FEMALE BREAST

Breasts are part of the anatomy of both females and males. On the inside, a woman's breast is made up of about 15-25 milk-producing sacs called milk glands, which are connected to milk ducts that converge inside the nipple.

The remainder of the internal breast is composed of fatty tissue and fibrous connective tissues that bind the breast together and give it shape.

On the outside of the breast there are nipples. Nipples, like all other anatomical structures, vary in appearance from woman to woman. They may stick out prominently, they may have a flattened appearance, they may be set a bit deeper in the breast, or they can be inverted.

Each nipple is supplied with many nerve endings, which make it particularly sensitive to touch. There are thin muscle fibers in nipples that enable them to become erect. The darker pigmented area around each nipple is called the areola (plural: areolae).

The size and color of the areolae vary from woman to woman. This area can be seen as an extension of the skin of the nipple onto the breast. It contains many nerve fibers and muscle fibers that help the nipple to stiffen and become erect.

Bumps in the Aerola Normal
It is quite normal to have small bumps in the areola. These bumps are oil-producing glands that secrete a lubricant to make breast feeding easier. During pregnancy, the areolae darken and remain at least somewhat darker after pregnancy.

Women's breasts have three levels of significance: they can feed a baby; they can give erotic pleasure; and they play a large part in shaping a woman's self-image.

In response to sexual stimulation, a woman's breasts may undergo changes. Her nipples typically become erect during sexual excitement. As excitement proceeds, the areolae begin to swell, continuing to the point where the earlier nipple erection may look less pronounced. The veins in the breast often become more visible as a result of the increased blood flowing into them, and, in women who have not breast-fed, there may also be a small increase in breast size.