What purpose do male nipples serve?

McGruff

Nipples are one of those sexually neutral pieces of equipment, like arms or brains, that humans get regardless of sex. During the very early stages of fetal life, before the sex hormones have had a chance to do their stuff, all humans are basically bisexual. Among other things, you have two sets of primitive plumbing -- one male, one female. Only one set develops into a mature urogenital system, but you retain traces of the other for the rest of your life. Male nipples are full-sized and fully equipped with blood vessels, nerves, and all the usual appurtenances of functioning organs. Why this should be so nobody knows. Human nipples appear in the third or fourth week of development, well before the sex characteristics. The sex hormones start to assert themselves at seven weeks. As many as seven pairs of nipples are arranged along either side of a "milk line," a ridge of skin that runs from the upper chest to the navel. Normally only one pair amounts to anything, but on about one baby in a hundred you can detect some vestige of the other ones, usually on the order of a freckle. Both male and female babies are born with the main milk ducts intact -- the gland that produces milk is there in the male, but it remains undeveloped unless stimulated by the female hormone, estrogen. Occasionally, a male baby is born with enough of his mother's estrogen in his body to produce a bizarre phenomenon known as "witches' milk," with the male glands, suitably stimulated, pumping away at the moment of birth. Some males find it pleasurable for their nipples to be rubbed. They tend to find it sexually stimulating and exciting. Though this isn’t something that all males get pleasure from, some really do like it. I might also add, males should watch for changes and lumps in their breast and nipple area, just as women do and seek medical attention if they find anything unusual. http://www.straightdope.com/classics/a1_093.html Jan 17 04, 7:49 AM

McGruff

The short answer is they are an interesting place to put jewelry. Jan 17 04, 7:55 AM