The protective powers of nipple and areolar skin when you're lactating
There are four powerful ways in which the skin of your nipple and areola protects you when you're breastfeeding
Your skin microbiomes interact with and are closely controlled by your immune system, to make sure that if there is a break in the skin, you are protected from any bad bugs that might try to come in. All human skin has a microbiome which contains biofilm, and extends into the deeper layers of the skin.
Your nipple and areolar skin have unique in-built protections compared to skin on other parts of your body. If you have nipple pain or damage, you need to know about these biological strengths so that we can use them to your advantage as you heal!
1. Your nipples heal more quickly than most other skin
Your nipple skin is nourished by more blood vessels than skin in other parts of your skin. This is why any inflammation or damage of your nipple skin is very rapidly flooded with healing immune factors.
Amazingly, your nipple skin will recover from cracks and wounds in around three days, depending on depth of the injury, compared to seven or ten days elsewhere on the skin.
This very rapid rate of healing occurs if your nipple is able to be left completely alone in a dry environment. But of course, when you're breastfeeding you usually want your nipple and breast to continue to provide for your baby. You can find out about the steps required to support healing while breastfeeding, starting here.
You can find out about the structure of your nipple and areola skin here.
2. Your nipple epidermis thickens in response to cyclical mechanical pressures
When there's no other problems, the outer layers of your nipple adapt and thicken in response to cyclic mechanical pressures. You can find out about this here.
3. Your nipple epidermis has stretchy corrugations
These irregular grooves and ridges make your nipple skin unusually elastic, and help spread out the mechanical pressures of breastfeeding.
4. Your nipple is frequently drenched in your milk
Your nipple epidermis is regularly flooded over with the protective, living tissue of your own amazing breast milk. Your milk brims with a myriad protective elements including immune cells and molecules, and the microbiome.
You can find out about the astonishing immune properties of human milk here.
5. Your nipple is frequently washed by your baby's saliva
Nipple epidermis is regularly washed in your baby’s oral saliva, which contains its own protective and immune regulatory system. To give just one example, newborn saliva and breast milk interact to release hydrogen peroxide, which inhibits a range of microbial growth in the nipple and oral microbiomes.
You can read about the way your baby's saliva protects you and your baby here.
Recommended resources
The four main directions in which nipples look: what to do
What to notice in front of the mirror before you bring baby on to the breast
The protective powers of nipple and areolar skin when you're lactating
Things to know about your nipple and areola skin and microbiome when you're lactating
Your nipple skin knows how to adapt to the mechanical pressures of breastfeeding (or pumping)
The biological vulnerability of your nipple and areola skin when lactating