The Ultimate Guide To Male Nipple Play (Yes, Men's Nipples Can Be Sensitive Too)

Male nipples are often overlooked when it comes to sex, with their female counterparts hogging the limelight. Why is this? It may have something to do with the fact that thanks to misogyny, women's bodies are more heavily and readily sexualized than men's bodies, ergo women's nipples are never seen as simply a functional body part (hi, breastfeeding!) but only as sexual focal points. It may also be that since cis men's nipples do not serve a practical nutrition-related purpose in the same way as cis women's do, they're regarded as superfluous and therefore not worthy of attention. Either way, these patterns do a disservice to all people's bodies.

"The most common misconception about male nipples is that they are not as sensitive as women's nipples. This is simply not true," says sex coach Danielle Harel, Ph.D. "In fact, there are some men who need nipple stimulation in order to come or to be able to come more quickly or intensely."

One 2018 study found 52% of men ages 18 to 22 found nipple stimulation sexually arousing, whether enhancing arousal or actually triggering it.

In the same way that some women can orgasm from nipple play alone, some men are capable of the same phenomenon.

"For some men, there is a direct link between the nerves in their nipples and sensations in their penis," says Hirschman. "Men can get an erection from nipple play and might even orgasm from nipple stimulation alone."

To make this type of orgasm happen, Hirschman says you'll likely have to find the sensation patterns that your partner feels most aroused by and then be willing to stick with those for a while. "A nipplegasm may take longer than it would if he was getting direct stimulation to his penis and his nipples at the same time," she explains. "Some men will like a variety of stimulation, while others will need one type of stimulation for a while. In order to get his perfect combo, ask him to show you how he touches his own nipples or how he might like you to touch them."

"The best way to ask for something in bed is to be straightforward about it," Harel says.

She recommends saying something like: I actually have a lot of sensation in my nipples, so, if you are down for it, I'd love it if you would touch or bite them, but only do it if you want to.

"If you give your partner a lot of choices, then you won't feel like they are doing something they don't want to do, and this may lower your nervousness," she adds.

If you're nervous about bringing this up to any partners, Dow also recommends sharing articles (like this one!) about male nipple play with them to open a conversation. "Looking at research and articles related to male nipple play can help normalize that it's an erogenous zone for men, too, and that it's common for men to enjoy that erogenous zone getting some attention."