There's no evidence that wearing silicone nipple covers causes breast cancer, and we haven't found anything linking a clean cover on healthy skin to infection. What does happen is irritation, usually from wearing a pair too long, sweat trapped under the silicone, a cover that hasn't been washed, or skin that reacts to adhesive. Wash them after every wear, take them off before bed, and if your nipples are sensitive, start with a cover that keeps adhesive off the nipple.
Can silicone nipple covers cause cancer?
We couldn't find a single study linking nipple covers to breast cancer. The closest comparisons come from the American Cancer Society, which says there's no scientific or clinical data showing that wearing a bra changes your risk, and that breast implants, which sit inside the body for years, haven't been shown to raise breast cancer risk (American Cancer Society). A cover sits on your skin for a few hours and comes off before bed.
Whatever you wear, see your doctor about a lump, a discharge from the nipple that isn't breast milk, or a change in the color or texture of the skin on your breast (Cleveland Clinic). Taking your covers off at night is a good moment to look.
Can nipple covers cause an infection?
Silicone doesn't breathe, so after a few hours the skin under a cover gets warm and a little damp, and you'll often find beads of sweat inside when you peel it off. That's normal. It goes wrong when the same cover goes back on the next day unwashed, with yesterday's sweat, skin oil and lint still on it.
Wash both sides with warm water and a mild soap after every wear, using clean fingertips rather than a cloth, and let it air-dry adhesive side up (skin side up for Non-Adhesive). Don't share covers. And keep any cover or tape off broken, irritated, sunburned or freshly shaved skin.
Why are my boobs itchy after wearing pasties?
When the itch starts usually tells you what's causing it.
| When it starts | What it usually is | What to do |
|---|---|---|
| After several hours, only where the cover sat | Heat and sweat trapped under silicone | Shorter wears, and a wash after every one |
| Early, under the whole cover, and back again on short wears | A reaction to something in the cover or its adhesive | Stop wearing that product and move down the list of covers below |
| After a new lotion, sunscreen or body wash | Product on the skin, sealed in by the cover | Apply covers to washed, dry, bare skin |
| After peeling boob tape off dry | Skin stressed by the removal | Always take tape off with oil, and give your skin a day off |
Doctors call a skin reaction to something it touches contact dermatitis. Mayo Clinic describes two kinds. Irritant contact dermatitis, the most common, happens when something damages the skin's outer protective layer, and the allergic kind happens when your immune system reacts to a substance you're sensitive to. Both show up as an itchy rash (Mayo Clinic). Cleveland Clinic lists soaps, body washes, lotions, perfume and laundry detergent as things that can do this to nipples, no cover involved (Cleveland Clinic).
How long can you wear nipple covers?
On clean, dry skin an Adhesive Nipple Cover will hold all day, but your skin is happiest with a few hours at a time. Take covers off before bed, because they aren't made for sleeping in.
Boob tape runs on a stricter clock. Ours is extra strong, and its medical-grade adhesive grips harder the longer it's on, so wear it for around three to four hours and never all day. Put an Adhesive or Sensitive cover on the nipple first and never tape directly over it. To take it off, soak it with Boob Tape Remover Oil, wait one to two minutes, then peel slowly. Soap and water won't break the adhesive down, and peeling it dry is how skin gets sore.
What if your skin or nipples are sensitive?
Work out what you're reacting to first, because each points to a different cover.
- Sensitive nipples, skin fine. Sensitive Adhesive Nipple Covers have adhesive on an outer ring and an adhesive-free Nip-Safe center, so nothing sticky touches the nipple. They come in Small (3in/8cm) for AA–B and Large (4in/10cm) for C–DD only, so above a DD the standard Adhesive cover in X-Large (5in/12cm) is the better fit.
- Adhesive anywhere bothers you. Non-Adhesive Nipple Covers have none and hold with suction and body heat. They need fitted clothing to stay put.
- Silicone itself bothers you. Satin Nipple Pasties are fabric, and disposable.
Patch test anything new on the inside of your forearm for 30 minutes to an hour, then check the skin again a few hours later. Our covers are hypoallergenic, medical-grade silicone with a hypoallergenic, medical-grade adhesive, which keeps the chance of a reaction low. Low isn't zero, so the patch test is worth the hour.
When should you stop wearing them?
Stop if a rash starts early and covers the whole area under the cover, or keeps coming back on short wears. If you've reacted to adhesive covers, non-adhesive covers and satin pasties, it probably isn't one product, so stop experimenting. See a doctor or dermatologist in that case, or if irritation hangs around after you've stopped wearing them, or if the skin breaks. The NHS advises seeing a GP for persistent, recurring or severe contact dermatitis (NHS).
What we'd pick
-
Sensitive Adhesive Nipple CoversAdhesive hold with nothing sticky on the nipple. The wrong pick above a DD, or if silicone itself is what you react to.
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Non-Adhesive Nipple CoversNo adhesive at all, and 100+ wears. The wrong pick under anything loose or backless, where they'll slide.
FAQ
Can you sleep in nipple covers?
No. Take them off before bed. They're made for the hours you're dressed, and your skin does better with a night off.
Is boob tape OK for sensitive skin?
It can be, with care. Our tape uses a hypoallergenic, medical-grade adhesive, but it's extra strong and grips harder the longer it's on. On sensitive skin, patch test a small piece on the inside of your forearm first, keep wears to a few hours, and always take it off with oil. Put an Adhesive or Sensitive cover on the nipple before you tape.
Can I wear nipple covers with a nipple piercing?
We haven't tested them with piercings, so we don't claim it. The Sensitive cover's adhesive-free center is the design that keeps adhesive off the nipple. A piercing that hasn't fully healed counts as broken skin, so wait.
Do nipple covers cause cancer?
There's no evidence they do. The American Cancer Society says there's no data showing bras change breast cancer risk and that breast implants haven't been shown to raise it, and we found no research linking nipple covers to cancer.
