Question:

What causes some women's nipples to grow larger than others? I have large breasts with extremely large nipples. Is this normal? When I take my shirt off in front of men I feel embarrassed because I am afraid they'll be turned off. Is there a surgery or anything else I could do to reduce the diameter of my nipples?

Answer:

Women's breasts and nipples come in a wide range of sizes and shapes. Some large breasts come with small nipples and some small breasts come with large nipples

It wouldn't be hard to find women with any combination you could think of. In my opinion, all of these variations are normal, even though sexually explicit magazines tend to favor breasts of one particular type.

     It's clear that you are unhappy with your breasts. Your distress seems primarily related to your hunch about what men think when they see your breasts. I wonder if your feelings would be different if you thought men liked your breasts and found them appealing -- a possibility you may have ignored. People sometimes mistakenly draw a sweeping conclusion about how most potential sexual partners would react to them when they've had one partner who made a disparaging comment. I've found it to be a common phenomenon that needlessly causes some people to interrupt their sexual development.

"If you've had a negative reaction from a partner, remind yourself that people have very different tastes when it comes to their sexual preferences. Two things are certain: No one is sexually attractive to everyone, and everyone is sexually attractive to someone."

     Nevertheless, you certainly could have the areola (the flat circular part) of your nipple reduced by surgery. You could also have the actual nipple (the area that stands out from your breast) reduced. If you have either surgery, you will very likely lose much of the sensation in and around the area where the surgery was performed. Surgery would probably also affect your ability to breast-feed any future children. If you are certain that you could accept these two outcomes, you could have reduction surgery. I know of no other way to actually reduce nipple size, but you can use your clothes (when they're on) to minimize the visual impact of your breasts and nipples. Fashion magazines frequently have articles on how to trick the eye -- try some of their tips if you're interested.

     Keep in mind that unusual features can be very striking and sexually exciting when presented with confidence by their owner. Also remember that one person's opinion is just that -- one person's opinion. If you eschew surgery and come to view this part of your body with pride you just might pair up with someone who finds you and your breasts fascinating