Science is so fascinating!
No one knows, but it’s probably for the same reason that cold gives you goose bumps. Low temperatures stimulate the tiny muscles attached to your hair follicles, which cause the hairs to stand on end. In other, hairier mammals, this process, known as the pilomotor reflex, can produce a layer of insulation. In humans, it seems to be vestigial. The areolae (the colored areas surrounding the nipples) also have smooth muscle cells that contract when stimulated, and cold weather can make the skin pucker inward while the nipples stick out. The squeezing of these muscles may also lead to increased protrusion of the Montgomery glands—the little bumps around the nipples that secrete fluid to facilitate breast-feeding. (Both men and women have Montgomery glands; under the right circumstances, men can even lactate. ) Few studies have been done on why the areolae, in particular, might be reactive to the cold.
The areola is one of the most sensitive areas of the body, and it can be stimulated in both men and women. In addition to their being sensitive to cold, nipples can also become made erect as a result of breast-feeding or sexual arousal. Both stimulate the release of the hormone oxytocin, which triggers the pilomotor reflex. In breast-feeding mothers, this can be prompted by tactile stimulation, or simply by the sight of a hungry baby. Men and women are equally susceptible to the pilomotor reflex during sexual activity, though the effect is less noticeable on smaller, male breasts.
For the rest of this article go to Slate.com
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