Nipples

Pierced or as God created them: The nipples are one of the most erogenous zones in men and women and should not be missing from any foreplay.

The mammary glands (mammae) are the approximately 15 to 20 milk glands found in every human breast. They are responsible for milk production and end with their milk ducts in the nipple. The glands are embedded in fatty tissue and produce breast milk, triggered by the increase in the hormone prolactin during pregnancy. They form during puberty (thelarche) due to hormonal influences from the sebaceous gland tissue and recede somewhat after the menopause. Female and male nipples can differ in size, shape and colour.

The nipples form at an early stage of embryonic development. In men, however, they have no other function than as an individual, sometimes very erogenous zone (the same for both sexes). Nevertheless, there are repeated reports that men have also been able to breastfeed in individual cases. In 1799, for example, Alexander von Humboldt reported on a Venezuelan farmer who breastfed his child for months after the death of his wife. Today, this ability can be artificially induced by administering hormones. In his work ‘The Origin of Species’, Charles Darwin speculated that in early mammals both parents were able to breastfeed. However, this has neither been proven nor disproven.

The nipple is surrounded by a pigmented areola in which numerous sebaceous and odour glands end. It reacts very sensitively to touch and cold and is therefore also known as an erogenous zone. This strong irritability makes it easier for the infant to find it when breastfeeding as it erects in response. This erection of the nipple is not caused by erectile tissue, but by a contraction of the smooth muscles, which is controlled by the autonomic nervous system. It resembles the erection of hair follicles rather than an erection of the genitals and is caused by the same reflex of the hair follicle muscle that causes genital skin. In both men and women, nipple erection can be a reaction to sexual stimulation or touching. However, it can also occur during sexual arousal (in both sexes) or when breastfeeding a baby. In both cases, the erection is caused by the release of oxytocin.

Pictures

Unfortunately, we do not yet have any images for this term that we are allowed to use. If you have one or more pictures for this page, please let us know here. Thank you very much.