science

Supernumerary nipple

Supernumerary nipple is a science topic covered in the lgStudy science library. This page brings together a partial reference excerpt, illustrations, worked examples, real-world applications and a short study plan, so you can understand Supernumerary nipple rather than just read about it. In short: A supernumerary nipple is an additional instance of nipple occurring in mammals, including humans and monkeys. They are often mistaken for moles.

Key takeaways

Supernumerary nipple belongs to science; place it in that map before memorising details.
Learn the definition first, then one example that makes the definition concrete.
Connect Supernumerary nipple to a quantity you can measure, compute or draw — that is where exam questions come from.
Reproduce the core statement of Supernumerary nipple from memory before moving on to harder problems.

Reference excerpt

A supernumerary nipple is an additional instance of nipple occurring in mammals, including humans and monkeys. They are often mistaken for moles. Studies variously report the prevalence of supernumerary nipples as approximately 1 in 18 and 1 in 40. The nipples appear along the two vertical "milk lines", which start in the armpit on each side, run down through the typical nipples and end at the groin. They are classified into eight levels of completeness, from a simple patch of hair to a milk-bearing breast in miniature.

Types

Polythelia refers to the presence of an additional nipple alone, while polymastia denotes the much rarer presence of additional mammary glands. Although usually presenting on the milk line, pseudomamma can appear as far away as the foot.

Clinical significance

Clinical presentation It may remain undetected. Occasionally, the supernumerary nipple is noticed when hormonal changes during adolescence, menstruation, or pregnancy cause increased pigmentation, fluctuating swelling, tenderness, or even lactation.

Associations It is said to be found in association with many syndromes and other conditions:

McKusick–Kaufman syndrome Char syndrome Simpson–Golabi–Behmel syndrome A possible connection with mitral valve prolapse has been proposed.

Treatment and prognosis Most often no treatment is required; however, a protruding embarrassing supernumerary nipple can be removed surgically, if desired. Removal using liquid nitrogen cryotherapy has also been described.

Society and culture

Television The Triple Nipple Club is a documentary shown on Channel 4 which explored the biological mystery of the supernumerary nipple. First broadcast on 2 January 2008, it was directed and produced by Dan Louw and commissioned as part of Channel 4's First Cut series. The film focuses on Louw's attempts to understand why he was born with extra nipples, a condition he shares with the likes of Mark Wahlberg, Lily Allen, and Tilda Swinton, as well as TV and film characters such as the James Bond villain Francisco Scaramanga and Chandler Bing from Friends. Fascinated and confused by this seemingly pointless mutation, Louw sets off on a personal journey of discovery to try to unwrap "the riddle of the triple nipple". He starts out by consulting the man in the street and a renowned teratologist, an expert in physical mutations. After testing the notion that extra nipples could be a sign of fertility, he discovers that they are actually an atavism, or evolutionary 'holdover'—a sign of how humans evolved. English pop-star Harry Styles confirmed in 2017 that he has four nipples as a result of the condition.

See also Accessory breast Grace Sherwood, sentenced to jail for witchcraft partly on the basis of having "two things like titts on her private parts of a black coller [color]" Polydactyly Witch's mark

References

External links

Illustrations

Worked examples

Example 1 — a first encounter with Supernumerary nipple

Start with the simplest possible case. Write down what Supernumerary nipple claims or describes in one sentence, then invent the smallest concrete situation in which that sentence is true. In science, the smallest case is usually a single object, a single equation or a single measurement. Check that every symbol or term in your sentence has a meaning in that case.

Example 2 — changing one variable

Take the situation from Example 1 and change exactly one quantity: double it, halve it, or set it to zero. Predict what should happen to Supernumerary nipple before you calculate. Comparing your prediction with the result is the fastest way to find out whether you understand the idea or only the words.

Example 3 — an exam-style question

Typical questions about Supernumerary nipple ask you to (a) state it precisely, (b) apply it to given data, and (c) explain a limitation. Practise writing all three answers in under five minutes; the third part is what separates a full-mark answer from an average one.

Applications of Supernumerary nipple

In research: Supernumerary nipple appears in science research whenever the underlying quantities have to be modelled precisely. Papers usually cite it as a starting assumption and then explore where it breaks down.
In technology and industry: Engineering practice reuses Supernumerary nipple in design rules, simulations and safety margins. Knowing the idea lets you read a specification sheet and understand why the numbers look the way they do.
In the classroom: Supernumerary nipple is common in secondary-school and first-year university syllabi. It links to neighbouring topics Congenital disorders of breasts, Cutaneous congenital anomalies, Supernumerary body parts, so understanding it makes those chapters shorter.
In everyday life: Look for Supernumerary nipple outside the textbook — in sport, cooking, traffic, electronics or the sky above you. An example you found yourself is remembered far longer than one you were given.

Ask Teacher Smith questions about this articleOpens your AI tutor with a question about “Supernumerary nipple” →

Affiliate

Preply — study more efficiently by working with a personal tutor. 50% off.

How to study Supernumerary nipple in 20 minutes

Read the reference excerpt below once, without taking notes.
Close the page and write down what Supernumerary nipple means in your own words.
Compare your version with the excerpt and mark what you missed.
Work through the three examples above with pen and paper.
Explain Supernumerary nipple out loud to somebody else — or to Teacher Smith in the lgStudy chat.

Frequently asked questions

What is Supernumerary nipple in simple terms?

A supernumerary nipple is an additional instance of nipple occurring in mammals, including humans and monkeys. They are often mistaken for moles.

Why does Supernumerary nipple matter?

Because it connects several science ideas at once: it gives you a definition you can apply, a quantity you can calculate, and a way to check whether a result is plausible.

How should I study Supernumerary nipple?

Read the excerpt, restate it from memory, then work through the examples and applications listed on this page. The five-step study plan above takes about twenty minutes.

What does this page cover?

It gives you a compact reference excerpt plus original lgStudy explanations, examples, applications and study material on Supernumerary nipple.