Ask us anything. No judgments.

What are the little bumps around the nipples called?

Someone asked us:

What are the little bumps around the nipple?

It sounds like you’re talking about areolar glands, which are little bumpy marks around the areola — the dark area around the nipple. Most people notice these around their nipples by the time they’re adults, and they tend to get bigger during pregnancy in preparation for breastfeeding. If a woman is breastfeeding, these glands release moisture to keep her nipples from drying out or cracking, which can lead to irritation and infection. 

Another possible function of areolar glands is to help infants find their way to breast milk – by secreting stuff that smells appetizing to newborn babies. Bodies are pretty awesome! 

- Alex at Planned Parenthood

Tagged: questionsnipplesbreasts

Different sized breasts

Someone asked us:

Q. I’m nineteen and one of my breasts is larger than the other. Is this normal or is it something I should be worried about?

Normal. Normal. Normal. Having different sized breasts is really common. In fact, most people’s breasts are slightly asymmetrical, uneven, or hang differently.  Nothing to worry about. Testicles, too, are another body part that come in slightly unequal pairs. When it comes to our bodies, different is normal.

-Nathan at PPFA

Tagged: breastsQuestionsam i normal?

How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love the Boob

I’m not mad at my boobs… anymore. But I was for a while. Once I let go of the fantasy of magical boob-change via potions or exercises, it was like, “Hang on. You’re saying I’m stuck with these things 24 hours a day and yet I get no say in what kind I have? Thanks a ton, boob fairy.”

For the many years that I was in a fight with my boobs, my verybestfriend-intheentireworld Mars and I would kvetch to each other about our yin and yang boob issues. She thought she was “too small,” I thought I was “too big,” and both of us wasted a lot of our precious youth hating on our chests in earnest. But you know what? We got over it. Here’s how.

Read More

Tagged: Your bodyYou're Beautifulbreastsbody imageMary
No matter if you’ve burned it in protest, used it to brandish your bosoms with pride, bemoaned its biting brace, benefited from its enhancing boost, or bought one for a boo, the bra has an interesting biography. 

No matter if you’ve burned it in protest, used it to brandish your bosoms with pride, bemoaned its biting brace, benefited from its enhancing boost, or bought one for a boo, the bra has an interesting biography. 

Tagged: BraHistoryBreasts

Ready for a change?

You will be redirected to a website operated by an independent Planned Parenthood 501©(4) entity.