Are Your Inverted Nipples Normal? Here's How To Know FOR SURE

Until I was 21 I didn't know that having inverted nipples were a thing.

I knew that all boobs were shaped differently. Hollywood was to blame for that. 

The first time I watched Braveheart, agog during the honeymoon scene, I didn't know which I found more disturbing, Mel Gibson's weave or how different the boobs on screen looked from my own boobs.

I knew from there on out that my boobs weren't what was desirable. 

But it was when I was 21 that I learned there are other ways boobs can be different. 

My roommate and I were pretend fencing in the hallway (yes, we were adults) with two poster tubes. 

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I jabbed right, she flailed wildly with great strength and verily was my boob slapped so hard I star cartoon stars circling my head. 

The resulting damage? She temporarily inverted my nipple. 

This was my first experience with inverted nipples, and it was only in telling the story that I learned how many women had them. 

If your boobs have inverted nipples, here are a few things you should know: 

1. You're normal 

Twenty percent of all women have inverted nipples. That's more innies than there are women with blue eyes. So suck on that the next time someone gives you guff for the way you were born. 

2. They might not always be inverted 

Like the rest of your body, your breasts change during pregnancy. You might find that while you're with spawn, your nipples temporarily become outties! Ah, the strangeness of nature. 

3. If you don't have them and you get pregnant, you might get them

An inverted nipple is caused by breast tissue being attached super tightly to you nip skin. It can be genetic or a total fluke. Sometimes pregnant women report suddenly getting inverted nipples during pregnancy. This is caused by the rapid breast growth that can take place when you are growing a living human in your guts. 

4. If you aren't pregnant, here's when to see a doctor about them

If you weren't born with inverted nipples and suddenly discover that you have them, you might  need to see a doctor. If you're going through puberty, don't worry about suddenly finding inverted nipples. That's when they tend to become visible. But if you're well out of puberty and your nipple starts inverting it can be a symptom of breast cancer and should be checked out. 

5. You can totally breastfeed

Some women with inverted nipples have a hard time breastfeeding, but there is no reason you can't do it. There are plenty of different holds, and tricks of the trade that can make breastfeeding work for you. 

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