Kay Hoover and Barbara Wilson-Clay call this a "dimpled nipple" in their excellent I-have-no-interest-in-it-but-you've-simply-got-to-own-it Breastfeeding Atlas, now in its third edition. At pp 56-59, they write, "The dimpled nipple is a form of nipple inversion in which the tissue inside the fold can become adhered. [A]dhered skin is very fragile compared to skin that receives a normal amount of light, air and friction from clothing. When the nipple folds back on itself after BF or pumping, moisture is often trapped in the dimple, causing maceration. [I]t is important to hold the dimpled nipple in a retracted position until it has dried. Applications of topical antibiotic and antifungal creams may be ... used to protect the skin from infection. [O]ver time, and with repeated exposure to light and air, this tissue becomes less fragile, although good hygiene remains important in order to keep the area clean of debris." Liz Brooks, JD, IBCLC Wyndmoor, PA, USA *********************************************** To temporarily stop your subscription: set lactnet nomail To start it again: set lactnet mail (or digest) To unsubscribe: unsubscribe lactnet All commands go to [log in to unmask] The LACTNET mailing list is powered by L-Soft's renowned LISTSERV(R) list management software together with L-Soft's LSMTP(R) mailer for lightning fast mail delivery. For more information, go to: http://www.lsoft.com/LISTSERV-powered.html