It seems as if every single day, we’re given a new aspect of our bodies to be insecure about. With buccal fat removal, BBLs and fillers gaining national popularity, women are getting whiplash from the discourse surrounding what society deems to be “beautiful.”
It doesn’t stop there. Breasts have also been a major target of scrutiny, with certain shapes and sizes revered as more desirable than others. But within that, nipples serve as a more hushed insecurity, as some women internalize the size and texture of their areolas as signs of abnormality or unworthiness. But what does a normal nipple actually look like, if there’s even such a thing?
What Do Normal Nipples Look Like?
The nipple is the raised area in the center of the breast, containing milk duct openings for breastfeeding and many nerves that, if stimulated, can actually arouse a woman to orgasm. It is surrounded by the areola, a round patch of skin containing Montgomery glands that secrete an oil that can help prevent the nipple from chafing.
While society may make it seem as if a “sexy” nipple has to be a certain way (small, pink, and constantly hard), those measurements stem from racism, misogyny, and the over-sexualization of women's bodies. In reality, normal nipples can be hairy or bumpy, small or big, dark or light—and that is how they should be.
Every female body is different, and nipples are only an extension of that. Your nipple color will more than likely vary depending on your ethnicity and skin tone, and any hairs growing from it might be darker or more wiry than other hairs on your body. Normal nipples can also fluctuate in size and color, depending on hormones and pregnancy.
Common nipple shapes include:
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Protruding: Point outwards and are often raised by a few millimeters
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Flat: Less pronounced and blend into the areola; they can harden or become more pronounced when cold or stimulated
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Inverted: Retract inward instead of outward; research suggests that as many as 10% to 20% of women have at least one inverted nipple
- Puffy: Looks like a small, raised mound on top of the breast
It’s also possible to have multiple shapes at once, like one breast with a protruding nipple and the other with an inverted one, making the total combination of nipple types up to eight.
Is It Normal To Have Bumps On Your Nipples?
Insecure about your nipples? They're actually totally normal. Those same Montgomery glands we mentioned are responsible for the small bumps you see on your areola, though any bumps containing a strand of hair growing out the center could potentially be an ingrown hair. It’s worth noting that those very same glands produce a unique scent that attracts a baby to the breast when it’s time to nurse.
While a nipple’s true function is to provide nourishment for an infant, everyone has two (and some people have more than two). Men have nipples due to the way embryos develop in the early stages of gestation before sex chromosomes are determined, when both male and female embryos share the same genetic blueprint. However, our culture certainly has a lot to say about women’s nipples—and we believe they’re yours to decorate, flaunt, conceal and contain as you see fit.
From our breasts to our vaginas, we’re mammals built for function, and it’s important we take back the audacity to love and accept our bodies’ organic expression. Whether you have multiple nipples or none at all, the size of a ladybug or a nickel, the most censored part of a woman’s body also happens to be her most unique, and that’s something worth celebrating.
Nipple Abnormalities
Within the varied shapes, colors, and sizes our nipples present themselves as, there are certain abnormalities to be mindful of. Discharge, rashes, and a change in positioning are all worth letting your doctor know about. While nipple bumps are totally normal, a bump accompanied with symptoms of swelling, redness that’s warm to the touch, or a sudden forming of a hard mass may be a cause for concern.
Within that, some of us have more sensitive nipples than others, depending on where you land on your cycle, conditions like eczema or dermatitis, or breastfeeding. However, if your pain is persistent and accompanied by symptoms like fever or chills, skin redness, or swelling, it could be a sign of an infection.
In addition, at-home monthly self-breast checks can help you stay in tune with your breasts and track any notable changes over time.
So, there you have it. Nipples come in a wide range of shapes, sizes, and colors—all of which are completely normal. There is no one "right" way for nipples to look, no matter what any trend, media representation or male gaze might want you to believe. Your body, including your nipples, is beautiful just as it is.
