# Why are my nipples so sensive lately?

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-my-nipples-so-sensive-lately/108907>\
**Category:** Factual Questions\
**Created:** [May 13, 2002, 10:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-my-nipples-so-sensive-lately/108907 "2002-05-13T22:24:10Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 9\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![PurpleNurple](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/d07c76/32.png) [@PurpleNurple](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PurpleNurple)\
**Post date:** [May 13, 2002, 10:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-my-nipples-so-sensive-lately/108907/1 "2002-05-13T22:24:10Z")

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I am a male and I have found that my nipples have started to become hard, senitive, and irritated . I hope you all can take this serious because it is very strange and not very enjoyable. I also find that they get extremely itchy at times also. This happens throughout the day, different levels of hardness and irritation.  
If anyone can give me ideas of why this would happen I would be greatly appreciated.

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**Author:** ![Daoloth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/82dd89/32.png) [@Daoloth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Daoloth)\
**Post date:** [May 13, 2002, 10:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-my-nipples-so-sensive-lately/108907/2 "2002-05-13T22:37:49Z")

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Suggestion: Doctor’s office.

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**Author:** ![PurpleNurple](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/d07c76/32.png) [@PurpleNurple](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PurpleNurple)\
**Post date:** [May 14, 2002, 12:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-my-nipples-so-sensive-lately/108907/3 "2002-05-14T00:25:32Z")

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I don’t think it is that serious that I would need to go to to see a doctor.

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**Author:** ![robinh](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/b77776/32.png) [@robinh](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/robinh)\
**Post date:** [May 14, 2002, 12:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-my-nipples-so-sensive-lately/108907/4 "2002-05-14T00:43:13Z")

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Have you changed laundry detergent/fabric softener lately? You might try an unscented type. You could also look at the soap you use; it could be irritating your skin.

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**Author:** ![lee](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lee/32/7455_2.png) [@lee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lee)\
**Post date:** [May 14, 2002, 1:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-my-nipples-so-sensive-lately/108907/5 "2002-05-14T01:48:46Z")

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Have you been eating lots of tofu or other foods high in phytoestrogens? Or eating any woman who uses estrogen rich vaginal lubricant? Ingesting female hormones could do it. So could prostate cancers or adrenal tumors.

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**Author:** ![occ](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/8c91f0/32.png) [@occ](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/occ)\
**Post date:** [May 14, 2002, 2:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-my-nipples-so-sensive-lately/108907/6 "2002-05-14T02:24:14Z")

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If it continues, you can get your hormone levels checked. Nipple sensitivity can be related to estrogen levels. I believe it qualifies as a secondary sexual characteristic, but I’m not a doctor, standard disclaimer, etc, etc, etc.

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**Author:** ![genecola](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/bc8723/32.png) [@genecola](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/genecola)\
**Post date:** [May 14, 2002, 3:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-my-nipples-so-sensive-lately/108907/7 "2002-05-14T03:12:56Z")

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you are growing up boy.

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**Author:** ![ejrn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/a6a055/32.png) [@ejrn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ejrn)\
**Post date:** [May 14, 2002, 4:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-my-nipples-so-sensive-lately/108907/8 "2002-05-14T04:47:19Z")

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I’m with **robinh**. It really sounds like an allergy and your detergent or fabric softener would be the most likely culprit.

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**Author:** ![JillGat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/9fc29f/32.png) [@JillGat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JillGat)\
**Post date:** [May 14, 2002, 5:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-my-nipples-so-sensive-lately/108907/9 "2002-05-14T05:36:21Z")

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So which is it: sensive or senitive?  
The responses so far have been reasonable, but we really can’t diagnose you from here.  
Jill