# Why do nipples stick out when its cold? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [October 15, 2002, 5:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-nipples-stick-out-when-its-cold/132354 "2002-10-15T17:01:38Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![gingersnap](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/f04885/32.png) [@gingersnap](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gingersnap)\ **Post date:** [October 15, 2002, 5:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-nipples-stick-out-when-its-cold/132354/1 "2002-10-15T17:01:38Z")
When its cold, body parts that stick out like fingers, toes, ears and noses are in danger of frostbite. So why do nipples harden and protrude when it’s cold out? Doesn’t this make them suceptible to frostbite? ---
**Author:** ![lieu](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/c2a13f/32.png) [@lieu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lieu)\ **Post date:** [October 15, 2002, 5:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-nipples-stick-out-when-its-cold/132354/2 "2002-10-15T17:08:42Z")
Certainly some kind of bite. ---
**Author:** ![Bromley](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/4da419/32.png) [@Bromley](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bromley)\ **Post date:** [October 15, 2002, 5:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-nipples-stick-out-when-its-cold/132354/3 "2002-10-15T17:08:42Z")
WAG - related to the goosebumps thing. i.e. hairs raising to trap air (although our coats are thinner now 🙂 ). ---
**Author:** ![Duck\_Duck\_Goose](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/50afbb/32.png) [@Duck\_Duck\_Goose](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Duck_Duck_Goose)\ **Post date:** [October 15, 2002, 5:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-nipples-stick-out-when-its-cold/132354/4 "2002-10-15T17:11:24Z")
Because there are teeny muscles in there that are actually trying to erect some warm, furry hairs, to help trap air and keep you warm, the same way goosebumps on your arms are actually teeny muscles that are raising your arm hairs to help keep you warm. Unfortunately, the teeny muscles don’t seem to realize that the warm, furry hairs have been evolved away and aren’t there anymore, depending on the gender and hairiness of the primate in question, so they’re laboring in vain to keep you warm. ---
**Author:** ![lieu](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/c2a13f/32.png) [@lieu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lieu)\ **Post date:** [October 15, 2002, 5:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-nipples-stick-out-when-its-cold/132354/5 "2002-10-15T17:24:23Z")
Why do nipples stick out when its cold? Because they can? ---
**Author:** ![Cat\_Fight](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/90ced4/32.png) [@Cat\_Fight](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cat_Fight)\ **Post date:** [October 15, 2002, 6:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-nipples-stick-out-when-its-cold/132354/6 "2002-10-15T18:20:53Z")
I, for one, don’t quite understand how erect nipples are a turn-on for men. Is it just a reminder that they’re there for those of you who’ve browsed through too many airbrushed Victoria’s Secret mags? ---
**Author:** ![GaryM](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/garym/32/241_2.png) [@GaryM](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GaryM)\ **Post date:** [October 15, 2002, 6:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-nipples-stick-out-when-its-cold/132354/7 "2002-10-15T18:30:46Z")
If they’re looking for attention, they’ve got mine! ---
**Author:** ![lieu](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/c2a13f/32.png) [@lieu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lieu)\ **Post date:** [October 15, 2002, 6:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-nipples-stick-out-when-its-cold/132354/8 "2002-10-15T18:33:42Z")
It’s kinda like when you get home and your pet comes running up all happy to see you. We like friendly. ---
**Author:** ![Cerowyn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/82dd89/32.png) [@Cerowyn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cerowyn)\ **Post date:** [October 15, 2002, 6:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-nipples-stick-out-when-its-cold/132354/9 "2002-10-15T18:37:03Z")
Uh, **Cat Fight** , I suspect the appeal of erect nipples is that it is also a sign of sexual excitement in women. ---
**Author:** ![Super\_Gnat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e274bd/32.png) [@Super\_Gnat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Super_Gnat)\ **Post date:** [October 15, 2002, 6:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-nipples-stick-out-when-its-cold/132354/10 "2002-10-15T18:39:58Z")
You mean… some people have _hair_ on their nipples?? :eek: Ewwww!! ---
