When you think of nipple covers, you probably think they are just for women like most people. But then, the truth is nipple covers for men are more common than one would think. Moreover, these covers actually have more than one use. If you’ve stumbled upon a nipple cover for men section on your go-to online compression wear store’s website, you probably have a few questions. Well, the good news is you’ve come to the right place. Here’s a quick overview of everything you need to know about nipple covers for men.
What are nipple covers?
Men’s nipple covers are very similar to women’s. In fact, these hypoallergenic covers are usually thin and mimic the shape of an individual’s areola. That said, men’s covers tend to be slightly smaller than women’s for obvious reasons. Designed to be thin and breathable, these covers do come in a few different sizes, are lightweight, and, at a basic level, will conceal your nipples/prevent them from showing through fabrics. Nipple covers also help to stop chafing before it starts, or at least reduce irritation caused by chafing. Most quality nipple covers have a safe adhesive, much like a band-aid, that allows them to stay firmly in place practically all day long. Thanks to this strong band-aid-like adhesive, quality covers are also easy and painless to remove.
Why do men need them?
Men actually need nipple covers for a variety of reasons. As briefly mentioned, nipple covers are great for concealing nipples under lightweight or partially see-through clothing and shirts. These particular covers/concealers also come in handy for wet/dry activities and when wearing tight or abrasive clothing. Furthermore, many men utilize nipple covers to manage their gynecomastia, which often leads to puffy nipples, and gender-fluid individuals often rely on covers during both post and pre-FTM top surgery.
Gynecomastia
Gynecomastia is a real condition that many individuals suffer from, regardless of age, health, or race. Besides having enlarged breasts, many men also have puffy and swollen nipples due to this condition. As a result, nipple covers specifically designed for men are a great way to help conceal their areolas. Often, men who are dealing with gynecomastia wear binders, compression garments, and more to reduce the appearance of their breasts. With extended wear, such clothing/garments can cause chafing or discomfort, especially if a person’s nipples are swollen. Thus, nipple covers come in handy here. Even without a compression garment, many men feel more comfortable with their condition or less embarrassed by it when they can disguise/conceal their nipples.
FTM top pre or post-surgery
Similarly, many people who bind their breasts benefit from nipple covers. Of course, pre-FTM top surgery, many of these individuals need larger-sized covers. Nonetheless, nipple concealers/covers are utilized to reduce any possible irritation and discomfort. Likewise, after or post-FTM top surgery, nipple covers can be used in a similar manner. Note that men’s nipple covers can also be helpful after gynecomastia surgery.
Sports
In addition to surgeries, nipple covers for men are often used to prevent raw and sore nipples during strenuous activity. For example, most runners and endurance athletes use covers/concealers to avoid irritation and lessen any chance of injury to their nipples. Other sports activities where quality nipple covers are a must include bicycling, surfing, jazzercise, wrestling, rugby, and really any sport or strenuous activity that will likely result in injury to your nipples if they are left unprotected.
Other physical activities
What’s more, other physical activities that aren’t strenuous in nature can still require nipple covers. For instance, even going for a walk or a leisure hike could potentially cause discomfort, and therefore many men even wear nipple covers for more mundane activities. Some even choose to use them while gardening and doing yoga. The point is, you can wear nipple covers for just about any reason if you need to.
Tight and abrasive clothing
The reason men’s nipple covers come in handy for most occasions is often due to their clothing. Most men wear an undershirt for this very reason to protect their nipples and conceal them when wearing thinner fabrics. Likewise, tight clothing can become a problem. If you’re like most people, you probably have a shirt that you look amazing in, and you plan on wearing it for the foreseeable future. But then, if your favorite or lucky shirt is three sizes too small and you continue to wear it, you might end up with sore nipples. Even if you don’t end up with sore nipples, men’s nipples showing through a tight top is often frowned upon in society, so nipple covers might be called for in this instance, nonetheless.
Of course, it’s not just tight clothing that you have to be mindful of, either. Abrasive clothing can be just as harmful to your nipples. The reality is that tightly woven fabrics and itchy shirts can cause chafing in no time at all. Plus, turtlenecks and ugly holiday sweaters don’t mix well with excessive sweat, even if you’re wearing an undershirt. You may think you can just tape your nipples instead, but when you’re ready to take off the duct tape or even medical tape, you’ll likely regret that decision.
Activewear
Along those same lines, even top quality activewear that promises to wick away sweat and fit your body like a glove can cause irritation. Furthermore, today’s activewear is more or less loungewear. Plus, thanks to COVID-19, your lounge or activewear is likely your home office attire, which means you’re probably spending quite a bit of time in your clothes. You should seriously consider investing in some nipple covers.
Takeaway
Clearly, there are a few advantages to investing in some quality nipple covers for men. Now that you’re more familiar with men’s nipple covers, do yourself a favor and get a quality pair or two.
