Women's nipples come in a variety of shapes and sizes. There's no single "normal" shape. Common variations include:
- Protruding: These nipples stick out from the breast.
- Flat: These nipples lie flush with the breast surface.
- Inverted: These nipples point inward, sometimes disappearing completely into the breast. This is often temporary and may change after breastfeeding, with stimulation, massage, or cold temperatures.
- Puffy: These nipples appear swollen or rounded.
- Bumpy: These nipples have an uneven or textured surface.
- Hairy: These nipples have hair growth around or on the nipple.
- Ungraded: This refers to nipples that do not neatly fit into the other categories, exhibiting unique characteristics.
While several sources mention various breast shapes (like bell, conical, teardrop, etc.), these descriptions primarily focus on the overall breast form and not specifically nipple shape. It is important to note that nipple shape is independent of breast shape. The same nipple types can be found across different breast shapes.
The perception of "ideal" nipple shape is largely subjective and varies culturally. However, medically speaking, the vast range of nipple shapes and sizes is completely normal and healthy.
