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'{{about||the other anatomic sense|Loose connective tissue|other uses}} {{Distinguish|Areolar connective tissue|Ariola}} {{More medical citations needed|date=September 2017}} {{Infobox anatomy | Name = Areola | Latin = areola mammae | Image = Female Areola.jpg | |Image2 = Breast anatomy normal scheme.png | Caption2 = '''Breast schematic diagram'''<br />(adult female human cross section)<br />Legend: 1. [[Chest wall]] 2. [[Pectoralis muscle]]s<br />3. [[Lobules]] 4. [[Nipple]] 5. Areola 6. [[Duct (anatomy)|Duct]]<br />7. [[Adipose tissue|Fatty tissue]] 8. [[Skin]] }} [[File:Male Areola.jpg|thumb|right| 150px |A male areola]] ,mammy Milker mammy milker jdhdhdgssgdhdndhxhxhdhdhdnxh {{IPAc-en|ə|ˈ|r|iː|əl|ə}}<ref>''[[OED]]'' 2nd edition, 1989.</ref><ref name="merriam-webster">[http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/areola Entry "areola"] in ''[http://www.merriam-webster.com/ Merriam-Webster Online Dictionary]''.</ref> or {{IPAc-en|ær|i|ˈ|oʊ|l|ə}}<ref name="merriam-webster" /><ref>The plural of areola is areolas or areolae, which is pronounced /əˈriːəliː/ or /əˈriːəlaɪ/. "Areola" is the diminutive of Latin area, "open place".</ref>) is the [[pigment]]ed area on the [[breast]] around the [[nipple]]. Areola, more generally, is a small circular area on the [[human body|body]] with a different [[histology]] from the surrounding [[tissue (biology)|tissue]], or other small circular areas such as an inflamed region of skin. The mature human female nipple has several small openings arranged radially around the tip of the lactiferous ducts from which milk is released during [[lactation]]. Other small openings in the areola are [[sebaceous gland]]s, also known as [[areolar glands]].<ref>{{cite journal|title=The Secretion of Areolar (Montgomery's) Glands from Lactating Women Elicits Selective, Unconditional Responses in Neonates|journal=PLOS ONE|date=2009|authors=Doucet S, Soussignan R, Sagot P, Schaal B|volume=4|number=10|page=e7579|doi=10.1371/journal.pone.0007579|pmid=19851461|pmc=2761488|bibcode=2009PLoSO...4.7579D|doi-access=free}}</ref> ==Color== [[File:Arolaese23.png|thumb|The difference between coloring of areolae.]] The areolae can range from pink to red to brown to dark brown or nearly black, but generally tend to be paler among people with lighter skin tones and darker among people with darker skin tones. A reason for the differing color may be to make the nipple area more visible to the infant.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/321383.php|title=Dark nipples: 7 causes and when to see a doctor|website=Medical News Today|date=3 April 2018|language=en|access-date=2019-02-10}}</ref> ==Size and shape== [[File:Breast with large areolas.jpg|thumb|Large areolae on a woman. Adult women have areolae of an average of 38.1 mm (1.5 in), but sizes range up to 100 mm (4 in) or greater.<ref name="Hussain 2003 356–358">{{cite journal |first1=M. |last1=Hussain |first2=L. |last2=Rynn |first3=C. |last3=Riordan |first4=P. J. |last4=Regan |title=Nipple-areola reconstruction: outcome assessment |journal=European Journal of Plastic Surgery |volume=26 |issue=7 |year=2003 |pages=356–358 |doi=10.1007/s00238-003-0566-x |s2cid=40150919 }}</ref>]] The size and shape of areolae and [[nipple]]s are also highly variable, with those of women usually being larger than those of men and [[Preadolescence|prepubescent]] girls. Human areolae are mostly circular in shape, but many women have large areolae that are noticeably [[Ellipse|elliptical]]. The average [[diameter]] of male areolae is around {{convert|28.0|mm|in|1|abbr=on}}. Sexually mature women have an average of {{convert|38.1|mm|in|1|abbr=on}}, but sizes can exceed {{convert|100|mm|in|0|abbr=on}}.<ref name="Hussain 2003 356–358"/> Lactating women, and women with particularly large breasts, may have even larger areolae. A function of the specialized dermis of the areola is to protect the regular breast skin from wear, [[cracked nipple|cracking]], and irritation. Infants sometimes create trauma to the nipple and areolae by [[latch (breastfeeding)|latching-on]].<ref name="Sant2016">{{cite journal|last1=Santos|first1=Kamila Juliana da Silva|last2=Santana|first2=Géssica Silva|last3=Vieira|first3=Tatiana de Oliveira|last4=Santos|first4=Carlos Antônio de Souza Teles|last5=Giugliani|first5=Elsa Regina Justo|last6=Vieira|first6=Graciete Oliveira|title=Prevalence and factors associated with cracked nipples in the first month postpartum|journal=BMC Pregnancy and Childbirth|volume=16|issue=1|year=2016|page=209|issn=1471-2393|doi=10.1186/s12884-016-0999-4|pmc=4975913|pmid=27496088}}</ref> Rated according to the [[Tanner scale]] of female physical development, the areolae enlarge during stage 3, but show no separation of contour. During stage 4, the areolae and papillae rise above breast level and form secondary mounds. By stage 5, the breasts have fully developed. As this has resulted in recession of the areolae, the papillae may reach a little above the breasts' contour.<ref name="J. Zitelli">{{Cite book|last1 =J. Zitelli|first1 =Basil|last2=McIntire|first2=Sara C|last3=J Nowalk|first3=Andrew|title=Zitelli and Davis' Atlas of Pediatric Physical Diagnosis E-Book|date=2017|publisher=Elsevier Health Sciences|isbn=978-0323511858|page=345|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=2SrZDgAAQBAJ&pg=PA345}}</ref> ==Mechanoreceptors== [[Breastfeeding]] by the baby innervates slowly and rapidly adapting [[mechanoreceptor]]s that are densely packed around the areolar region. ==Diseases== [[Paget's disease of the breast]] is a malignant condition that outwardly may have the appearance of [[eczema]], with skin changes involving the areola and nipple. ==See also== *[[List of specialized glands within the human integumentary system]] ==References== {{Commons category|Areola}} {{Wiktionary}} {{Reflist}} {{Breast anatomy|state=collapsed}} {{Breastfeeding}} {{Authority control}} [[Category:Breast anatomy]]'