# What body parts grow back? Not nipples, right? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [April 20, 2010, 6:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-body-parts-grow-back-not-nipples-right/536721 "2010-04-20T06:43:05Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Autolycus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/22d042/32.png) [@Autolycus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Autolycus)\ **Post date:** [April 20, 2010, 6:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-body-parts-grow-back-not-nipples-right/536721/1 "2010-04-20T06:43:05Z")
For some reason, I always thought nipples grew back, but after researching it online, I guess they don’t. It got me to thinking, what bodyparts _do_ grow back? Obviously skin, but what else? I hear the liver regenerates, and recently scientists discovered certain neurons do too. What else? What other body parts can be destroyed and regrown later? ---
**Author:** ![AClockworkMelon](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aclockworkmelon/32/10803_2.png) [@AClockworkMelon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AClockworkMelon)\ **Post date:** [April 20, 2010, 6:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-body-parts-grow-back-not-nipples-right/536721/2 "2010-04-20T06:58:15Z")
Well, obviously dicks grow back. ---
**Author:** ![fifty-six](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/5daacb/32.png) [@fifty-six](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/fifty-six)\ **Post date:** [April 20, 2010, 7:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-body-parts-grow-back-not-nipples-right/536721/3 "2010-04-20T07:04:55Z")
You missed hair. ---
**Author:** ![Autolycus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/22d042/32.png) [@Autolycus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Autolycus)\ **Post date:** [April 20, 2010, 7:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-body-parts-grow-back-not-nipples-right/536721/4 "2010-04-20T07:07:26Z")
Hair’s a body part, but it’s never really alive in the first place, right? I never mentioned that in my OP, but I don’t feel the same excitement with hair as I would, say, a kidney. Same thing applies to nails. ---
**Author:** ![AClockworkMelon](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aclockworkmelon/32/10803_2.png) [@AClockworkMelon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AClockworkMelon)\ **Post date:** [April 20, 2010, 7:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-body-parts-grow-back-not-nipples-right/536721/5 "2010-04-20T07:08:28Z")
This is sort of related: Why do we only grow back teeth once? Does that count as something that grows back? ---
**Author:** ![Autolycus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/22d042/32.png) [@Autolycus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Autolycus)\ **Post date:** [April 20, 2010, 7:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-body-parts-grow-back-not-nipples-right/536721/6 "2010-04-20T07:09:35Z")
I’m not really the ultimate arbiter of such matters, but I’ll say sure, why not. ---
**Author:** ![AClockworkMelon](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aclockworkmelon/32/10803_2.png) [@AClockworkMelon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AClockworkMelon)\ **Post date:** [April 20, 2010, 7:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-body-parts-grow-back-not-nipples-right/536721/7 "2010-04-20T07:10:19Z")
Yay! I contributed! ---
**Author:** ![Autolycus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/22d042/32.png) [@Autolycus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Autolycus)\ **Post date:** [April 20, 2010, 7:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-body-parts-grow-back-not-nipples-right/536721/8 "2010-04-20T07:10:40Z")
First time for everything! ---
**Author:** ![AClockworkMelon](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aclockworkmelon/32/10803_2.png) [@AClockworkMelon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AClockworkMelon)\ **Post date:** [April 20, 2010, 7:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-body-parts-grow-back-not-nipples-right/536721/9 "2010-04-20T07:13:40Z")
I’ll try not to make a habit out of it. ---
**Author:** ![fifty-six](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/5daacb/32.png) [@fifty-six](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/fifty-six)\ **Post date:** [April 20, 2010, 7:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-body-parts-grow-back-not-nipples-right/536721/10 "2010-04-20T07:17:25Z")
Fat ---
**Author:** ![Der\_Trihs](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/der_trihs/32/233_2.png) [@Der\_Trihs](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Der_Trihs)\ **Post date:** [April 20, 2010, 7:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-body-parts-grow-back-not-nipples-right/536721/11 "2010-04-20T07:18:47Z")
I recall reading some years ago that it was discovered that fingertips can grow back in small children; perfect scarless regeneration, at that. ---
**Author:** ![Mangetout](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mangetout/32/19_2.png) [@Mangetout](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mangetout)\ **Post date:** [April 20, 2010, 7:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-body-parts-grow-back-not-nipples-right/536721/12 "2010-04-20T07:55:23Z")
> [@AClockworkMelon](#): > > This is sort of related: Why do we only grow back teeth once? > > Does that count as something that grows back? They don’t grow back, as such. We just have (in normal circumstances) two sets lined up ready to use - the first set is small (to fit a child’s mouth) and disposable (so decay doesn’t cause death before reproductive age) ---
