Great question. It’s important for girls to know that no two breasts are exactly the same! Women’s breast and their nipples come in different shapes, sizes, and colors. Girls can be born with one or both nipples missing (athelia) and one or both breasts missing (amastia). These conditions are rare and often accompany rare genetic (a medical condition that is passed down through families) conditions, such as Poland Syndrome.
A girl with Poland syndrome may have a small or underdeveloped muscle under the breast on one side as well as a small breast on that side and sometimes other abnormalities that can affect the kidneys, spine, or uterus. It’s super important that you familiarize yourself with the shape, size, and colors of your breasts and nipples, that way you’ll know if something seems off. If you have a concern about your breasts or nipples, schedule an appointment with your primary care provider (PCP).
Our health guides are developed through a systematic, rigorous process to ensure accuracy, reliability, and trustworthiness. Written and reviewed by experienced healthcare clinicians from Boston Children's Hospital, a Harvard Medical School teaching hospital and consistently ranked as a top hospital by Newsweek and U.S. News & World Report, these guides combine clinical expertise, specialized knowledge, and evidence-based medicine. We also incorporate research and best practices from authoritative sources such as the CDC, NIH, PubMed, top medical journals, and UpToDate.com. Clinical specialists and subject matter experts review and edit each guide, reinforcing our commitment to high-quality, factual, scientifically accurate health information for young people.