Nipple stimulation
From The Art and Popular Culture Encyclopedia
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Stimulation of nipples is a common human sexual practice, either for itself or as part of other sexual activities. The practice may be performed upon, or by, people of any gender or sexual orientation. Adult women and men report that breast stimulation may be used to both initiate and enhance sexual arousal.
The male or female breast, nipple and areola develop similarly in the foetus and during infancy. At puberty the male's breasts remain rudimentary but the female's develop further, mainly due to the presence of oestrogen and progesterone, and become more sensitive. All breasts have the same number of nerve endings no matter how large they are. Accordingly, smaller breasts are more sensitive while larger breasts may require more forceful stimulation.
The touching by one person of the breasts and nipples of another is normally an indicator of intimacy, and allowing breasts to be touched is an indication of either an emotional bond and trust between the individuals or, if unwelcome, of submission. Breasts, and especially the nipples, are highly erogenous zones, for both men and women, and have a heightened sensitivity, the stimulation of which may result in the production of erotic sensations or sexual excitement. The touching of nipples can be a form of foreplay giving rise to nipple erection and sexual arousal.
Erect nipples are the most prominent indicators of a female's sexual arousal, and the female's sexual partner may find their partner's arousal and erect nipples as their own erotic stimuli. Some people achieve their own sexual arousal by sucking on a nipple or by the sight of an erect nipple, including through clothing. The practice of an adult suckling on a female's breast is sometimes referred as erotic lactation, while a person who is sexually aroused by the sight of a female's breast may be a breast fetishist. A person may experience a spontaneous erection of the nipples, with all the associated physiological changes, as a result of exposure to erotic stimuli or as a reaction to cold.
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