Someone wrote that the tissue in the nipple is similar to the tissue in the
penis, and both become "erect" during sexual stimulation.  The anatomical
homologue of the penis is the clitoris, or course, and both become engorged
with blood during sexual stimulation and therefore "erect."  But is this how
nipples work?  Do they really become engorged with blood?  Or is the
erection of the nipple following stimulation rather the result of muscular
contractions?

And what is the purpose of nipple erection following stimulation?  To make
it easier for the baby to *find and grasp* the nipple when it is trying to
latch on.  Why are nipples sensitive to touch?  To make it easier for the
mother to determine if the baby is latched on correctly.  Why is the areolar
area a different color than the rest of the breast?  To make it easier for
the baby to focus his efforts at finding the nipple, as a visual marker,
just as the erect nipple is a tactile marker.

I do not think the anatomy and ontology of nipples/areolas would support the
idea that the tissue is similar to that on the head of the penis.

As for nipple toughening by rubbing with a cloth, this is exactly what
happens to the head of a circumcised penis -- it is toughened up and becomes
much less sensitive.  The head of an uncircumcised penis is a moist mucous
membrane -- also very different from a female's nipples.

Katherine A. Dettwyler, Ph.D.
Associate Professor of Anthropology
Texas A&M University

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