The Beginner’s Guide To Nipple Orgasms

Once, during a particularly risqué game of Never Have I Ever, a friend revealed she’d been able to have an orgasm simply by having her partner play with her nipples. I was flabbergasted, to say the least. Some pinching, twisting, and licking of the nipples always played major roles in sexy times for me, but as someone who found it rather difficult to come through vaginal or clitoral stimulation, I couldn’t have been more excited to know there was a possibility my sensitive nips could not just heighten sex but also bring me to orgasm. It all sounded too good to be true. 

Until it actually happened to me. 

As I directed my partner on how exactly to pinch, lick, and bite my nips, I felt myself get increasingly closer to the sweet release. I’d read that nipple orgasms can lead to a wave of pleasure all over your body, and I’m here to confirm that it isn’t all made up. It’s actually the stuff of science. 

Like all erogenous zones, nipples lead to pleasurable sensations when stimulated, thanks to the hundreds of nerve endings that lie in each nipple. In a 2011 study, scientists even found that nipple play activates the same area of the brain—the genital sensory cortex—that vaginal or clitoral stimulation do.

But while nipple play might sound like a women-only party, men also have sensitive nipples, and paying attention to them can be the key to a great orgasm. Morten*, 25, tells VICE that while he hasn’t tried coming solely through nipple play, it’s the only thing that can quickly push him over the edge. “I love it when my partner licks and sucks on them to help me come. Even lightly grazing them with their teeth adds a whole new dimension to it,” he says.

To help you hack your everyday nipple play to bring you to an orgasm, we got some nip tips from Dr. Megan Stubbs, EdD board certified sexologist and author of Playing Without A Partner: A Single's Guide to Sex, Dating, and Happiness.

VICE: Hi Megan, can anyone have orgasms simply from nipple stimulation?
Megan Stubbs: Yes* with an asterisk, in theory. Nipples are a hotbed of nerve endings and light up many pleasure pathways. Having said that, I believe there is only a small percentage of the population that is able to orgasm from solely nipple stimulation. However, if we expand our definition of orgasm via nipples, we can include more people. Adding nipple stimulation can add another sensory layer to sexual pleasure. So, that coupled with say clitoral stimulation, can provide a combined orgasmic experience. It really depends on the individual and how their body responds.

Can men also have nipple orgasms?
Yes, male nipples are definitely sensitive. But like I said before, not everyone will be able to achieve orgasm only through nipple stimulation, although it makes for a great add-on.

What are some tips and tricks to aid someone trying to have a nipple orgasm?
Whether it will work for you or not depends on how sensitive your nipples are, but there are some things you can do to heighten those sensations and help you get there.

I never want someone to feel pressured to perform or reach an end goal, but that being said, you can absolutely start by trying different things when you're masturbating and see how that goes. Give yourself time and fully embrace the sensations as they build up.

Start by lightly squeezing your breasts, and then move on to the areolas (the circular dark-coloured area of skin surrounding the nipple), before finally beginning to touch the nipples. You can be as rough or gentle as you like, just ease into it. You may have to do some trial and error to see what techniques work best for you. Maybe it's flicking your finger over the top of them. Maybe you like just featherlight touches around the nipple? If that doesn’t do it for you, try rolling your erect nipple between your fingers. Try playing around with pressure as you pinch your nipples. You can also try lightly tweaking and twisting them to see if that feels nice.

If you’re trying it with a partner, have them lick and suck on your nipples. They can try various motions like flicking the nipples with the tip of their tongue, or spreading the tongue out over them. They can even lightly bite them for added sensation.

You don’t always need to take matters into your own hands. There are many handy toys geared towards nipple play. So if you’re feeling adventurous, give them a go. Maybe you like the pressure of nipple clamps? They restrict and reintroduce the flow of blood to your nipples, giving way to all kinds of sensations. Maybe adding nipple suckers before your nipple play will be the key? They act like little mouths on the nipples and latch on to them, while being super gentle.

This playing and discovery might not yield the result you're looking for overnight. You may have to continue to refine your touch over the course of a few days or more. Moreover, you should be seeking out the pleasure of it, rather than pressuring yourself by thinking, “I MUST orgasm this way.” If you orgasm, that's awesome! If not, that's okay too! At least you’re having fun and getting to know your body better.

Follow Snigdha on Twitter.