Contrary to what many of us think, we don’t necessarily need intercourse to have an orgasm. In fact, sometimes genital stimulation isn’t necessary at all. One 2016 study for example found that 12% of vulva bodies can orgasm from stimulation in erogenous zones outside the genital region.
Orgasms can also result from activities that don’t involve erogenous zones at all. Sometimes they can be completely non-sexual. One 2018 study looked at self-reported cases of non-sexual orgasms and found that some people were able to climax from exercise, tattoos, childbirth, riding motorbikes, breastfeeding, being in a plane that’s taking off, and much more. It seems that there are endless ways that people can experience orgasm.
So, with all of this in mind, it seems pretty plausible that the so-called nipplegasm is real. If you haven’t experienced it yourself you may be skeptical, but there are a lot of people who are having orgasms from nipple stimulation alone with no genital orgasm.
Check out the breast play films on afterglow
What is a nipple orgasm?
A nipple orgasm is pretty much what it says on the tin – an orgasm that comes from nipple stimulation. According to one research study, nipple stimulation activates the same part of the brain as genital stimulation so it makes sense that this kind of touch can result in an orgasm.
The study was the first to map sensations from the vulva onto the sensory part of the brain. Using brain scans, researchers noted which areas became active when vulva bodies touched parts of their bodies. Through this research they found that the genital-sensing area of the brain lit up for both the genitals and the nipples, a surprise to the researcher Dr. Barry Komisaruk.
“We put women in fMRI machines, had them masturbate, and mapped what parts of the sensory cortex in the brain are activated by clitoral, vaginal, and cervical stimulation… Then, as a control group, we had the women do self-stimulation of the nipples. And we found that, surprisingly, nipple self-stimulation activated the genital sensory region of the brain.” – Dr. Barry Komisaruk tells Slutever.
When you think about the fact that nipples have over 800 nerve endings and release the chemical oxytocin which encourages relaxation and bonding, it’s no surprise that they can give us immense pleasure.
What does a nipple orgasm feel like?
Like all pleasurable sensations, how nipple orgasms feel will vary from person to person. Some people report that they feel much like a genital orgasm, others report waves of pleasure from their breasts throughout their body.
Who can have a nipple orgasm?
Anyone can get off from nipple play, as long as they have nipples. Sex researcher Dr. Herbert Otto found that 29% of women reported experiencing an orgasm from breast stimulation at least once in their lives. Although that isn’t to say that everyone enjoys the sensation of breast play.
One study reports that manipulation of the nipples/breasts causes or enhances sexual arousal in approximately 82% of young women and 52% of young men but 7–8% report decreased arousal.
Can people with penises have a nipple orgasm?
Yes, people with penises can have nipple orgasms too. Breasts have two functions: for lactation and as an erogenous area. And as male breasts aren’t for lactation, they function only for eroticism. Pretty cool, huh? So if you’ve been ignoring those nipples until now, it’s time to give them the attention they deserve!
What if I have inverted nipples?
Nipples can be flat, protruding, or inverted. According to the Center for Young Women’s Health, around 10–20% of vulva bodies have at least one inverted nipple.
But according to experts, the sensitivity in an inverted nipple has the potential of being the same as an extroverted nipple. As sensitivity varies greatly between bodies anyway, it will vary between nipples regardless of whether they’re inverted or protruding. Sensory nerves are different to contraction nerves – the nerves that make the nipple erect – so it doesn’t matter if it’s an innie, an outie, or a flatie.
How to have a nipple orgasm through breast play
Nipple orgasms may feel out of reach, especially if you have struggled to achieve genital orgasms before. With this in mind, it’s important to take the pressure off of climaxing. Don’t think of it as a goal to achieve a nipple orgasm, but something that may feel good and enhance the pleasurable feelings in your body.
Plus, regardless of the nipplegasm, playing with breasts and nipples can feel pretty good during foreplay and sex. It may help to turn you on, increase lubrication, and relax the pelvic floor muscles.
Every breast is different and exploring what feels good for you or your partner is a process. There are so many ways you can stimulate nipples, so the key is really to have fun and experiment. While one person may like light biting, another person may find that especially painful. If you’re engaging in breast play with your partner it’s important to first ask them if they enjoy it or if they’re open to trying it with you.
If you’re trying this with a partner, nipple play is also a great way to practice your communication skills since it involves some instruction about what you like and what feels good.
Here are some techniques to get you started. They may feel good, they may not. Play around with it and decide what works for your or your partner’s body.
1. Understand the anatomy of the breast
The breast, the areola, and the nipple are all areas of stimulation. The nipples can be incredibly sensitive so you may not want to head there straight away, work your way up to it.
2. Massage the breast area
Start by massaging the breasts and chest. Use massage oil or lube if you want, and start by lightly touching the outside, underside, and top of the breast.
3. Then, move to the areola
When this feels good, move to the areola. Make gentle circles around the areola with your finger. If you’re doing this with a partner, you can also try blowing on the nipple to ease into the sensation. Some people believe that the upper quadrant of the breast between 10 and 2 o’clock feels especially sensitive. Try it out and see if you agree.
4. When you do move to the nipples, be gentle
Once you feel ready to move on to the nipple, start slowly. Once aroused and your nipples are erect you’ll be able to play with them a little harder as erect nipples can tolerate more stimulation.
Start with a light pinch, then if this feels good increase your grip. Gently rub, pull, twist, or roll them between your fingers. Experiment with different pressures and techniques to see what feels good.
5. Use your mouth (if you’re doing this with a partner)
If you’re doing this with a partner, get your mouth involved. Use your tongue to circle the areola and nipple and start to gently lick, kiss and suck. Make your tongue flat to apply broad pressure, or make it pointed and use it to flick the nipple.
Remember not to bite without asking first! This can be painful for some people so unless they ask you to, keep the teeth away. If they do want to experiment with nibbling then you can start softly by wrapping your lips over your teeth so they’re not in direct contact.
6. Add toys and other accessories
If you want to try out other ways of stimulating the breasts you can try using vibrating toys – regular sex toys or nipple specific – on them, nipple clamps, feathers, rope, ice cubes, or candle wax (note: you must use special massage candles for this as they burn at a lower temperature than your typical household candle). Each prop will have a totally different reaction.
Check out the nipple play films on afterglow
Be aware of your cycle
If you’re someone who has periods, you’ll want to be aware of your monthly cycle when it comes to breast play. As you’ll likely know, your breast sensitivity changes with your cycle, and some people become so sore that they don’t want to be touched during certain days. So what felt great last week may be far too intense this week. Listen to your body.
Try a blended orgasm
If nipple stimulation alone isn’t doing it for you, no stress. Try stimulating your genitals at the same time. See how it differs from when you only stimulate your genitals, does nipple play add anything extra?
Blended orgasms happen when you simultaneously have different types of orgasms all at once. If you’re stimulating your nipples at the same time as another erogenous zone, you may just experience one.
If you don’t feel anything from breast play
That’s fine! Everyone is different and some people have less nipple sensitivity than others. Don’t stress if you don’t feel anything, there are plenty of other erogenous zones for you to explore!
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