Question:
Hi,
It’s embarrassing, but I have nowhere else to go, and I’ve come to completely trust your site and your wisdom.
Are the bumps around my nipple something to worry about? I’ve had several pop up lately and am not sure what’s going on.
Answer:
The bumps are most likely Montgomery Tubercles. Most women have them to various degrees. Your skin contains sebaceous glands that keep your skin lubricated with oils, including your breasts and nipples. The glands on the areola are called Montgomery Tubercles after the doctor who studied them. They are known to emit a scent that attracts infants to the nipples. They keep germs out of the breast milk. The oils keep the nipples from chapping by a sucking infant. This also keeps infections down.
They become more noticeable during arousal, when you get cold, with changing hormones, or stress.
Response:
Oh, that’s a relief to hear. And also, it’s so interesting to learn. I had no idea about that part of my body. I have noticed how they can change dramatically in different situations, not just temperature-related. It is fascinating how so much of me is designed to be a mother.