iPedia Free Information Center

Information about Areola

Enlarge picture
Cross section of the breast of a human female.
Enlarge picture
Closeup of human female breast showing the areola.
In anatomy, the term areola, plural areolae, (diminutive of Latin area, "open place") is used to describe any small circular area such as the colored skin surrounding the nipple. While it is most commonly used to describe the pigmented area around the human nipple (areola mammae), it can also be used to describe other small circular areas such as the inflamed region surrounding a pimple.

The Merriam-Webster dictionary notes two pronunciations for the term areola; aREola and areOla, with speaker icon pronunciations.

The reason the color of the areola differs from that of the rest of the breast is that the areola roughly delineates where the ducts of the mammary glands are. Careful inspection of a mature human female nipple will reveal several small openings arranged radially around the tip of the nipple (lactiferous ducts) from where milk is released during lactation. Other small openings in the areola are sebaceous glands known as Montgomery's glands (or glands of Montgomery) which provide lubrication to protect the area around the nipple and assist with suckling during lactation. These can be quite obvious and raised above the surface of the areola, giving the appearance of "goose-flesh".

Two polymers contribute to the color of the areola in humans - brown eumelanin and pheomelanin, a red pigment. The relative amount of these pigments determines the color of the areola, which can vary greatly, ranging from pale pink to dark brown, but generally tending to be paler among people with lighter skin tones and darker among people with darker skin tones. An individual's areolae may also change color over time in response to hormonal changes caused by menstruation, certain medications, and ageing. Most notably, the areolae may darken substantially during pregnancy. Some regression to the original color may occur after the baby is born but, again, this varies from individual to individual.

The size and shape of areolae is also highly variable, with those of sexually mature women usually being larger than those of men and prepubescent girls. Human areolae are mostly circular in shape but many women and some men have areolae that are noticeably elliptical.

The areolae of most men is around 25 mm (1 in) in diameter while those of sexually-mature women may range up to 100 mm (4 in) or more in diameter, with average sizes around 30 mm (1 3/8 in).[1] The areola of women who are lactating or who have particularly large breasts may be even larger.

References

1. ^ M. Hussain, L. Rynn, C. Riordan and P. J. Regan, Nipple-areola reconstruction: outcome assessment; European Journal of Plastic Surgery, Vol. 26, Num. 7, December, 2003

See also

 •  • [ e]
Female reproductive system
Ovaries/OogenesisGerminal epithelium • Tunica albuginea • cortex (Cumulus oophorus, Stroma) • Medulla
Follicles/Folliculogenesiscorpus (hemorrhagicum, luteum, albicans) • Theca folliculi (externa, interna) • Follicular antrum (Follicular fluid) • Corona radiata • Zona pellucida • Membrana granulosa (Granulosa cells)
LigamentsProper • Suspensory • Round • Broad (Mesovarium, Mesosalpinx, Mesometrium) • Cardinal
Fallopian tubesIsthmus • Ampulla • Infundibulum • Fimbria
Uteruscervix/neck (External orifice, Canal of the cervix, Internal orifice) • corpus/body (Cavity of the body, Fundus) • layers (Endometrium, Myometrium, Perimetrium)
VulvaMons pubis • Labium  (Labial commissures, Frenulum labiorum pudendi, Labia majora, Cleft of venus, Labia minora, Vulval vestibule, interlabial sulci) • Clitoris  (Clitoral hood , Clitoral glans, Frenulum clitoridis, Clitoral crura, Corpus cavernosa, Vestibular bulbs) • Vagina (Bartholin's glands, Bartholin's ducts, Skene's glands, Skene's ducts, Fossa of vestibule of vagina, Vaginal fornix, Hymen)
BreastMammary glands • Nipple • Areola • Lactiferous duct
OtherG-spot • Urethral sponge
Human anatomy is primarily the scientific study of the morphology of the adult human body.[1] It is subdivided into gross anatomy and microscopic anatomy.[1]
..... Click the link for more information.
Latin}}} 
Official status
Official language of: Vatican City
Used for official purposes, but not spoken in everyday speech
Regulated by: Opus Fundatum Latinitas
Roman Catholic Church
Language codes
ISO 639-1: la
ISO 639-2: lat
..... Click the link for more information.
nipple is an appurtenance from which a fluid emanates, in this instance breast milk, to nurture a mother's young.

Anatomy

In the anatomy of mammals, a nipple or mammary papilla
..... Click the link for more information.
pigment is a material that changes the color of light it reflects as the result of selective color absorption. This physical process differs from fluorescence, phosphorescence, and other forms of luminescence, in which the material itself emits light.
..... Click the link for more information.
A pimple is a result of a blockage of the skin's pore. See Acne vulgaris.

Inside the pore are sebaceous glands which produce sticky sebum. When the outer layers of skin shed (as it does continuously), the dead skin cells left behind may become 'glued' together by the sticky
..... Click the link for more information.
breast refers to the upper ventral region of an animal’s torso, particularly that of mammals, including human beings. The breasts of a female mammal’s body contain the mammary glands, which secrete milk used to feed infants.
..... Click the link for more information.
A duct may refer to:
  • Duct (HVAC) (Heating Ventilating and Air-Conditioning), for transfer of air between spaces in a building
  • Duct (anatomy), various ducts in anatomy and physiology
  • Ducted fan, motor for aircraft
  • Duct tape
Telecommunication

..... Click the link for more information.
Mammary glands are the organs that, in the female mammal, produce milk for the sustenance of the young. These exocrine glands are enlarged and modified sweat glands and are the characteristic of mammals which gave the class its name.
..... Click the link for more information.
nipple is an appurtenance from which a fluid emanates, in this instance breast milk, to nurture a mother's young.

