Montgomery glands are small, specialized glands embedded in the areola, the pigmented skin surrounding the nipple. Most people have somewhere between four and 28 of them on each breast, and they show up as tiny, slightly raised bumps that become more noticeable during pregnancy, cold, or arousal. They are completely normal anatomy, not a sign of disease, and they serve a surprisingly important biological role: lubricating the nipple area and producing a scent that guides newborns toward the breast.
What Montgomery Glands Actually Are
The bumps you can see on the surface of the areola are technically called Montgomery’s tubercles, and they mark the openings of the glands underneath. The glands themselves sit in the tissue of the areola and have a dual nature that makes them unusual. A detailed study using serial tissue sections found that in 97% of the tubercles examined, a mammary lactiferous duct from deeper breast tissue was connected to a sebaceous (oil-producing) apparatus.1PubMed. Montgomery’s areolar tubercle. A light microscopic study In other words, each gland is a hybrid: part oil gland, part miniature milk-producing structure. This combination means Montgomery glands can secrete both a lipid-rich lubricant and, during lactation, small amounts of milk-like fluid.
The sebaceous component keeps the areola and nipple skin supple. Skin in this area undergoes considerable mechanical stress during breastfeeding, and the oily secretion acts as a natural moisturizer and mild antimicrobial barrier. This is why lactation consultants often advise against scrubbing the areola with soap or alcohol, since doing so strips away the protective film these glands produce.
How They Change During Pregnancy
One of the earliest visible breast changes in pregnancy is that the Montgomery tubercles become larger and more prominent. The areola itself tends to darken, the breast grows, and the glands enlarge in tandem.2PubMed. Anatomy and Physiology of the Breast during Pregnancy and Lactation Some women notice these changes before they even take a pregnancy test, which is why “more visible bumps on the areola” occasionally appears on lists of very early pregnancy signs. The enlargement is driven by hormonal shifts, particularly rising levels of estrogen and progesterone, which stimulate both the mammary and sebaceous components of the glands to prepare for lactation.
After pregnancy and breastfeeding end, the tubercles usually shrink back to their previous size, though they don’t always return to being completely inconspicuous. Hormonal contraceptives and normal menstrual cycle fluctuations can also cause mild, temporary changes in how noticeable they are. None of this is a medical concern.
The Scent Signal That Guides Newborns
Perhaps the most fascinating thing about Montgomery glands is the invisible chemical signal they release. Research on three-day-old newborns showed that the odor of the areolar secretion from lactating women intensified the babies’ breathing and appetitive mouth movements more than any other stimulus tested.3PubMed Central. The secretion of areolar (Montgomery’s) glands from lactating women elicits selective, unconditional responses in neonates The babies responded to the scent even when they had limited prior experience with the breast, suggesting the reaction is innate rather than learned. The volatile compounds in the secretion appear to help newborns locate the nipple, initiate suckling, and begin the cascade of behaviors that gets breastfeeding started.
This finding reframes what seems like an unremarkable skin feature into something with real survival value. A newborn human has poor eyesight and limited motor control. Being able to zero in on a chemical beacon produced right at the edge of the nipple gives the baby a significant advantage in the critical first hours and days after birth. The researchers concluded that these volatile compounds play a key role in milk transfer, milk production, and the early establishment of bonding between mother and infant.4PubMed Central. The secretion of areolar (Montgomery’s) glands from lactating women elicits selective, unconditional responses in neonates
Do More Glands Mean Better Breastfeeding Outcomes?
There is evidence suggesting yes, at least for first-time mothers. A study examining the relationship between areolar gland count and breastfeeding found that among first-time mothers, those with fewer visible glands had babies who gained less weight in the early days after birth. Lactation also took longer to become fully established in those mothers with lower gland counts.5Early Human Development. An overlooked aspect of the human breast: Areolar glands in relation with breastfeeding pattern, neonatal weight gain, and the dynamics of lactation The effect was tied to maternal experience: among women who had breastfed before, the number of glands mattered less, possibly because experienced mothers and their babies compensate with learned behaviors and already-primed breast tissue.
This doesn’t mean that having fewer visible bumps dooms breastfeeding. The number of visible tubercles is only a rough proxy for gland function, and many other factors influence whether breastfeeding goes smoothly, including latch quality, frequency of feeding, and the mother’s milk supply. But the finding does reinforce that these glands are more than cosmetic features. They participate actively in the biological system that launches lactation.
Should You Squeeze or Remove Them?
A common concern, especially during pregnancy when the glands become more noticeable, is whether the bumps should be squeezed, popped, or cleaned out. The short answer is no. Squeezing Montgomery tubercles can introduce bacteria into the gland openings and cause infection. The secretion they produce is meant to be there: it protects the nipple skin and broadcasts the chemical signal discussed above. Washing the area gently with water during normal bathing is all that’s needed.
