Your nipples are really sensitive-or not sensitive at all. If you’re not pregnant or breastfeeding, it’s best to see your health provider if you notice discharge of any type just to make sure nothing is going on. If the discharge is painful, bloody or green in hue, head to the doctor ASAP, Gaither suggests. In some cases, discharge can signal thyroid disease or be a sign of breast cancer. If it's coming out of both breasts, or happens when you squeeze the nipple, it could be due to something benign (meaning noncancerous) such as certain medications or herbs (like fennel), an injury, inflammation clogging the breast ducts, or an infection. That said, let’s talk about times when it might be a sign of something else. According to the National Institutes of Health, it can even happen from your bra or t-shirt rubbing against your boobs. In up to 20 percent of people with breasts of reproductive age, having their breasts squeezed can elicit nip spillage. “Most of the time it is physiologic, meaning it’s a result of normal processes,” DiNome explains. But for that same reason, those who are not breastfeeding can also have nipple discharge. “All ducts in the breast coalesce into the nipple, which is why can breastfeed,” DiNome says. There’s discharge coming out of your nipples. If the inversion occurs as an adult, you may want to seek medical attention as it could be a sign of breast cancer, Patt adds. In some cases, inverted nipples can be altered surgically. Generally, most women with inverted nipples can breastfeed normally, though they may pose some challenges, notes Patt. Inverted nipples are totally safe and can happen with one or both breasts. In fact, it’s estimated that 10 to 20 percent of people with breasts have inverted nipples, which is when the nipples indent in the areola instead of standing above the surface of the breast, explains Gaither. “Inverted nipples can be congenital, but they can also be acquired during one’s lifetime,” DiNome tells SELF. Your nipples don’t stick out-they stick in. “With any major nipple changes, seek evaluation from your health provider,” she adds. It could be a potential sign of breast cancer-specifically, Paget’s disease of the breast, a rare type of breast cancer that also comes with scaliness, itching, and yellow or bloody discharge, Kecia Gaither, M.D., an ob-gyn and women’s health expert in New York City, tells SELF. Otherwise, head to the doc and let them know how your nipple color has changed. Now, if you know why they’re red-for example, you went running and they chafed against your sports bra-then you’re good. The exception here is if your nipples have suddenly turned red. The dark skin surrounding the nipples, on the other hand, is called the areola, and it has glands (called Montgomery glands) that secrete fluid to aid in breastfeeding. Sometimes people think the entire pink or brown part of your boobs is your nipples but actually, your nipples are just the center part of the dark area-yep, where milk comes out if you breastfeed, according to the Cleveland Clinic. First, a word about your nipples.īefore we start talking about “normal nipples,” let’s get some definitions out of the way. Keep reading to learn which seemingly weird nipple things are actually pretty run-of-the-mill and which are a sign you should check with your doctor. That said, there’s a small chance your nipples might be trying to tell you something about your health. There is so much variation when it comes to nipples-like the look, shape, texture, color, and size-that you’ve likely wondered at least once whether or not yours are “normal.”Īnd while the many differences you spot may give you pause, fear not: Chances are, you have totally normal nipples and whatever you’re noticing is a natural variation. If you’ve ever found yourself googling something “weird” you’ve noticed about your nipples (like “bumps on nipple” or “third nipple”), you’re not alone.
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