation is only a possibility for women who have given birth (or, as mentioned earlier, really gone to town on their breasts), but there is one notable exception! Babies sometimes emerge from the womb producing milk. That’s right! Newborn babes can have milk leaking from their teats.
This is perfectly normal, though, and the effect only lasts for a few days. It’s caused by estrogens, which are passed to the baby from its mother.
5. A whale of a meal
Whales have nipples that differ quite a bit from human nipples, and even those of other animals. Because their young aren’t able to perform the suction motion necessary to retrieve milk from an underwater nipple, a whale’s teat is built to be operated by the mother.
When the baby whale attaches to his or her mother’s nipple, she then ejects milk into its mouth. Pretty cool, eh?
(Via ChaCha)