Some people mistake Montgomery glands for whiteheads or blocked pores and treat them with acne products. Astringents, exfoliants, and alcohol-based toners can dry out the areola, strip away the protective lipid layer, and irritate the gland openings. During breastfeeding, this can lead to cracked, painful nipples and make feeding harder. If the bumps become red, swollen, or painful, that’s worth mentioning to a healthcare provider, because it could signal an infected gland or a developing cyst rather than a normal tubercle.
When Montgomery Glands Cause Problems
Most of the time, these glands go about their business without any issues. But like any gland with a duct, they can become blocked. When the terminal channel that drains a Montgomery tubercle gets obstructed, the trapped secretion can distend the duct and form what’s known as a retroareolar cyst, sometimes called a Montgomery cyst.6Journal of Surgical Case Reports. Diagnosis and management of retroareolar cysts in adolescents: a case report Several mechanisms have been proposed for why the blockage occurs, including changes in the duct lining, hormone-driven relaxation of the surrounding muscle, or inefficient reabsorption of the gland’s own secretions.
What happens next depends on whether the cyst becomes infected. An uninfected Montgomery cyst can be completely painless and may show up as a small, soft lump near the areola that a person notices incidentally. An infected cyst is a different story: it typically presents with sudden breast pain, redness around the areola, and a tender mass.7PubMed Central. Cyst of Montgomery: An uncommon adolescent breast lump Ultrasonography usually shows a single cystic lesion sitting just behind the areola, which helps distinguish it from other types of breast lumps.
Montgomery cysts are uncommon, and they tend to appear in adolescents and young women, likely because of the hormonal fluctuations occurring during puberty and early reproductive years. Treatment for an uninfected cyst can be as simple as monitoring. An infected one may need antibiotics or, in persistent cases, minor surgical drainage. These cysts are benign and are not associated with breast cancer.
Montgomery Glands in Men
Men have areolae too, and they have Montgomery glands as well, though typically fewer and less prominent than in women. The glands in men produce the same type of sebaceous secretion and serve a similar skin-protection function, but the mammary duct component is rudimentary because male breast tissue doesn’t develop under the same hormonal conditions. Men occasionally develop blocked Montgomery glands or minor cysts, and the approach is the same: leave them alone unless they become painful or infected. The glands can become slightly more visible in men during puberty or in conditions that elevate estrogen levels.
How They Differ From Nipple Pores
People sometimes confuse Montgomery glands with the pores on the nipple itself that deliver milk. These are different structures. The milk-delivery openings sit on the tip of the nipple and are the endpoints of the main lactiferous ducts that drain the breast’s lobes. Montgomery glands sit on the areola, surrounding the nipple, and their openings are on the areolar skin rather than on the nipple surface. While the glands do have a connection to deeper mammary tissue and can secrete tiny amounts of milk-like fluid, they are not a significant source of milk during breastfeeding. Their primary job is lubrication and scent signaling, not bulk milk delivery.
This distinction matters practically because a bump on the areola is much more likely to be a normal Montgomery tubercle, while a blocked opening on the nipple itself, sometimes called a milk bleb or blister, is a different issue related to breastfeeding duct obstruction. Milk blebs can be quite painful and may need targeted treatment, such as moist heat or gentle expression, to resolve. Treating one as though it were the other can delay relief.
Why the Number of Bumps Varies So Much
The count of visible Montgomery tubercles varies widely from person to person. Some people count just a handful per areola, while others have more than 20 on each side. This variation appears to be mostly determined by genetics, similar to how other glandular and skin features differ between individuals. Areola size, pigmentation, and skin type also influence how visible the tubercles are, so two people with the same actual gland count may look quite different.
Hormonal state plays the biggest role in how prominent the bumps appear at any given time. During pregnancy and breastfeeding, they enlarge substantially. During menstruation, some people notice cyclical swelling. Cold temperatures and nipple stimulation can temporarily make them stand out more as the areolar skin contracts. None of these fluctuations indicate a problem. The glands are simply responding to the same hormonal and physical signals that affect the rest of the breast.
Cosmetic Concerns and Areolar Appearance
Despite being normal and functional, Montgomery glands are a source of cosmetic self-consciousness for some people. Online forums are full of questions about whether the bumps are “normal,” whether they can be removed, and whether partners find them off-putting. The reality is that they are a universal feature of human anatomy, present in everyone regardless of sex, and their prominence is not something most healthcare providers consider worth treating cosmetically.
Plastic surgeons who perform areolar procedures, such as areola reduction or nipple reconstruction after mastectomy, generally preserve or reconstruct the appearance of Montgomery tubercles because their absence can make the result look unnatural. In cosmetic tattooing of areolae following breast reconstruction, skilled tattoo artists often add the appearance of small raised bumps to mimic the natural texture Montgomery glands provide. The glands, in other words, are considered part of what makes a normal-looking areola look normal.
For people who remain bothered by especially prominent tubercles outside of pregnancy, a dermatologist or breast specialist can evaluate whether what’s visible is actually a Montgomery gland or something else, such as a cyst, a benign papilloma, or a skin tag. In most cases, reassurance is all that’s needed. Attempting home removal, whether by squeezing, picking, or applying caustic substances, consistently makes things worse rather than better and risks scarring the areolar skin.