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Supernumerary nipple
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| Supernumerary nipple | |
|---|---|
| Other names | Third nipple, triple nipple, accessory nipple,[1] polythelia |
| Specialty | Medical genetics, dermatology |
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.[2][3][1]
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.[4][5]
Types
[edit]| Type | Glandular tissue | Nipple | Areola | Fat tissue | Hair patch |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | yes | yes | yes | yes | |
| 2 | yes | yes | |||
| 3 | yes | yes | |||
| 4 | yes | ||||
| 5 ("pseudomamma") | yes | yes | yes | ||
| 6 ("polythelia") | yes | ||||
| 7 ("polythelia areolaris") | yes | ||||
| 8 ("polythelia pilosa") | yes[6] |
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.[7]
Clinical significance
[edit]Clinical presentation
[edit]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
[edit]It is said to be found in association with many syndromes and other conditions:
A possible connection with mitral valve prolapse has been proposed.[8]
Treatment and prognosis
[edit]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
[edit]Television
[edit]The Triple Nipple Club is a documentary shown on Channel 4 which explored the biological mystery of the supernumerary nipple.[9] 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.[10] 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,[11] Lily Allen,[12] 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 and 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.[13]
English pop-star Harry Styles confirmed in 2017 that he has four nipples as a result of the condition.[14]
See also
[edit]- 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
[edit]- ^ a b Rapini, Ronald P.; Bolognia, Jean L.; Jorizzo, Joseph L. (2007). Dermatology: 2-Volume Set. St. Louis: Mosby. ISBN 978-1-4160-2999-1.
- ^ Supernumerary nipples: prevalence, size, sex and side predilection – a prospective clinical study, H. Schmidt, European Journal of Pediatrics volume 157, pages 821–823 (1998).
- ^ Occurrence of Supernumerary Nipples in Newborns Francis Mimouni, MD; Paul Merlob, MD; Salomon H. Reisner, MB, ChB, Am J Dis Child. 1983;137(10):952-953.
- ^ Kajava Y. "The proportions of supernumerary nipples in the Finnish population". Duodecim 1915; 1:143-70.
- ^ Revis, Don R. Jr. "Breast Embryology". eMedicine. Archived from the original on 22 December 2008. Retrieved 3 December 2007.
- ^ Camacho F.; González-Cámpora R. (1998). "Polythelia pilosa: A Particular Form of Accessory Mammary Tissue". Dermatology. 196 (3): 295–298. doi:10.1159/000017924. PMID 9621135. S2CID 25211741.
- ^ Conde, Délio Marques; Kashimoto, Eiji; Torresan, Renato Zocchio; Alvarenga, Marcelo (2006). "Pseudomamma on the foot: An unusual presentation of supernumerary breast tissue". Dermatology Online Journal. 12 (4): 7. doi:10.5070/D339n411b8. PMID 17083862. Retrieved 3 December 2007.
- ^ Rajaratnam K, Kumar PD, Sahasranam KV (2000). "Supernumerary nipple as a cutaneous marker of mitral valve prolapse in Asian Indians". Am. J. Cardiol. 86 (6): 695–697. doi:10.1016/S0002-9149(00)01057-2. PMID 10980229.
- ^ Throwback | First Cut: The Triple Nipple Club | Free Video Clips from Channel 4
- ^ Channel 4 - FourDocs blog - First Cut line-up
- ^ AskMen.com - Mark Wahlberg's third nipple love
- ^ YouTube - Lilly Allen Third Nipple
- ^ McCarthy, Susan (8 June 1999). "Why do men have nipples?". Salon. Archived from the original on 5 December 2022.
- ^ Donahue, Rosemary (19 July 2017). "Harry Styles Has Four Nipples, and That's More Common Than You Think". Allure. Archived from the original on 17 January 2023. Retrieved 17 January 2023.