**Author:** ![Autolycus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/22d042/32.png) [@Autolycus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Autolycus)\ **Post date:** [April 20, 2010, 8:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-body-parts-grow-back-not-nipples-right/536721/13 "2010-04-20T08:07:25Z")
So, we could splice shark DNA with humans and grow 3+ sets of teeth? OK that’s getting off-topic. ---
**Author:** ![AClockworkMelon](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aclockworkmelon/32/10803_2.png) [@AClockworkMelon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AClockworkMelon)\ **Post date:** [April 20, 2010, 8:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-body-parts-grow-back-not-nipples-right/536721/14 "2010-04-20T08:21:03Z")
> [@Autolycus](#): > > So, we could splice shark DNA with humans and grow 3+ sets of teeth? OK that’s getting off-topic. I want this! Don’t bother brushing! Just close your eyes and concentrate- pow! New teeth. ---
**Author:** ![Autolycus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/22d042/32.png) [@Autolycus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Autolycus)\ **Post date:** [April 20, 2010, 8:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-body-parts-grow-back-not-nipples-right/536721/15 "2010-04-20T08:31:54Z")
Or, splice Megamouth shark DNA with certain females! Bam, think of the blowjob potential! OK, I need to stop. You’re not helping **Melon**! ---
**Author:** ![Cheshire\_Human](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/5f8ce5/32.png) [@Cheshire\_Human](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cheshire_Human)\ **Post date:** [April 20, 2010, 8:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-body-parts-grow-back-not-nipples-right/536721/16 "2010-04-20T08:35:52Z")
> [@AClockworkMelon](#): > > Well, obviously dicks grow back. Only if you’re not Bill Gates! ---
**Author:** ![AClockworkMelon](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aclockworkmelon/32/10803_2.png) [@AClockworkMelon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AClockworkMelon)\ **Post date:** [April 20, 2010, 8:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-body-parts-grow-back-not-nipples-right/536721/17 "2010-04-20T08:36:53Z")
You don’t know the **power** of the Dark Side of the Force! ---
**Author:** ![Cheshire\_Human](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/5f8ce5/32.png) [@Cheshire\_Human](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cheshire_Human)\ **Post date:** [April 20, 2010, 8:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-body-parts-grow-back-not-nipples-right/536721/18 "2010-04-20T08:42:40Z")
> [@Der\_Trihs](#): > > I recall reading some years ago that it was discovered that fingertips can grow back in small children; perfect scarless regeneration, at that. But not in your teen years. I just checked. The end of my left thumb, which I hacked off w/ a saw @ 16 or 17 (accidentally), is still shorter than the right one, by the same amount I cut off. ---
**Author:** ![KarlGrenze](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/dbc845/32.png) [@KarlGrenze](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/KarlGrenze)\ **Post date:** [April 20, 2010, 10:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-body-parts-grow-back-not-nipples-right/536721/19 "2010-04-20T10:12:10Z")
> [@Autolycus](#): > > For some reason, I always thought nipples grew back, but after researching it online, I guess they don’t. > > It got me to thinking, what bodyparts _do_ grow back? Obviously skin, but what else? I hear the liver regenerates, and recently scientists discovered certain neurons do too. What else? What other body parts can be destroyed and regrown later? Almost every section of every organ _will_ grow back (or try its hardest, at least), provided the scaffolding (basement membrane, connective tissue) has not been destroyed. Skin layers, which are constantly being shed and replaced, are a good example. But it is not as if you can take a chunk of skin and watch it grow scarless. If you that, chances are you’ve destroyed part of the scaffolding, and now the healing will leave a scar. Liver is very good at regenerating, again if it doesn’t get too damaged. Bone itself is constantly being turned over. There are constant pieces being taken down and new bone being laid. Inside some bones, their bone marrow, which has precursors of most blood cells, remains active throughout life. It has to do that, you know, otherwise you’d die. In contrast with bone, skeletal muscle takes longer to grow back because it has a more limited capacity. Neurons and cardiac muscle have an even more limited capacity, even if the scaffolding around them is intact. ---
**Author:** ![NinetyWt](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/cc9497/32.png) [@NinetyWt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/NinetyWt)\ **Post date:** [April 20, 2010, 12:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-body-parts-grow-back-not-nipples-right/536721/20 "2010-04-20T12:53:53Z")
My sister works for a biology research group which is studying [limb regeneration](http://www.wired.com/wiredscience/2009/07/regeneration/) in salamanders. They hope to one day apply the technology to humans. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-body-parts-grow-back-not-nipples-right/536721.md?page=2)