When it comes to nipples and breasts, there is no average shape, size, or color. Each woman is different. The breasts of one woman change even during the course of life in stages such as puberty or menopause, or during pregnancy or breastfeeding.
Nipples are commonly divided, based on appearance, into normal, flat, puffy, or inverted. Usually, an inverted nipple doesn´t affect the individual whatsoever physically and the only worry may be on self-opinion and confidence and dealing with that change of the body.
There are many things involving nipples directly that are normal to some and unimaginable to others. For example, in Japan, a common treatment for dark nipples can be the makeup! For women in Japan, it is normal and very popular to put makeup on their nipples. Women of Asian descent are known to have darker, brownish nipples. The make-up is supposed to make the nipples look pinker and brighter.
Of course, in the above-mentioned cases, such as menstruation and puberty, the change in color is normal and a doctor´s visit is not necessary. There are however scenarios, in which this change is a signal of a condition that needs to be attended to. The most common causes of dark nipples are:
Birth control pills
Since they contain the synthetic version of estrogen and progesterone, birth control pills affect a woman´s body, by causing a hormonal change. Its main function is to prevent a pregnancy but comes with its side effects. Dark nipples are one of them, but this doesn´t need to be treated in any way. Usually, once the woman stops using the oral contraceptive, the darkening should clear up. Keep in mind that birth control pills can’t be used as an abortion option.
Melasma
Birth control pills are also known to be a possible cause of melasma. Melasma is a skin condition, characterized by darker patches and in some cases, this patch can be found around the nipple area. Most commonly, these dark patches appear on the chin, forehead, around the cheeks or nose. The condition occurs more in women than in men and is, therefore, other known as the mask of pregnancy, as many of the affected women are pregnant.
Melasma´s most common cause is an increased sensitivity to hormones such as estrogen and progesterone. This is why, just like with darker nipples, any hormonal change is a risk factor for melasma. Pregnancy, menstruation, birth control pills, or hormone therapy, are all possible triggers of melasma. It is also believed that increased exposure to the sun can lead to melasma, due to the ultraviolet rays and its effects on the skin.
Puberty
Another big, but natural hormone change occurs during puberty. It´s when the estrogen levels are at their highest point and when the ovaries release the hormone, causing the breasts to begin developing. During this change, the nipples may change in color, as well as elevate from the skin surrounding them.
Pregnancy
Pregnancy also leads to a hormonal change within the body, as it produces naturally more estrogen and progesterone. Milk production is being prepared during this stage and the breasts start to change in size. They become sorer and, in most cases, become darker. Some tend to believe, that this is a natural process, there to help the newborn detect more easily their food source. Babies have still undeveloped eyesight and dark nipples after birth are believed to be an evolutionary “trick”.
There have been cases, where individuals had many, tiny hairs that show around the nipple, darker than any other hair in the body. So tiny, that it´s sometimes left undetected as such and individuals may get the visual conclusion that the nipples are darker. This hair growth is just as normal as any other in the body and should not be seen as an alarm. It has been proved that all adult individuals have hair around the nipple area. The only difference is that in some individuals these hairs can only be spotted with a microscope.