Us girls—and most men—are well aware that our nipples are a major erogenous zone, but there are some surprising things to know about how nipples can bring us pleasure. For example, both women and men can have highly sensitive, highly erogenous nipples, but it varies from person to person. What we do know, however, is that men and women react to nipple stimuli in very different ways.

Erogenous Zones: Women’s Nipples

Stimulation of a woman’s nipples ‘lights up’ the same area of a woman’s brain that vaginal and clitoral stimulation do, so no wonder we like it so much! Women’s nipples are one of our strongest erogenous zones, which is surely why they’re on most men’s hit lists for areas to pay attention to. (Okay—well, maybe men have their own reasons for playing there—but we like it nonetheless.)

How to Stimulate Her Nipples

While female nipples can be as complex to satisfy as women themselves, there are a few old favourites that are going to work for to the majority of us:

1. The round about: a foreplay move where you/your partner gently rubs circles around the nipple on the areola.
2. The titty twister: a orgasm-inducing gentle squeeze that slightly twists to apply pressure.
3. The lickety split: a gentle lick or sucking action that can be used long or short term.

Digital or oral nipple stimulation isn’t the only way to enhance foreplay, intercourse fun or stimulate an orgasm in women—there are toys that can help out too!

Nipple Toys

If you thoroughly enjoy nipple play but haven’t tried toys yet—boy are you in for a treat! There are a number of nipple toys to add to your toy chest…

• Nipple stimulators
• Nipple clamps
• Nipple suckers

If you aren’t keen on having something stuck on your nipples, but have a good ole vibrating egg or bullet lying around, they make great nipple-stimulation toys in a pinch!

Erogenous Zones: Men’s Nipples

Nipples aren’t just for men to look at and play with on women—their nipples are sensitive, too! They don’t light up their brains like lights on Diwali (although little brain-based research has been done on male nipples), but are still an oft-overlooked male erogenous zone.

Men’s nipples generally aren’t as sensitive as women’s, which means that when you apply stimulation, you need to begin slowly and increase the stimuli until you reach his ideal level. Some men’s nipples, however, are extremely sensitive, as they aren’t generally manipulated as often as women’s are during foreplay and sexual activity.

Male Nipple Stimulation

Since male nipples are biologically similar to women’s, the same stimulation techniques work—however the level varies. Be sure to start at a light level and look for cues that tell you how much stimuli their nipples can handle.

Begin with light stroking, then move up to heavier stimulation—like gentle licks. If your partner responds to that, then move up to more forceful play while paying careful attention to how sensitive—or insensitive—their nipples are. Try a gentle roll between your thumb and forefinger.

Male nipples also respond to nipple toys, however, you may want to work your way up to this, as some men aren’t open to nipple toys.

Erogenous Zones: The Nipples—My Conclusion

Nipples, nipples, nipples. They truly are one of the body’s great features—so be sure to pay them the attention that they stand up at attention to attract! Don’t be gender-biased, though; male nipples like getting loved up, too.