Having hair on your boobs and nipples is natural. In fact, that’s what those tiny bumps around your nipples are: hair follicles.

This is why our bodies are naturally covered in hair. Some of that hair is thin and almost transparent, similar to peach fuzz; some of it is thicker, longer, or coarser.

Sometimes wiry hairs pop up alone on different parts of our bodies, like your chin or — you guessed it — your boobs.

Usually, boob hair is actually hair on your areolae, the pigmented circles around your nipple, but it’s possible to have hair elsewhere on your chest, too.

“Human beings have hair follicles all over their body,” says Constance Chen, MD, a plastic surgeon who holds clinical assistant professorships at Weill Cornell Medical College and Tulane University School of Medicine. “[And] the purpose of those hair follicles is to grow hair.”

Yes, it’s true that not everyone has noticeable hair on their boobs, but it’s totally natural to have it if you do.

It’s just hard to know for certain how many people have boob hair, because people may be too embarrassed to report it to their doctors. But most doctors and experts agree that it’s pretty common.

No one is exactly sure. Honestly, no one is completely sure what the purpose of any human body hair is. Humans likely evolved body hair for several reasons, but scientists are still determining all of these reasons.

It’s possible that the hair might be left over from when humans needed body hair to help regulate their body temperature.

However, according to Chen, the hair doesn’t seem to serve any real purpose at the moment. It’s just there.

Hair around the areolae tends to be black and wiry, but it can vary from person to person.

“The thickness and texture of hair on the breast varies based on the individual, similar to facial and body hair,” explains Rina Allawh, MD, a dermatologist with Montgomery Dermatology LLC.

“In general, breast hair initially presents as fine, thin hair, and then with age and hormonal changes, [it] may begin to grow thicker and coarser,” Allawh says.

“Hair thickness may vary based on ethnicity and skin type,” Allawh continues. “For example, darker skin types are more likely to have thicker breast hair than fairer skin types.”

Like pubic hair, though, breast hair might not be like hair elsewhere on your body.

How much hair you have on your boobs can change over your lifetime.

For example, hair might show up on your breasts for the first time when you go through puberty. But it’s also completely natural to only just notice hair around your nipples as you get older, too.

That’s because, according to Chen, hormonal fluctuations, such as those associated with pregnancy or menopause, can cause the hair around the areolae to darken, making it more visible, or trigger additional hair growth.

During pregnancy, for example, there’s a surge in estrogen levels. This helps promote and prolong what’s called the anagen, or hair growth phase.

“[This] not only affects the hair growth on your scalp but also body hair, including breast and areola hair,” Allawh says. “So for those expecting, you may notice thicker or longer breast hair!”

Just like the hair on the top of your head might seem thicker and longer than typical, your breast hair might, too.

Generally, hair on your boobs isn’t much cause for concern unless it’s accompanied by some other symptoms.

If you experience other symptoms, an underlying condition may be causing the hair growth, such as elevated male hormones, notably testosterone.

This is hirsutism. It’s a common characteristic of polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS), a condition that results from an imbalance of reproductive hormones. PCOS affects 1 in 10 women of childbearing age.

However, it’s rare for hair on your boobs to be the only symptom of PCOS. Other symptoms include:

  • change or absence of menstrual periods
  • increased oily skin or acne
  • hair loss on your head
  • infertility
  • increased hair growth in other places on your body, like your face
  • difficulty losing weight

Another possible underlying condition is Cushing syndrome. Allawh says other symptoms of this condition can include:

Allawh adds that sometimes certain medications, including oral steroids, testosterone, and some immunotherapy medications, can cause excess hair on the breasts, too.

If you’re worried about the hair on your boobs or experiencing any of the above symptoms, talk with your doctor. They can determine whether something more serious is going on.

That way, if PCOS or another underlying condition is causing your boob hair, they can help you treat it with birth control or other medications to prevent excessive hair growth.

Don’t worry about it. It’s totally fine to leave it alone!

No one said your boobs have to be completely smooth. Your breasts are as unique as you are — and it’s totally normal to love them the way they are.

No one should make you feel like you have to do anything about the hair, especially if you don’t have any other symptoms.

“It’s fine to remove the hair if it bothers you,” Chen says, “but you should be careful around the delicate skin of the breast to not cause cuts, infections, or ingrown hairs.”

The best and most risk-free way to remove boob hair is by plucking it with tweezers, just like you might pluck your eyebrows. You can wax them, too — some salons will offer nipple waxing treatments.

It’s best not to try shaving your breast hairs, though, because it’s easy to cut yourself or irritate the delicate skin on your breasts. You also run the risk of ingrown hairs and infections.

What not to do

Whatever you do, don’t use Nair or other depilatory products on your boobs. They can cause swelling, infections, rashes, and a bunch of other unpleasant side effects on your boobs.

If you have a lot of hair to pluck or it hurts too much, talk with a dermatologist about longer-term solutions, such as laser hair removal.

It can be normal to have random black hairs on the breast, and may be due to hormonal changes.

Yes, breast hair can be a sign of PCOS.

PCOS chest hair may look dark, coarse, and wiry.

You’re not weird for having hair on your breasts. It’s actually pretty common and typical. It’s also rarely the sign of an underlying medical problem, so unless you’re experiencing other symptoms, you don’t need to fret about the hair.

If it doesn’t bother you, you really don’t need to do anything about it unless you want to.