External links
[edit]Supernumerary nipple
View on GrokipediaDefinition and Embryology
Definition
A supernumerary nipple is defined as an additional instance of nipple tissue, with or without associated mammary glandular elements, occurring in addition to the normal bilateral pair typically present in humans.[4][7] This condition represents a minor congenital anomaly of the skin and mammary lineage, arising during embryonic development along the pathways known as milk lines.[2][9] Common synonyms for supernumerary nipple include polythelia, which specifically denotes an extra nipple without underlying glandular tissue, and polymastia, referring to an extra nipple accompanied by additional breast tissue.[4][10] Other terms used interchangeably are accessory nipple or third nipple.[2][5] These features are usually benign and evident at birth, though they are frequently overlooked or misidentified as a mole, skin tag, or pigmented nevus due to their small size and subtle appearance.[11][10] From an evolutionary perspective, supernumerary nipples serve as a remnant of the bilateral milk lines that form during mammalian embryogenesis, reflecting a common developmental variation rather than a genuine atavism to ancestral forms.[12][13] This persistence highlights the conserved mammary patterning across mammals, where incomplete regression of embryonic structures can result in such extra formations.[14]Embryological Origins
Supernumerary nipples, also known as polythelia, arise from disruptions in the normal embryonic development of the mammary apparatus. During the fourth week of gestation, bilateral mammary ridges, or milk lines, form as thickened strips of ectoderm extending from the axillary region to the inguinal area on each side of the embryo.[2][4] These ridges represent the primordial structure for mammary gland formation across many mammals, though in humans, they typically regress substantially after initial development.[15] Between weeks 4 and 8 of embryogenesis, the mammary ridges undergo segmentation, with only the paired pectoral segments persisting to form the primary nipples and associated breast tissue, while the remaining portions atrophy.[7][16] Persistence or incomplete regression of extra ridge segments can lead to supernumerary nipples, as these remnants may differentiate into ectopic mammary structures. This process involves reciprocal interactions between the ectoderm and underlying mesenchyme, where ectodermal thickening forms nipple buds that are induced and patterned by mesenchymal signals.[2][15] In rare cases, supernumerary nipples occur outside the typical milk line distribution due to aberrant migration or focal ectodermal proliferation during ridge formation.[4] Such ectopic developments highlight the plasticity of embryonic mammary patterning but remain uncommon compared to those aligned with the mammary ridges.[7]Epidemiology
Prevalence
Supernumerary nipples are a common congenital anomaly, with overall prevalence estimates ranging from 0.2% to 6% in the general population based on clinical and autopsy studies. These figures vary depending on the population and detection method, with lower rates reported in some European cohorts (e.g., 0.22% in a Hungarian study of 4,540 newborns) and higher rates in neonatal screenings (e.g., 5.6% in a prospective clinical examination of 502 German children).[17][18] Detection rates are notably higher in neonates, up to 5.6%, compared to adults, primarily because the anomaly is more visible at birth before potential regression or concealment occurs later in life. In dermatological and pediatric exams, prevalence has been documented as 4.29% among healthy newborns and 5.86% among schoolchildren in Hungarian populations, highlighting methodological influences on reporting.[18][19] Prevalence shows global consistency across diverse groups, such as 1.63% in African American neonates and 4.7% in Israeli Arab children aged 2-35 months, though underreporting is widespread due to cosmetic concealment and frequent misidentification as benign skin lesions like moles. This leads to lower observed rates in adult cohorts, where the condition often goes unnoticed without targeted examination.[20][21]Demographic Variations
Supernumerary nipples show variations in occurrence across demographic groups, with overall prevalence estimated at 0.2-6% in the general population. Studies indicate a slight male predominance, with ratios varying across cohorts—such as 2.5:1 in one study and up to 1.7:1 in others—though some research reports equal distribution between sexes.[18][4] Ethnic differences are notable, with higher prevalence in certain populations. Rates reach up to 5.6% in German children and 4.7% among Israeli Arabic children, compared to lower rates in Caucasian groups such as Hungarians (0.22%) and white Americans (0.6%). In African American neonates, the incidence is approximately 1.63%, exceeding that in white European populations.[4][22] Bilateral presentation occurs in 25-50% of cases, and multiple supernumerary nipples are possible, with documented instances of up to seven extra nipples in a single individual.[22][23] Familial occurrence is reported in some cases, following an autosomal dominant pattern of inheritance with incomplete penetrance; one study found affected parents in 40% of cases.[4][24]Classification
Types
Supernumerary nipples are classified according to the system developed by Kajava in 1915, which categorizes them based on the presence and combination of mammary glandular tissue, nipple, and areola.[25] This classification includes eight categories, ranging from fully developed accessory breasts to isolated components.[2] The categories are as follows:| Category | Description |
|---|---|
| I | Complete breast with glandular tissue, nipple, and areola (polymastia).[7] |
| II | Glandular tissue and nipple only (no areola).[7] |
| III | Glandular tissue and areola only (no nipple).[7] |
| IV | Glandular tissue only (polymastia).[7] |
| V | Nipple and areola only (no glandular tissue; pseudomamma, often with fat).[7] |
| VI | Nipple only (polythelia).[7] |
| VII | Areola only (polythelia areolaris).[7] |
| VIII | Patch of hair only (polythelia pilosa).[7] |
