Introduction
The nerves in the nipple react to touch or any stimuli, both physical, emotional, and psychological. Therefore an arousing feeling, change in temperatures like heat or cold, or something as the fabric of your dress brushing against your skin can cause one or both of your nipples to erect.
What Are Breasts?
The breast is a prominent protrusion of the upper body. In females, breasts serve as the mammary gland, producing and secreting milk to feed infants. The breasts are made of fatty, epithelial, and connective tissues. Because these tissues have hormone receptors, their sizes and volumes fluctuate according to the hormonal changes in the body, particularly in thelarche, menstruation, pregnancy, lactation, and menopause.
What Are Nipple Changes and Is It Normal to Have Color Changes?
Nipple color is usually associated with skin color. However, changes in the nipple's skin color can be due to many reasons. Therefore nipples that change color are not a severe problem, but you will have to monitor the changes because some might need medical attention.
What Can Be The Causes of This Sudden Erection of the Nipple?
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Allergy: There are chances you might be using products that have harsh chemicals in it, in your daily products such as soaps, detergents and shampoo. It may cause allergic reactions and also erect the nipples while using them. It is best advised to consult a dermatologist to avail a suitable skin soap for your condition and while using other products; make sure you wear gloves or switch to the products that have no harsh chemicals.
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Ovulation: This can cause breast tenderness due to an increase in estrogen. Other ovulation symptoms are changes in the cervix, vaginal discharge, body temperature changes, pelvic pain, and bloating.
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Pregnancy: Many hormonal changes cause the breast to grow and become more tender. Other symptoms can include breast enlargement, darker areolas, and thick, yellowish liquid known as colostrum leaking from your breasts.
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Perimenopause and Menopause: Female body goes through many changes during menopause, and perimenopause, especially breast tenderness, can cause nipples to be complicated. It can also affect your period cycle, causing irregular periods. This is because your estrogen levels become low as you get closer to menopause. It can also cause irregular periods, problems sleeping, hot flashes, mood changes, vaginal dryness, changes in sex drive, and decreased fertility in women.
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Post Menstrual Syndrome: Post menstrual syndrome is the same like premenstrual syndrome (PMS) but on the other side of menstruation. Some symptoms include breast swelling, pain, and tenderness. Other symptoms are muscle pain, bloating, feeling tired, lack of energy, headaches, cramps, low sex drive, constipation or diarrhea, acne flare-ups, and food cravings.
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Piercing: Nipple piercing causes the nipple to be more sensitive, causing nipple and breast tenderness. This can cause mastitis. Other symptoms of this can include breast pain and swelling.
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Breastfeeding: Breastfeeding can cause nipples to be challenging, especially with the baby feeding on them.
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Breast Abscess: Bacteria that enter the breast through a cracked or pierced nipple can cause an infection that leads to pus formation and a breast abscess. This is a severe condition that triggers hard or erect nipples. Abscesses form in the breast when mastitis is left untreated.
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Arousal: When you stimulate the nipple region, the nerves in the muscles contract, hardening the nipples. Nipples can also become erect and challenging when you have a sexual thought.
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Temperature: Cold temperature is one of the most common causes of nipple erection and hardening. That is because a drop in temperature simulates special nerve cells in our nipples — the same ones that cause goosebumps. However, hot weather does not cause the same reaction with our nipples.
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Birth Control Pills: The side effects of birth control pills are similar to pregnancy symptoms. It tends to resolve once the body uses the birth control medication, usually taking a few months.
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Lumpectomy: It is done for breast cancer patients. In this, the nipple area can become paler after this procedure.
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Breast Augmentation Surgery: It is also called Augmentation Mammoplasty. It is a surgery to increase the breast size by placing the implant into the breast region. After the procedure, some individuals might have changed the nipple color.
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Other Causes - Erect nipples can also be due to wearing wrong-sized undergarments and the material of undergarments.
What Type of Nipple Changes Are Abnormal?
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Nipple Discharge: For women who are not breastfeeding, nipple discharge can be a little alarming. It is not severe for a woman in the reproductive phase, but it is always better to get a medical opinion. Bloody nipple discharge is abnormal. Therefore, it requires medical attention at the earliest.
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Inverted Nipple: Inverted nipples are seen in 10% of women. Inverted nipples are either permanent or due to stimulation or temperature. Mainly inverted nipples are not of health concern. But it is better to take a medical opinion.
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Retracted Nipples: A retracted nipple is flat to an areola. Some stimulation or temperature can cause an erection but not always. Breast retraction is usually the earliest sign of breast cancer.
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Itchy and Red Nipples: Itchy and red nipples can result from an allergic reaction to detergent and soaps. It can also be to skin conditions like eczema, which can be treated with over-the-counter drugs like antihistamines. Itch and redness can be a reason for mastitis and breast cancer.
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Crusty and Scaly Nipples: This can be the cause of dry skin or Paget's disease, rare breast cancer that starts from the nipples.
How to Manage These Sudden Nipple Erections?
Some remedies have been used to ease hard, erect, and painful nipples. They are:
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Massage.
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Cold compresses.
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Warm compresses.
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Moisturizers and oils.
There is no evidence that these remedies are helpful, but some may provide relief, depending on the cause of symptoms. For any changes to the nipple, it is better to visit a physician for proper diagnosis and treatment. If these symptoms occur after exercising, apply a topical barrier product. If discomfort happens after a new skincare product, including shampoo, stop using the product and see if the symptoms resolve.
When Should You Meet Doctors?
The pain and discomfort, if persisting for a long time it is advisable to see a doctor. These symptoms may resolve independently, or they may be easy to manage. Women who cannot identify the cause of nipple symptoms, are at risk of breast cancer. It is best to consult a doctor immediately in the event of pain and discharge.
Conclusion
Erection of nipples is a normal event and is persistent in nursing mothers. Males experiencing such events must not get alarmed. Although the breast is functional only in females, the tissue is found in both sexes. Some superficial changes to the nipple can be indicative of cancerous transformation; hence they require regular examination. The social misgiving that considers arousal as the sole reason for nipple erection must be questioned, and such events should be normalized under collective observation.