**Author:** ![AtomicDog](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ac91a4/32.png) [@AtomicDog](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AtomicDog)\ **Post date:** [October 15, 2002, 6:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-nipples-stick-out-when-its-cold/132354/11 "2002-10-15T18:55:02Z")
Ah, yes. Another one of those things that I like about cold weather. ---
**Author:** ![Mr.Moto](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/9de0a6/32.png) [@Mr.Moto](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mr.Moto)\ **Post date:** [October 15, 2002, 7:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-nipples-stick-out-when-its-cold/132354/12 "2002-10-15T19:06:17Z")
C’mon, **Cat Fight**. This is easy to understand. Sexual arousal in another is itself sexually arousing. Nothing turns a guy on like a woman turned on by him. And erect nipples are a common indication of arousal in a woman. ---
**Author:** ![Philster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/13edae/32.png) [@Philster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Philster)\ **Post date:** [October 15, 2002, 7:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-nipples-stick-out-when-its-cold/132354/13 "2002-10-15T19:07:15Z")
If erect nipples turn guys on, that’s enough reason for them to get erect. While that sounds perverse, in evolutionary terms, it actually has value. Erect nipples beget erect nipples. Bless evolution. (FTR, nothing is better than sitting in a cold conference room with some professional women hot shots who can’t keep their nipples from stcking out of their clothes when the A/C is blasting. It’ ssweet revenge for guys who had their organ take over at awkward moments growing up.) ---
**Author:** ![Padeye](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/a9a28c/32.png) [@Padeye](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Padeye)\ **Post date:** [October 15, 2002, 7:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-nipples-stick-out-when-its-cold/132354/14 "2002-10-15T19:37:19Z")
So you can perch a prakeet on them silly people. Of course some nipples don’t uh, have the right angle of dangle, for perch useage. In that case just let your fruit bat hang from them. ---
**Author:** ![andy\_fl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/49beb7/32.png) [@andy\_fl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/andy_fl)\ **Post date:** [October 15, 2002, 7:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-nipples-stick-out-when-its-cold/132354/15 "2002-10-15T19:37:32Z")
The alveoli-nipple area is the only part of the breast that contains muscle fiber. This area is extremely sensitive, and, because of the muscle tissue in it, can become erect if touched or exposed to heat or cold. - [http://www.usps.com/judicial/1985deci/19-105.htm](http://www.usps.com/judicial/1985deci/19-105.htm) This contraction happens (most muscles) to reduce surface area for heat loss. Regarding why you have goose bumps - check this NSF site - [http://askvrd.org/askNSF/knowledgedb.asp?cat=640&ques=1462](http://askvrd.org/askNSF/knowledgedb.asp?cat=640&ques=1462) ---
**Author:** ![lieu](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/c2a13f/32.png) [@lieu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lieu)\ **Post date:** [October 15, 2002, 7:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-nipples-stick-out-when-its-cold/132354/16 "2002-10-15T19:42:58Z")
[parakeet voice] Nipples are good. Nipples are good. [/parakeet voice] ---
**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:** [October 15, 2002, 11:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-nipples-stick-out-when-its-cold/132354/17 "2002-10-15T23:46:25Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by andy\_fl \* > \*\*The alveoli-nipple area \*\* I thought the alveoli were in the chest not on the chest. ---
**Author:** ![CC](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/f1d935/32.png) [@CC](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CC)\ **Post date:** [October 16, 2002, 2:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-nipples-stick-out-when-its-cold/132354/18 "2002-10-16T02:07:55Z")
andy must mean aereola-nipple area. I certainly do. ---
**Author:** ![andy\_fl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/49beb7/32.png) [@andy\_fl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/andy_fl)\ **Post date:** [October 16, 2002, 2:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-nipples-stick-out-when-its-cold/132354/19 "2002-10-16T02:42:27Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by CC \* > \*\*andy must mean aereola-nipple area. I certainly do. \*\* CC is right. Thanks for the correction. ---
**Author:** ![CrankyAsAnOldMan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/crankyasanoldman/32/11670_2.png) [@CrankyAsAnOldMan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CrankyAsAnOldMan)\ **Post date:** [October 16, 2002, 3:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-nipples-stick-out-when-its-cold/132354/20 "2002-10-16T03:54:33Z")
Since we’ve settled the question, can I smack lieu? [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-nipples-stick-out-when-its-cold/132354.md?page=2)