Some Tips About Nipple Play

A note about gender and nipples: Often when talking about nipples (or breasts in general), people will talk about them primarily as part of women's bodies. We live in a world where gender is no longer talked about in such binary, absolute terms, and most bodies have nipples, regardless of gender. Therefore, we're going to talk about bodies that are "assigned male at birth" (AMAB) or "assigned female at birth" (AFAB). For some of you, these may be new or unfamiliar terms. If so, we hope you embrace them as one more exciting way to look at bodies.

There are many unwritten and unspoken rules about nipples, but in the end, there are two things that need to be said about them: Nipples are really hot, and they don't get nearly enough credit. A good nipple play scene can either be the appetizer or the main course; it can be part of a romantic vanilla encounter, or a raw, wild scene of dominance and submission.

This blog entry will by no means be the last word on nipples, or how to use them in your scenes; we do hope that it will inspire some exploration.

What Kind of Nipples Are You Playing With?

Because they're so small and near-universal, it's easy to overlook how individual nipples are in their shape, size, and sensitivity. The narrow range of bodies shown in the media makes it even easier. But just like every other body part, each person's nipples has their own look, feel, likes and dislikes.

If you search the internet a bit, you're likely to find a number of articles telling you that there are eight kinds of nipple shape. If anything, that's a huge underestimation, and even most of those pieces will note that many people have nipples that combine two or more of those types. Maybe you have big nipples or small; flat or thick and standing tall.

Ultimately, what matters is how it feels when someone kisses, licks, tweaks, pinches, clips, or slaps them. When preparing for any kind of extended nipple play (whether kinky or vanilla), make this part of your negotiation. Maybe even engage in some light demonstration, if it suits the mood. Just because your last partner loved it one way doesn't mean that your new one will.

A good rule of thumb is just to assume that you're going to need to take some time to warm up before doing anything very intense to your partner's nipples. A very few people have nipples that are like instant slut buttons that will take them from zero to ultra-horny with a single touch. For most people, it takes some time to get the blood flowing and the body in the mood.

AFAB vs. AMAB Nipples

Generally, AFAB nipples are going to be much more sensitive than those on AMAB people for a number of reasons; increased development in the breast area, hormonal cycles, and a few things that haven't been cataloged.

That doesn't mean that AMAB nipples should be neglected, though. There's still a lot of nerves packed in that compact little packet of flesh, and an attentive hand (or tongue, or riding crop) can make a really intense, pleasurable experience.

Nipple Clamps

Nipple clamps are so classic that they're probably the first thing you imagine when someone brings up "nipple play." Clamps are very simple in construction, and it's that very simplicity that gives them so many uses.

The most basic variation of a nipple clamp is an old-fashioned wooden clothespin. You can still buy a whole bag of those at a local hardware store, but as you might expect, we have our own slightly meaner variety. If you want to go even further with the motif, we also have stainless steel clothespins that have the old-fashioned look with even less mercy.

Whether you go for clothespins or nipple clamps, the function is the same: The jaws pinch the nipple, trapping blood in the tip and increasing sensitivity there. The clamps also provide convenient little handles that you can use to tug or pull on the nipples. Tickling, licking, and stroking the nips can also produce fantastic results, especially if you alternate between harsh and gentle.

This is the real benefit of nipple play: Sensation applied to that one small place resonates through the rest of the body, and can ultimately turn up the orgasm a notch or three when your partner finally hits climax.

One thing to remember — especially when you're just starting out — is that taking nipple clamps off can be even more painful than putting them on. After the clamps have been on for a while, sensation in the area is going to dull or become numb When you remove the pressure, all that blood rushes back into the area, and with it, a lot of sharp, sudden pain.

What kind of Nipple Clamp do you want to use?

In choosing a basic set of nipple clamps, there are three things you want to keep in mind:

• Adjustability
• Amount of pressure they're capable of
• Aesthetics

For the first, most nipple clamps have some kind of mechanism that lets you adjust the pressure. This basic set, for example, has a small ring that slides up and down the shaft of the pincers. These are a good set to start out with, but during vigorous play, that ring can get dislodged, allowing the clamps to fall off prematurely.

A more secure kind of adjustment mechanism is the screw found on alligator-style clips, like the ones shown below:

The screw can be easily adjusted to set how snugly the jaws of the clips can fit on the nipple. You can start to put one of these on your partner (or yourself) and ease the tension on and off until you get it just right.

There are quite a few variations on the screw adjustment mechanism, such as the Extreme Adjustable Nipple Clamps shown below. They live up to their name; they're made for very intense play, and you probably don't want to start out with them. The two screws allow a lot of variability in how much pressure is put on the nipples and how it's distributed.

Another type of advanced clamp that you'll see frequently is the Clover Clamp. Originally made in Japan to hold boat sails or clothing fabric, the design is much more intricate and complex than most nipple clamps, and have one important feature: If you pull on the chain or handle, they bite down even harder on the nipple. For someone who's an experienced pain slut, they're great; but if you're looking for your first pair of nipple clamps, you probably want something a little simpler.

Using Suction for Nipple Play

Besides pinching, pulling, and clamping, nipples also respond very well to being sucked. This should make sense: Evolution worked millions of years to give humans a built-in infant feeding system. In short, nips were meant to be sucked.

Lips and tongue can give some very nice stimulation on the nipples, but if your mouth wants to be somewhere else — or you just want a different kind of sensation, there are lots of devices to get it.

The most basic suction toy we keep on hand is the KinkLab Nipple Suction Set. Made of plastic, rubber, and steel, it's remarkably powerful and easy to use: Press the opening against the skin around the nipple, making as much of a seal as you can, and start turning the screw. Each turn of the screw helps create a vacuum that brings blood rushing to the nipple, increasing sensation.

The sensation produced by these cups can be either delight or torment, depending on how you use them and how sensitive the person's nipples are.

Other nipple suction toys work on pretty much the same principle, although sometimes more intensely. The COLT Muscle Nips Pumps, for instance, turn up the action a little with two long hoses that can grip both nipples at once, with a hand pump to turn up the pressure a little bit at a time.

Things can get very intense with a pump like this, so a little caution and checking in with your partner is warranted, especially the first few times you try it out.

These are only a few of the possibilities for nipple play, and we're always discovering more devices and toys — as well as ways to use them. Here's hoping that you're finding your imagination stimulated. Remember: Don't neglect the nips; they can be the stars of your next scene if you want them to.