# Am I a freak? Or how common is an inverted nipple? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [June 3, 2005, 3:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/am-i-a-freak-or-how-common-is-an-inverted-nipple/306735 "2005-06-03T15:44:56Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 13\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Hostile\_Dialect](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/e495f1/32.png) [@Hostile\_Dialect](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hostile_Dialect)\ **Post date:** [June 4, 2005, 8:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/am-i-a-freak-or-how-common-is-an-inverted-nipple/306735/21 "2005-06-04T20:22:04Z")
I’ve never seen an inverted nipple. Sounds interesting. Pic? > [@serious lark](#): > > For example, many people who have ‘extra’ nipples are not aware they have more than 2 nipples (more common in males, apparently) - they think that the spot(s) are moles. Do these show up under (just south of) the main two? And can they be brown? > [@squeegee](#): > > Well, I’m sure it beats having an inverted pee-pee. That’s pretty much how they do male-to-female sex changes, from how I understand it. ---
**Author:** ![Geobabe](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/geobabe/32/3908_2.png) [@Geobabe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Geobabe)\ **Post date:** [June 4, 2005, 8:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/am-i-a-freak-or-how-common-is-an-inverted-nipple/306735/22 "2005-06-04T20:34:04Z")
**fetus** , you can easily find many pics if you do a Google Images search. Mine are semi-inverted; they do pop out when I get chilly, but spend most of their time hiding. I’ve never had a guy say they were weird, or decline to play with them, so I’m not quite sure why so many women seem to feel it’s a problem. It can be an issue for breastfeeding for some, but otherwise, no big deal, really. ---
**Author:** ![serious\_lark](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/43a26b/32.png) [@serious\_lark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/serious_lark)\ **Post date:** [June 5, 2005, 4:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/am-i-a-freak-or-how-common-is-an-inverted-nipple/306735/23 "2005-06-05T04:10:48Z")
> [@fetus](#): > > Do these show up under (just south of) the main two? And can they be brown? An extra breast or nipple usually develops just inferior (as you said, due south) to the normal breast. Less commonly, extra mammary glands or nipples appear in the armpits or abdominal areas. They usually become obvious in women when pregnancy occurs. And yes, they can be brown. ---
**Author:** ![Dogzilla](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e480ec/32.png) [@Dogzilla](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dogzilla)\ **Post date:** [June 5, 2005, 4:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/am-i-a-freak-or-how-common-is-an-inverted-nipple/306735/24 "2005-06-05T04:37:35Z")
I have one inverted nipple. It’s not a problem. ---
**Author:** ![Khampelf](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/8e7dd6/32.png) [@Khampelf](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Khampelf)\ **Post date:** [June 5, 2005, 8:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/am-i-a-freak-or-how-common-is-an-inverted-nipple/306735/25 "2005-06-05T20:42:15Z")
> [@squeegee](#): > > Well, I’m sure it beats having an inverted pee-pee. 🙂 > > Fully 1/1 of my sampling were not, but what do I know? You’ve only been with one woman, and she only had one breast? ---
**Author:** ![ouryL](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ouryl/32/6067_2.png) [@ouryL](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ouryL)\ **Post date:** [June 8, 2005, 10:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/am-i-a-freak-or-how-common-is-an-inverted-nipple/306735/26 "2005-06-08T22:44:59Z")
> [@squeegee](#): > > Well, I’m sure it beats having an inverted pee-pee. 🙂 > > Fully 1/1 of my sampling were not, but what do I know? Well, that’s what has actually happened to men who seem to have a penis consisting of a only head !! :eek: ---
**Author:** ![FilmGeek](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/b19c9b/32.png) [@FilmGeek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FilmGeek)\ **Post date:** [June 8, 2005, 11:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/am-i-a-freak-or-how-common-is-an-inverted-nipple/306735/27 "2005-06-08T23:00:50Z")
I used to have an inverted nipple due to an infected mosquito bite in that period of time during puberty where my breasts grew four sizes. Yes, I had a mosquito bite on my nipple… it was not pleasant. Along with being inverted, it was strangely shaped due to the scarring (sort of a figure eight, elongated top to bottom) and so I got it pierced. I kept the piercing for a year, and when I took it out finally, it healed no longer inverted, and less elongated than before. ---
