The following question about nipple piercings was sent in recently:

[i]"I had my nipple pierced 18 years ago (I took out the ring about three years later). There are times now when it feels extremely sensitive (no surprise), but so much so that it's distracting and even uncomfortable for long stretches of time (especially when the weather shifts or perhaps when I'm stressed). Do you have any advice for managing pain/discomfort in this area?"[/i]

With the rings out, there's not anything specific that can be done. For most people, nipple piercing stimulates development of the most nerve-sensitive part of the nipple. For men, this can be quite dramatic, leaving them with nipples that frequently described as resembling gum drops versus the flat disks they had before. While some direct simulation will cease if the rings are removed, overall the tissue is changed forever.

Many women find that their breasts are sensitive to their menstrual cycles and often become tender ahead of their periods. Piercing can accentuate this reaction, and there have been many pierced people who find that they have piercings that become further sensitized to other body changes such as allergies, illness, stress and yes, even weather changes. Even after the piercings themselves have closed up, the developed tissue remains and so do the nerve connections and associations.
Working to maintain the best overall health you can is often the best response to these small body triggers. Simple dehydration is often overlooked by many, but making sure you have drank enough water is key to helping the nervous and skin systems function at their best. If water retention makes the breasts more sensitive, making sure to get enough B-complex vitamins and limiting how much salt you eat can help reduce it.

Changes in weather also tend to effect the fluids in our bodies, and proper hydration may help with this side effect as well. When the body gets cold, tissues contract to hold in heat, and this may trigger responses from developed nervous tissue. For women, wearing more upper body layers, or even something as simple as a lightly padded bra can retain heat and help reduce this feeling.