Anatomy

In the anatomy of mammals, a nipple or mammary papilla
..... Click the link for more information.
Lactiferous ducts are lobes of the mammary gland at the tip of the nipple. They are also referred to as galactophores, galactophorous ducts, mammary ducts, mamillary ducts and milk ducts.
..... Click the link for more information.
Lactation describes the secretion of milk from the mammary glands, the process of providing that milk to the young, and the period of time that a mother lactates to feed her young.
..... Click the link for more information.
The sebaceous glands are glands found in the skin of mammals.

Locations and morphology

A branched type of acinar gland, these glands exist in humans throughout the skin except in the palms of the hands and soles of the feet.
..... Click the link for more information.
Glands of Montgomery are sebaceous glands in the areola (of the nipple). The glands makes oily secretions (lipoid fluid) to keep the areola and the nipple lubricated and protected.

The glands become exposed and raised when the nipple is stimulated.
..... Click the link for more information.
Breastfeeding is the feeding of an infant or young child with milk from a woman's breasts. Babies have a sucking reflex that enables them to suck and milk.

With few exceptions, human breast milk is the best source of nourishment for human infants.
..... Click the link for more information.
Broadly, melanin is any of the polyacetylene, polyaniline, and polypyrrole "blacks" and "browns" or their mixed copolymers. The most common form of biological melanin is a polymer of either or both of two monomer molecules: indolequinone, and dihydroxyindole carboxylic acid.
..... Click the link for more information.
Broadly, melanin is any of the polyacetylene, polyaniline, and polypyrrole "blacks" and "browns" or their mixed copolymers. The most common form of biological melanin is a polymer of either or both of two monomer molecules: indolequinone, and dihydroxyindole carboxylic acid.
..... Click the link for more information.
hormone (from Greek όρμή - "to set in motion") is a chemical messenger that carries a signal from one cell (or group of cells) to another. All multicellular organisms produce hormones (including plants - see phytohormone).
..... Click the link for more information.
Menstruation is a phase of the menstrual cycle in which the uterine lining (endometrium) is shed. Menstrual cycles occur exclusively in humans and other apes.[1]
..... Click the link for more information.
A medication, medicine or drug is any substance or combination of substances administered to human beings or animals to treat or prevent disease; alternatively to assist in medical diagnosis.
..... Click the link for more information.
Ageing or aging is any change in an organism over time. Aging refers to a multidimensional process of physical, psychological, and social change (Hultsch and Deutsch). Some dimensions of aging grow and expand over time, while others decline.
..... Click the link for more information.
Pregnancy is the carrying of one or more offspring, known as a fetus or embryo, inside the body of a female mammal such as a human. In a pregnancy, there can be multiple gestations (for example, in the case of twins or triplets).
..... Click the link for more information.
child (plural: children) is primarily a boy or girl who has not reached puberty.[1][2] However, some youth reach puberty earlier or later than expected.
..... Click the link for more information.
ellipse (from the Greek ἔλλειψις, literally absence) is the locus of points on a plane where the sum of the distances from any point on the curve to two fixed points is constant.
..... Click the link for more information.
MM or variations may refer to:
  • Machinist's Mate, a rating in the United States Navy's engineering community
  • Macromedia, an American software company
  • Majora's Mask, the sixth game in The Legend of Zelda series of video games

..... Click the link for more information.
1 inch =
SI units
010−3 m 0 mm
US customary / Imperial units
010−3 ft 010−3 yd


An inch (plural: inches; symbol or abbreviation: in or, sometimes,  
..... Click the link for more information.
diameter (Greek words diairo = divide and metro = measure) of a circle is any straight line segment that passes through the center of the circle and whose endpoints are on the circle. The diameters are the longest chords of the circle.
..... Click the link for more information.
"Jogger's nipple" (more correctly known as a fissure of the nipple) is the name applied to a condition of soreness, dryness or irritation to, or bleeding of, one or both nipples during and/or following running or other physical exercise.
..... Click the link for more information.
MeSH D010144 Paget's disease of the breast, also known as Paget's disease of the nipple, is a condition that outwardly may have the appearance of eczema - with skin changes involving the nipple of the breast.
..... Click the link for more information.
Sexual reproduction.


The human female reproductive system contains two main parts: the vagina and uterus, which act as the receptacle for the male's sperm, and the ovaries, which produce the female's ova.
..... Click the link for more information.
The reproductive system is the ensembles and interactions of organs and/or substances within an organism that strictly pertain to reproduction. As an example, this would include in the case of female mammals, the hormone estrogen, ova, and the uterus and the vagina, and the breasts.
..... Click the link for more information.


This article is copied from an article on Wikipedia.org - the free encyclopedia created and edited by online user community. The text was not checked or edited by anyone on our staff. Although the vast majority of the wikipedia encyclopedia articles provide accurate and timely information please do not assume the accuracy of any particular article. This article is distributed under the terms of GNU Free Documentation License.
Herod_Archelaus


page counter