• Question: why do boys have nipples if they dont need them?

    Asked by griffinlwh to David, Helen, Ian, rhysphillips, Sarah on 20 Jun 2011. This question was also asked by howestwh.
    • Photo: Rhys Phillips

      Rhys Phillips answered on 17 Jun 2011:

      They develop in the womb before your gender is determined – if you end up being a boy, they don’t develop any further.

    • Photo: Sarah Cook

      Sarah Cook answered on 19 Jun 2011:

      well, you never know if they might need them in the future?!

    • Photo: Ian van der Linde

      Ian van der Linde answered on 20 Jun 2011:

      They are purely decorative.

    • Photo: Helen Fletcher

      Helen Fletcher answered on 20 Jun 2011:

      From the people I work with…Humans are born with undeveloped mammary glands they are modified sweat glands and the ducts terminate in the nipple. At puberty the female breast develops whilst the male breast does not.

    • Photo: David Corne

      David Corne answered on 20 Jun 2011:

      Take a boy and add certain hormones, stir for a few days, and you will be able to get milk out of the nipples. But don’t try that at home.

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