Language note: This article and the terms used within are intentionally gender non-specific, as we intend for this piece to be broad in gender application. The words “nipple”, “breast”, “chest” and “clitoris” are used with absolutely no gender specificity assigned to any term. We would like to acknowledge that not everyone with these general demonstrations of physiology uses the same words to describe their parts and that not all bodies appear the same or function in the same way. It is our intention to be mindful and inclusive of trans, enby, GNC, gender expansive, 2 Spirit, and intersex experiences as we want the information contained within to benefit as many expansive identities as possible.
We hope that you enjoy reading this article, and that it helps you to find new ways to experience and or give pleasure! We welcome feedback at editor@wearekk.com
It’s always important to remember that not everything is for everyone, and if you try these techniques and find that you dislike nipple play, or that your nipples are not particularly sensitive, then do not worry! There are many other ways to experience pleasure in your body. Explore what works for you – perhaps it’s through experimenting with different erogenous zones that you’ll discover your new favourite thing…
Editor’s Note: Shop links throughout are mainly taking readers through to SH! Store. Though endorsed as a shop by the author, the site contains language around bodies and experiences that is limited in how it addresses gender beyond binary conceptions. We would like to inform our intersex, trans, non-binary, and gender-expansive readers in advance of visiting the site.
Nipple Play: The Basics
A good place to start is with your own body, whether you’re wanting to give or receive nipple pleasure in future. Explore your nipples with your fingers: rub them, pinch them, tap them, and work out what feels good for you.
If you are with a partner you could try kissing their nipples or having them kiss yours. Experiment with different sensations such as licking the nipple itself and also around the areola (the area of skin that surrounds the nipple, and which is often darker in colour than the rest of the breast and or chest skin). Lick long and slow, or hard and fast, light and quick. Explore different sensations to discover what you and your partner(s) enjoy.
You could also try using a vibrator against your nipples. Vibes designed to stimulate the clitoris are often great when used against nipples too, as they can be more direct in their focus.
Just A Little Nipple Nibble
Once you’ve done some gentle exploration with fingers and tongues, you might want to move to explore different, more intense types of sensations, such as biting and sucking.
Using your teeth to produce sensations around the nipple doesn’t mean you have to bite down hard – unless you/your partner are into that. Please, do establish this in a conversation first! You can use a number system to communicate at what point pressure is becoming too intense, or establish safe words or gestures if you’re in a role-play scenario. Experiment starting with gentle pressure and increasing the intensity, or varying the pattern of pressure with your teeth – nibbling, if you will. Similarly, when sucking a nipple start more gently and increase the pressure if that’s something that all parties desire.
If you’re looking for a toy that will do some nipple sucking, Renee from Sh! Suggests these nipple suckers: “they’re perfect for hands-free pleasure! Squeezing and releasing the suckers on the areola and nipples draws blood to the area, which helps build arousal!”
Renee’s top tip for using the suckers is to “add a small amount of water-based lube to the nipples before attaching the suckers, as this creates a sensual “wet” feeling. If you like temperature play, you could even try leaving your lube in the fridge for 30 minutes beforehand.”
Nipple Clamps
If you’ve discovered you have a penchant for nipple play, you might want to try nipple clamps. These attach to the nipples and restrict the circulation, thus creating a rush of blood to that area when they are released. Be warned: even if you think the sensation of nipple clamps just being on your nipples is okay, when they are removed they can cause a whole lot of yelping!
Experiment with your new toy on your finger first, to get used to the pinchy feeling, before playing around with placement on the nipple. Depending on what sensation you’re looking for, and how your clamp is configured, you might want the pinch directly on the nipple or more on the areola.
There are different types of nipple clamps available such as:
- Pegs (yes you can use clothes pegs)
- Clamps with chains between them that you or your partner(s) can tug on to create extra sensations
- Vibrating Clamps that will leave those nips buzzing
- Tweezer style clamps – great for beginners, these offer the most adjustability
- Clover clamps, for an intense squeeze
- …and even pretty blingy clamps too for when that bit of extra sparkle is needed.
When playing with clamps make sure you’re not leaving them on for too long, as they are cutting off the blood supply to the nipple. Start with small periods of time, working up to around fifteen/twenty mins for an extended squeeze.
“Ice, Ice Baby”
Another thing to play with when exploring the wonderful world of nipples is temperature play! Run an ice cube over your or your partner’s nipples, or hold on in your mouth whilst you lick and suck their nipples. The cold will most likely make the nipples become erect, making them even more sensitive and accessible for play.
You could change it up and experiment with some heat. Switching between warm and cool sensations is particularly effective, as each makes the other feel even more intense. You can breathe hot breath over the nipples, or drip wax over the nipples to produce a warm sensation. Just make sure you always use body safe candles for any kind of wax play, such as these from Self & More.
Nipple Orgasms!
Nipples have a TONNE of nerve endings, and they can directly relate to your arousal as stimulating the nipples lights up the genital sensory cortex in the brain, which is the same area that is engaged when the genitals are touched. Because of this, some people report being able to experience orgasms from stimulation of their nipples alone.
Nipple orgasms are pretty rare, and as with any kind of orgasmic response it’s important to remember that, whether this is something that is available to your body or not, orgasms are never the goal. It’s all about experiencing pleasure without pressure to perform or achieve a certain aim.
If you want to explore whether a nipple orgasm is something you might be able to experience and enjoy, first of all make sure you are relaxed, comfortable and are able to get into the right frame of mind for experiencing pleasure. You can try out some of the toys and techniques above to experiment with sensitising yourself to nipple play. With practice and patience, you may be able to achieve a nipple orgasm. You also may not, and that is totally fine!
But my nipples are pierced… What should I do?
If you’ve got your nipple pierced you may have experienced the excruciating sensation that can happen when you catch it on your clothes getting dressed. Believe me, it’s not something you wish to experience ever again once you have.
BUT never fear: you can still enjoy nipple play with your nipple jewellery! In fact, temperature play can be even more fun with nipple piercings, as they are more conductive, intensifying the sensations. Renee shared her advice for the pierced amongst us.
“It’s possible to use nipple clamps even if you have nipple piercings, but you need to be careful – don’t go ripping the clamps off in a moment of passion! Your piercings need to be properly healed [before engaging in any kind of nipple play – including touching, licking, sucking etc.], and you need to consider positioning and level of pressure. You may want to opt for clamps that surround the nipples rather than pinchy ones.”
Sh! are giving readers of this article an exclusive 10% off with the code SUCKERS. Happy playing!
Serena is a self-proclaimed empowered slut, content creator, educator and kinkster. She enjoys educating people about sex; most commonly about BDSM and kinky stuff. When not writing or talking about BDSM and sex you can usually find her taking nude and lewd photos for her fan club which is an open, upfront, honest space where anyone can explore their kinks, freaky bits and everything else with no judgement!
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