# Can a Woman Have Three Breasts? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [April 10, 2001, 10:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-a-woman-have-three-breasts/61520 "2001-04-10T22:48:06Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 12\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![riley\_dieffenbach](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/bb73d2/32.png) [@riley\_dieffenbach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/riley_dieffenbach)\ **Post date:** [April 10, 2001, 10:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-a-woman-have-three-breasts/61520/1 "2001-04-10T22:48:06Z")
OK I know this is a stupid question but bear with me. Many years ago I was watching a movie with my father. I have no memory of the film except for a striptease sequence that featured a woman with three breasts. The third was in the center of the chest about six inches below the two others. It was fully formed and of the same dimensions as the other two. My father swore at the time that it could and does happen. Unfortunately he has no memory of this conversation and I don’t know if he was just pulling my leg. I don’t know if it was a special effect or a natural phenomenon. I am aware of the ‘third nipple’ (thanks to Friends), but I thought this was just a vestigial bump. So how about it. Are there women with three fully formed breasts, and if so how common is this? ---
**Author:** ![handy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/b5a626/32.png) [@handy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/handy)\ **Post date:** [April 10, 2001, 11:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-a-woman-have-three-breasts/61520/2 "2001-04-10T23:17:17Z")
Yes, they can have three full breasts, they even make a bra for that. No, Im not going to show you pictures. ---
**Author:** ![Jois](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/ea666f/32.png) [@Jois](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jois)\ **Post date:** [April 10, 2001, 11:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-a-woman-have-three-breasts/61520/3 "2001-04-10T23:25:50Z")
I’ve seen a guy with three fully formed and correct nipples. He was older and could easily have worn a bra, he was kind of hairy, but would he count? Jois ---
**Author:** ![Major\_Feelgud](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/3be4f8/32.png) [@Major\_Feelgud](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Major_Feelgud)\ **Post date:** [April 11, 2001, 12:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-a-woman-have-three-breasts/61520/4 "2001-04-11T00:57:57Z")
It’s fairly uncommon, but women can have 3 breasts, for that matter men can too. More commonly, people can have ancillary nipples, up to 2. Nowadays they are almost all surgically removed. These things do happen, people are born with extra fingers, extra toes, extra ribs, neck bones, only one kidney etc. ---
**Author:** ![El\_Zagna](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/d2c977/32.png) [@El\_Zagna](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/El_Zagna)\ **Post date:** [April 11, 2001, 1:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-a-woman-have-three-breasts/61520/5 "2001-04-11T01:18:46Z")
I remember this being discussed in a medical book many years ago. Women can have multiple breasts, and when that happens the breasts tend to develop along a line that runs from the armpit and curves around past the normal placement of breasts. There is a reason why it follows that line but I can’t remember what it is. At this point my knowledge gets even spottier. I understand that women with more than two breasts were considered witches back in merry ole England. The extra breast was generally non-functioning and non-responsive to stimulation, hence the term “cold as a witch’s tit”. Anne Bolyne(sp?) is said to have had an extra breast. But don’t quote me on any of this. Bill Norton Austin, TX ---
**Author:** ![malden](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/7bcc69/32.png) [@malden](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/malden)\ **Post date:** [April 11, 2001, 1:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-a-woman-have-three-breasts/61520/6 "2001-04-11T01:50:15Z")
FWIW, I think the movie in question was _Total Recall._ Mars was full of humans who had weird mutations because the atmosphere was too thin to keep out the radiation, or something like that. Until Arnold came along… ---
**Author:** ![Olentzero](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/90ced4/32.png) [@Olentzero](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Olentzero)\ **Post date:** [April 11, 2001, 2:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-a-woman-have-three-breasts/61520/7 "2001-04-11T02:03:01Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by bnorton \* > \*\*Anne Bolyne(sp?) is said to have had an extra breast. > > But don’t quote me on any of this.\*\* Too late, **Bill**. For those of you just joining us, here is Cecil’s [column](http://www.straightdope.com/classics/a3_053.html) on Anne Boleyn and extra breasts. ---
**Author:** ![domina](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/96bed5/32.png) [@domina](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/domina)\ **Post date:** [April 11, 2001, 2:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-a-woman-have-three-breasts/61520/8 "2001-04-11T02:14:17Z")
Adding to what bnorton said, the reason why extra breasts occur on this line is that it’s an evolutionary leftover. You know how cats and dogs have two rows of four nipples? Our ancestors had those but we lost all but the second pair from the top. So extras can occur near the armpit (that’s the top pair) or lower on the abdomen in line with the other breasts. So while third breasts are possible, the placement of the extra breast in the OP doesn’t sound right. ---
**Author:** ![CalMeacham](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/calmeacham/32/35_2.png) [@CalMeacham](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CalMeacham)\ **Post date:** [April 11, 2001, 2:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-a-woman-have-three-breasts/61520/9 "2001-04-11T02:53:12Z")
\*\* Star Trek 5\*\* (AKA **Bill and Harve’s Excellent Adventure** ) features cat-woman with three breasts. There is actually a Multiple Breast Art page on the web, featuring morphed pctures of women with three or more breasts. I’d give the URL, but I think I’d be bleeped. The offerings on the Internet astonish me. ---
**Author:** ![Rhythmdvl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/85f322/32.png) [@Rhythmdvl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rhythmdvl)\ **Post date:** [April 11, 2001, 3:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-a-woman-have-three-breasts/61520/10 "2001-04-11T03:28:41Z")
You mean no one else has ever dallied with Eccentrica Gallumbits, the triple breasted whore of Eroticon 6? You people need to get out more often! ---
**Author:** ![Babar714](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/779978/32.png) [@Babar714](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Babar714)\ **Post date:** [April 11, 2001, 6:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-a-woman-have-three-breasts/61520/11 "2001-04-11T06:43:25Z")
They tell me I had a wonderful night with her, but I can’t remember anything for all the Pan Galactic Gargle Blasters. ---
**Author:** ![pezwookiee](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/9d8465/32.png) [@pezwookiee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pezwookiee)\ **Post date:** [April 11, 2001, 6:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-a-woman-have-three-breasts/61520/12 "2001-04-11T06:46:14Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by domina \* > **Adding to what bnorton said, the reason why extra breasts occur on this line is that it’s an evolutionary leftover. You know how cats and dogs have two rows of four nipples? Our ancestors had those but we lost all but the second pair from the top. So extras can occur near the armpit (that’s the top pair) or lower on the abdomen in line with the other breasts.** Man, I can just see a field trip group gathering around the three-breasted cavewomen statues at the Smithsonian. 🙂