**Author:** ![lavenderviolet](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/cdc98d/32.png) [@lavenderviolet](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lavenderviolet)\ **Post date:** [June 9, 2005, 1:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/am-i-a-freak-or-how-common-is-an-inverted-nipple/306735/28 "2005-06-09T01:46:56Z")
Just wanted to emphasize the point **serious lark** made about how, if a nipple becomes inverted when it wasn’t before, you should see a doctor. It could mean something very serious like inflammatory breast cancer - an aggressive kind of breast cancer in which a tumor may not be detectable, so your only warning sign may be changes to the breast’s appearance (see [http://www.ibcsupport.org/](http://www.ibcsupport.org/) for more info). Of course, it would be very rare that an inverted nipple means anything so serious, but it’s something that one should keep in mind just to be safe. ---
**Author:** ![Dorjan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dorjan/32/12440_2.png) [@Dorjan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dorjan)\ **Post date:** [June 9, 2005, 8:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/am-i-a-freak-or-how-common-is-an-inverted-nipple/306735/29 "2005-06-09T20:28:36Z")
Isn’t there a difference between inverted and recessed nipples? I swear I’ve seen a medical journal somewhere years back that detailed corrective surgery for true inverted nipples; that is, the nipples actually pointed inwards, no amount of sucking or tugging will get those out. Then you have nipples that are merely recessed but still pointing the correct way, which most of you seem to be describing. ---
**Author:** ![serious\_lark](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/43a26b/32.png) [@serious\_lark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/serious_lark)\ **Post date:** [June 9, 2005, 8:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/am-i-a-freak-or-how-common-is-an-inverted-nipple/306735/30 "2005-06-09T20:49:27Z")
From [this cite](http://www.breastfeed-essentials.com/invertednipples.html) : “You can determine whether or not you have flat or inverted nipples by doing a simple “pinch” test: Gently compress your areola about an inch behind your nipple. If your nipple does not protrude or become erect, then it is considered to be flat. If your nipple inverts, retracts into the skin tissue, or becomes concave, it is considered to be inverted. True inverted or flat nipples also will not become erect when stimulated or cold. If your nipples protrude when stimulated as described above, they are not truly inverted …” "One type of inverted nipple, known as a dimpled or folded nipple - in which only part of the nipple is inverted - will not protrude when stimulated but can be pulled out manually with the fingers. Unfortunately, in most cases, this type of nipple will not stay pulled out and will perhaps benefit from some special treatment measures. “There also are varying degrees of nipple inversion from the slightly inverted nipple to the moderately to severely inverted, which when compressed, retracts deeply to a level even with or below the surrounding areola.” ---
**Author:** ![GingerOfTheNorth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/cdc98d/32.png) [@GingerOfTheNorth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GingerOfTheNorth)\ **Post date:** [June 10, 2005, 2:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/am-i-a-freak-or-how-common-is-an-inverted-nipple/306735/31 "2005-06-10T02:01:04Z")
serious lark proves yet again that Calgarians know boobs. ---
**Author:** ![serious\_lark](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/43a26b/32.png) [@serious\_lark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/serious_lark)\ **Post date:** [June 10, 2005, 4:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/am-i-a-freak-or-how-common-is-an-inverted-nipple/306735/32 "2005-06-10T04:23:03Z")
> [@GingerOfTheNorth](#): > > serious lark proves yet again that Calgarians know boobs. Why, thank you dear! \ I’m reluctant to admit it, but I may have been warped (just a little) by my childhood in Montreal 😉 . ---
**Author:** ![phall0106](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/phall0106/32/5934_2.png) [@phall0106](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/phall0106)\ **Post date:** [June 10, 2005, 2:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/am-i-a-freak-or-how-common-is-an-inverted-nipple/306735/33 "2005-06-10T14:41:22Z")
> [@lavenderviolet](#): > > Just wanted to emphasize the point **serious lark** made about how, if a nipple becomes inverted when it wasn’t before, you should see a doctor. It could mean something very serious like inflammatory breast cancer - an aggressive kind of breast cancer in which a tumor may not be detectable, so your only warning sign may be changes to the breast’s appearance (see [http://www.ibcsupport.org/](http://www.ibcsupport.org/) for more info). > Of course, it would be very rare that an inverted nipple means anything so serious, but it’s something that one should keep in mind just to be safe. I second this. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/am-i-a-freak-or-how-common-is-an-inverted-nipple/306735.md?page=1)