A guide to having nipple orgasms

Welcome to the wonderful world of nipple orgasms. We’re talking straight up orgasms that happen through nipple stimulation alone. No touching of penises, buttholes, or vulvas. 

Yes, they are real. 

“Orgasms are neuropsychological responses,” says Dr. Nazanin Moali(Opens in a new tab), a sex therapist and the host of the Sexology podcast(Opens in a new tab). “They are byproducts of built-up sexual tension and stimulation, paired with neuropsychological discharges.” Stimulation of the nipples can lead to this kind of tension build-up in the body, resulting in orgasm. 

If you’ve been wondering how to get your nipples in on the action — and are curious as to how you actually make an orgasm happen from this kind of stimulation, look no further. We have got the goods.

How nipple orgasms work.

OK, so maybe you’re skeptical. And that’s just fine. Let’s break down some of the science here.

Research shows(Opens in a new tab) that when our primary erogenous zones like the nipples, neck, and feet are stimulated, they can cause a sexual response. This is due to the sensory cortex(Opens in a new tab) in the brain. Our brains and bodies are interconnected in a network of nerve-endings, sending signals back and forth through the spine. When your nipples are stimulated, a signal is sent to the brain letting it know it feels good. The brain registers this stimulation as sexual, sending a corresponding signal to the genitals. 

That’s right, the same area of the brain that lights up when we have our genitals stimulated lights up when we have our nipples stimulated. 

Taylor Sparks, an erotic educator and founder of Organic Loven(Opens in a new tab), tells us that when we focus on the nipples, stimulating them with fingers, toys, or a mouth, we can create a strong enough arousal response to produce an orgasm.

Technically, you could have an orgasm through any part of the body that you enjoy being stimulated, says Lucy Rowett(Opens in a new tab), a certified sex coach and clinical sexologist. “Think of your whole body as a sex organ, with infinite possibilities for pleasure, and then you open up to a whole world of orgasm possibilities.”

Bodies are a wonder. 

Can everyone have nipple orgasms?

If everyone has a set of nips, does that mean that everyone can stimulate those puppies to the point of blast off? That is the question.

Moali says that the answer is technically yes. It is theoretically possible for anyone to have a nipple orgasm, but that doesn’t mean everyone will (or even want to). 

Here is the skinny: Not everyone is into every kind of stimulation. We like different things. What excites one person may not excite another. “So it’s not that everyone can’t have one, it’s that [not] everyone may find nipple stimulation exciting enough to bring them to orgasm,” Sparks says. “This is a ‘different stroke for different folks’ situation.”

Also, some people just don’t have particularly sensitive nipples. They may enjoy nipple stimulation, but don’t have the sensitivity required to get to a full climax. There is nothing wrong with this. People are unique. Not everything works for everyone and that is A-OK.

Rowett adds that another reason people may also not experience nipple orgasms is because nipples are rarely given the attention needed to produce enough stimulation to reach a climax. They get “a cursory lick or suck maybe, but not as much attention as the penis or vulva.”

So it is possible that you could think you don’t have the sensitivity required, but really you haven’t spent enough time engaging with your nipples to know for sure. 

The only way to find out is to give it a try for yourself.

Expert tips on how to have an orgasm through your nipples.

Build the mind-body connection.

One of the main barriers to experiencing orgasm is being distracted and therefore not connected to your body. We need to have a strong mind-body connection to build the kind of tension required for climax. We have to start by really solidifying the connection outside of sexual situations so that we can be more present inside of sexual situations. 

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“To be able to experience this type of orgasm, ideally you should practice 6-9 min of mindfulness breathing exercises outside the bedroom on a regular basis,” Moali says. “Start the practice by taking deep focus, breathing for 3-5 minutes prior to the start of any stimulation.”

Start on your own first.

Starting on your own with this practice can allow you the space and focus needed to figure out what works for you. Rowett suggests working up to more intense stimulation. “As nipples are sensitive, I recommend always starting with a very light touch and then increasing the pressure,” she says. “Or you could play with intense squeezing and light squeezing and see what feels good.” When we know the kinds of stimulation we enjoy, we’re better equipped to communicate with our partners. 

Start slowly and work your way in. 

You want to begin by getting yourself in the mood instead of going straight to the nips. “Start with caressing your face and neck, then move towards your belly using gentle stimulation,” Moali says. 

Sparks agrees, telling us that building up to nipple stimulation can jumpstart the arousal process. “Begin by tracing your fingers or tongue around the areola getting closer to the nipple with each rotation. Once you reach the nipple, if using your fingers, roll the nipple between your fingers adding a little pressure every so often,” she says. This slow buildup can get the fires going so that when you really focus in on the nipples, they are extra sensitive.

Communicate. 

If you’re playing with a partner, communication is key. Some people may enjoy feather light touch, sucking, biting, or squeezing. There are so many different ways to stimulate the nipples, but you should “always check in with your partner to ask which they prefer,” Sparks says.   

Get curious.

You can try sucking toys on the nipples (like this one from Lelo), you could grab an ice cube and try some temperature play, you could lick them, you could suck them, you could kiss them. There are endless possibilities here. Staying curious is a big part of finding the secret sauce that gets you over the edge. Be willing to experiment and find what works for you.

Don’t rush to orgasm. 

If you’re new to nipple play, you’re probably going to need to practice this a lot before you’re able to have an orgasm this way. Instead of focusing on climax, focus on the sensations. “Slow down and pay attention to different waves of sensation in your body as you experiment with different types of simulation,” Moali says. It’s about the journey, not the destination.

Nipples are pretty incredible things and if we give ourselves room to really explore them, we can open ourselves up to a lot of incredible pleasure. If you have an orgasm, awesome. If you don’t, that’s great, too. As long as everyone had a good time, that’s what matters.