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So why do men have nipples? Is the male nipple necessary?
The primary function of the human nipple is to feed your offspring, so a lot of confusion arises when people start wondering why men have them if they’re unable to nurse. Well, technically speaking, men don’t really need nipples. But humans are just built to have nipples, and the male nipple has a surprising history that most of us may not be aware of.
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Why Do Boys Have Nipples?
The reason that males have nipples is that during development in the fetus, everyone first develops as a female and the human chest and nipples develop before the Y chromosome is introduced into the fetus. The Y chromosome is the chromosome responsible for coding a fetus to be a male baby. By this time, the nipple has already fully been developed, and there’s no removing it at this point.
This is not exclusive to humans, though. Most male mammals also have nipples, as they go through the same stages of development in the womb.
Fun trivia fact: The only mammals don’t have nipples are monotremes! Male lab mice, some male house mice, and even male horses also join the no-nipple club.
What’s The Difference Between Man And Woman Nipples?
The biggest difference between male and female nipples is the fact that female nipples are used to feed babies. These nipples are attached to the substantially larger mammary glands of females and deliver milk when the mother lactates.
Other than this, every human nipple is different and its appearance is dependent on a lot of factors, but mostly genetics. Female nipples tend to be bigger than male nipples, especially after the body changes during puberty. Female nipples can also enlarge during periods, pregnancy, and after childbirth.
What Is The Function Of The Male Nipple?
Men around the world have pondered “why do we have nipples?”. If men don’t lactate, then what purpose do male nipples serve? Simply speaking, male nipples don’t have a concrete function that is useful from an evolutionary standpoint.
However, male nipples can greatly increase sexual pleasure when manipulated. Yes, it is possible to give a man a “nipple-job” by manually stimulating his nipples. It is even possible for men to orgasm through nipple stimulation.
Can Men Lactate?
While it is extremely rare, it is not unheard of for men to lactate. This is usually caused by an imbalance of hormones, whether natural or with chemical help. Men who experience gynecomastia – also known as man boobs – may also experience lactation. The most common cause of gynecomastia and male lactation is an abuse of steroids, which increase both testosterone and estrogen in the body.
Testosterone is a hormone that is typically associated with increased muscle mass and energy, and traditional anabolic steroids help increase the amount of testosterone in a man’s body. However, with an increase in testosterone, the body naturally produces more estrogen as well, increasing breast tissue, and in some extreme cases, causing men to lactate.
Why Hasn’t Evolution Gotten Rid Of The Male Nipple?
Since the male nipple doesn’t really have much of a purpose, why hasn’t evolution naturally selected them to disappear? Well, the facts are that we have a lot of things leftover from our evolutionary development that really don’t have a place in our world today.
Male nipples, wisdom teeth, and even your tail bone are relics of our evolutionary past. These things still exist on our bodies because there’s no pressing need to really get rid of them, so we haven’t evolved them out of existence yet.
Can Men Get Breast Cancer?
Yes, men can get breast cancer, as men still have breast tissue. Thankfully, male breast cancer is extremely rare, with less than a single percent of breast cancer cases being reported in men. However, male breast cancer can be very deadly, with about 20 percent of men who suffer from it dying from the disease.
It is important to regularly screen yourself for breast cancer, even if you are a man. If you detect hard lumps under your nipple and areola, then it is a good idea to go to a doctor to get it checked out. While science still hasn’t found the cure for cancer, detecting it at an early stage will greatly increase your odds of surviving it.
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