15 causes of itchy nipples

This is an automatically translated article.

The article was professionally consulted by Dr., Doctor Ngo Thi Uyen - Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Vinmec Nha Trang International General Hospital.
For women, it seems that nipple itching is a very embarrassing thing that is not easily shared with anyone. However, this is a normal phenomenon and occurs many times in each person's life. So what causes itchy nipples?

1. The weather is dry

Dry weather can cause itching all over your body, including itchy nipples. This is because your body doesn't produce enough sweat and organic acids, leaving your skin dry, less elastic, and possibly cracked. This creates conditions for bacteria, parasites, fungi, viruses, dirt to attach and penetrate the skin causing nipple itching.
If you find your nipples dry and cracked, protect your nipples by moisturizing your skin as follows:
Bathe in the shower or bath for less than 10 minutes a day. Use warm, rather than hot, water for bathing, as hot water strips the skin of its natural moisturizers and worsens dryness. After bathing, gently pat the skin and nipples with a towel until dry. Use moisturizer or Vaseline ointment on nipples and body skin to moisturize.

2. Are you suffering from eczema?

Atopic dermatitis (or eczema) is a disease of the skin. It can cause a rash on the nipple and surrounding breast, especially if you have had eczema before on other organs. In addition to itchy nipples, you may develop blisters in the affected area.
In this case, you should use a thick moisturizer containing ceramides - a waxy ingredient that helps heal the skin. Topical creams such as hydrocortisone can help reduce swelling and itching. In case you have an eczema-like lesion accompanied by pain to the touch, it could be a sign of an infection. See your doctor for proper examination and treatment advice.

3. Allergy to chemicals

Have you just switched to a new shower gel? Or have you just used a new perfume to make your body more attractive? If you have these along with itchy nipples, you may be experiencing contact dermatitis. It can appear as itchy red patches on the body.
To relieve nipple itching, cut back on fragrances and switch to soaps and cleansers that are hypoallergenic, fragrance-free, and dye-free.

4. Allergy to underwear

Your breasts and nipples can react with the plastic or dye used to make your bra or underwear. Contact dermatitis can cause redness and itching on areas of skin that touch fabrics, like your nipples. If you've recently started wearing a new bra, go back to your old one for a while and see if the nipple itching goes away.

5. Too much rubbing

When you wear a bra that is too tight, your nipples can get a lot of friction when they rub against your clothes while you exercise or move. It usually causes pain rather than itching, but in some cases friction can cause itching or a burning sensation. You should apply moisturizer to the nipple area before working out to avoid skin irritation, ensuring the bra always fits and is comfortable. Currently there are several types of bras specifically designed for sports, you should choose them to avoid discomfort during exercise as well as to keep the perfect breast shape.

6. You are pregnant

Weight gain, morning sickness, hormone changes, and itchy nipples can all be symptoms of pregnancy. That could be due to hormone changes and the tightening of the skin as the breasts expand as the nipples expand to get ready for the baby to suckle. You can apply coconut oil or lanolin ointment to your nipples, which can help ease the itching.

7. Breastfeeding

Excess milk, bitten nipples, and problems with your baby latching on to your nipples during feeding can all cause itchy nipples. Especially in the early stages of breastfeeding. The most important thing to prevent itching is to keep the nipples clean and dry. You can clean the nipples before and after feeding with physiological saline, using Lanolin ointment and cooling silicone gel pads in the refrigerator are also effective measures to reduce discomfort.

8. Candida infection

If you're breastfeeding, if your nipples and surrounding area become itchy, flaky, and painful when your baby feeds, call your doctor as these are signs of a Candida infection. In addition, you may observe that your baby's mouth also has white patches like milk residue. Your doctor may prescribe an antifungal cream to put on your nipples and breasts, plus there are some mild antifungal medications you can take by mouth. You should also examine your baby to cut off the source of the fungal infection between you and your baby.

9. Menopause

Menopause can make your skin thinner, drier, and more easily irritated. That's because your estrogen levels are going down and at lower estrogen levels than they were before menopause. Your body makes less oil, so it's harder for your skin to retain the moisture it needs. Itching can strike anywhere on the body, including vaginal itching and nipple itching. To limit this, you can combat dry skin by using mild cleansers, moisturizing regularly, and not bathing for long.

10. Effects from radiation

Breast cancer treatment can lead to intense itching in the breasts and nipples, even long after breast cancer treatment has ended. Radiation kills skin cells and causes dryness, burning, and itching as the skin sloughs off. You should massage this area with an ice cube, wear soft, loose clothing and drink plenty of water. Oral antihistamines can correct this. Your doctor may also prescribe a corticosteroid medication for you to apply to your skin.

11. Paget's disease of the chest

Paget's disease of the breast is a rare form of breast cancer that begins in the ducts of the breast and spreads to the nipple and surrounding area. It can look a lot like eczema with dry, crusty, scaly skin and itchy nipples. But it usually affects just one nipple, and you may also see a yellow discharge or discharge. If you have these symptoms, you may need a biopsy of a tissue sample to detect the disease in time. Paget's disease is usually treated with surgery, followed by radiation therapy.

12. Do you have a benign tumor?

Sometimes, a noncancerous tumor in the breast can cause itchy nipples and nipple discomfort. You may feel a small lump or notice a clear or bloody discharge from your nipple. To make a diagnosis, your doctor may take an X-ray of your breast or order an ultrasound, or fine-needle biopsy. The treatment is usually surgery.

13. Radiation therapy

Cancer treatment of other organs can also cause symptoms of dry skin all over the body and especially the nipples. You should talk to your doctor to get a prescription for medicines that soften the skin and reduce itching.

14. Itching nipples due to inflammation

Mastitis, an infection of breast tissue, can also cause itchy breasts and nipples. This condition is most common and affects new mothers who are breastfeeding. Breastfeeding mothers can get blocked milk ducts or be exposed to bacteria from the environment or from the baby's mouth, leading to mastitis. Other symptoms of mastitis include: Breast tenderness, swelling, redness, pain or burning while breastfeeding... Itchy nipples caused by inflammation are usually not serious health problems and can go away on their own when the nipples are closed. properly cleaned and cared for.

15. Itchy nipples - Signs of breast cancer

Breast cancer is the worst cause you can have. The accompanying manifestations may be:
Feel the new mass appearing in the breast area. Swollen lymph nodes in the neck or body. Newly present inverted nipples. Abnormally stretched breast tissue. Nipple discharge even when not breastfeeding. Skinny, weight loss, tired. Itchy nipples can be an early symptom of breast cancer, with early detection of breast cancer and early treatment, your healthy life can be extended. Therefore, to always have a healthy body, women need to pay more attention to changes in their body, especially in discreet locations such as nipple itching or genital - urinary "triangle". . Regular health checks and consulting a doctor as soon as you see any unusual signs is the best way to protect your health!
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Examination and consultation with an oncologist. Breast cancer screening by bilateral breast ultrasound and mammogram. Up to now, Vinmec has become a prestigious address in breast cancer screening with:
Team of highly qualified and experienced doctors. Comprehensive professional cooperation with domestic and international hospitals: Singapore, Japan, USA, etc. Comprehensive treatment and care for patients, multi-specialty coordination towards individualizing each patient. Having a full range of specialized facilities to diagnose the disease and stage it before treatment: Endoscopy, CT scan, PET-CT scan, MRI, histopathological diagnosis, gene-cell testing, .. There are full range of mainstream cancer treatment methods: surgery, radiation therapy, chemotherapy, stem cell transplant...

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