• Home

Home > Medical Reference > Encyclopedia (English)

Toggle: English / Spanish

Supernumerary nipples

• Overview
• Treatment

Definition:

Supernumerary nipples is the presence of additional nipples.

Alternative Names:

Polymastia; Polythelia; Accessory nipples

Considerations:

Supernumerary nipples are a fairly common occurrence. They are generally unrelated to other conditions or syndromes. The extra nipples usually occur in a line below the existing nipple. They are usually not be recognized as extra nipples, because they are usually small and not well formed.

Common Causes:

• Variation of normal development
• Hay-Wells syndrome (very rare)
• Ruvalcaba-Myhre syndrome (very rare)

• Review Date: 5/10/2006
• Reviewed By: Daniel Rauch, MD, FAAP, Director, Pediatric Hospitalist Program, Associate Professor of Pediatrics, NYU School of Medicine, New York, NY. Review provided by VeriMed Healthcare Network.

A.D.A.M., Inc. is accredited by URAC, also known as the American Accreditation HealthCare Commission (www.urac.org). URAC's accreditation program is the first of its kind, requiring compliance with 53 standards of quality and accountability, verified by independent audit. A.D.A.M. is among the first to achieve this important distinction for online health information and services. Learn more about A.D.A.M.'s editorial process . A.D.A.M. is also a founding member of Hi-Ethics (www.hiethics.com) and subscribes to the principles of the Health on the Net Foundation (www.hon.ch).

The information provided herein should not be used during any medical emergency or for the diagnosis or treatment of any medical condition. A licensed physician should be consulted for diagnosis and treatment of any and all medical conditions. Call 911 for all medical emergencies. Links to other sites are provided for information only -- they do not constitute endorsements of those other sites. Copyright 1997-2007 A.D.A.M., Inc. Any duplication or distribution of the information contained herein is strictly prohibited.