Itchy breasts and nipples during pregnancy

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Itchy breasts during pregnancy are considered a fairly common condition that pregnant mothers may encounter. The cause of these symptoms may be due to changes in hormone levels, skin tightness... To minimize breast itching during pregnancy, you should visit your doctor for examination and methods to improve swelling. help to reduce this discomfort.

1. Causes of itchy nipples

Usually itchy breasts or nipples or nipples can be caused by some dermatological disease or allergies. However, daily itching can signal a symptom of a dangerous disease. The cause of this condition can be attributed to the following factors:
1.1. Itchy nipples when suffering from dermatological diseases Atopic dermatitis is considered a common cause of itchy nipples. This inflammatory skin disease also known as eczema can cause dry skin , itching and a rash . Occasionally, you can also experience itchy nipples from contact dermatitis from being exposed to allergens. A number of factors can cause nipple itching as well as itching caused by contact dermatitis such as: wool fibers, soaps, perfumes, detergents, artificial fibers... In addition, the condition Dry skin can also cause itchy nipples and itchy breasts.
1.2. Itchy nipples due to pregnancy It is possible that itching of the nipples during pregnancy will increase in intensity compared to the normal state. Because then the breasts often increase in size, leading to tight, itchy and flaky skin. It can also be caused by a bacterial or fungal infection of the mammary glands, or it's also common in breastfeeding women because blocked milk ducts or bacterial infections cause the tissues in the breasts to become inflamed and itchy.
Itchy nipples during pregnancy cannot be ignored due to hormonal changes. During this time, your hormones will fluctuate wildly and it can seem to peak on your due date. Because of this, it has created conditions for pregnancy symptoms to appear such as itching in the chest, abdomen, easy urticaria... Itchy nipples due to excessive stretch of the skin. As your baby grows in the womb, your skin will stretch to accommodate its current shape and weight. Pregnant women may notice cracks on the body, especially in areas such as thighs, buttocks, abdomen with burning, itching and discomfort. Stretch marks during pregnancy appear with many different colors that can range from red, pink to blue or purple. And these stretch marks can fade over time Itching nipples with eczema. Eczema is considered a fairly common condition that pregnant women can experience. Typical signs of this condition include itchy breasts during pregnancy or on other parts of the body. Along with that, a pregnant woman's skin also becomes rougher, and red, cracked, and even scaly patches appear. Itchy nipples due to itchy papules and urticaria. During pregnancy, itchy nipples can be caused by itchy papules and urticaria. This condition will cause the skin to appear red, swollen spots, hives in clusters, spreading to parts of the body, especially the chest, thighs and buttocks.

1.3. Itchy nipples can be caused by other conditions When itchy nipples can be seen as a symptom of a serious illness such as Paget's disease of the breast - a rare form of cancer that can cause itchy nipples and mammary glands. The first symptoms of this Paget's disease of the breast can be very similar to that of atopic dermatitis, so sometimes it will make the patient confused and subjective. Signs of this disease include: Red breast skin, breast lump, nipple indentation, nipple discharge, breast skin changes. Itching and burning sensation in the breasts can also be classified as breast cancer signs especially for inflammatory breast cancer.

2. How to relieve itchy nipples during pregnancy

2.1. According to experts, women during pregnancy should drink about 1.5 to 2 liters of water a day including filtered water, fruit juice, soup. , soup... However, pregnancy can increase the need to urinate, making pregnant women afraid to drink water. But if you do not add enough water according to the recommended needs, pregnant women may experience health-related problems such as itchy breasts, dry skin peeling... Besides, the effects of drinking Staying hydrated can also help alleviate some uncomfortable conditions including pregnancy constipation.

2.2. Use clothes with good materials and suitable sizes Pregnant women should give priority to using clothes with good elastic and sweat-absorbent materials to help limit the skin rubbing against the fabric, avoiding possible itching. happen. When choosing clothes made of cotton or linen, it will help support the pregnant mother's skin to breathe comfortably instead of being uncomfortable and unable to escape sweat. As for bras, pregnant women should look to buy those with support, the right size or maybe a little larger to provide comfort when using
2.3. Cooling the body helps prevent itching Instead of trying to scratch to satisfy the itch, which can also lead to skin abrasions or even bleeding, pregnant women can apply cool compresses to soothe itchy nipples during pregnancy or conditions caused by eczema. In addition, when bathing, pregnant women should bathe in water with a moderate temperature between 29 and 32 degrees Celsius and bathe for about 10 to 15 minutes to avoid the case of the skin losing the necessary moisture.
2.4 Use a moisturizer to prevent itching Using a moisturizer can soothe the skin while helping to increase moisture to limit itchy nipples during pregnancy. However, for pregnant women, they need to choose benign, skin-friendly products such as olive oil, shea butter, jojoba oil...
2.5. Choosing the right soap for the skin Some soaps with strong detergent properties will make the skin lose the necessary moisture, and inadvertently make the user feel itchy and flaky. peeling. Therefore, choosing a benign soap suitable for pregnant women's sensitive skin is also quite important in body hygiene and limiting itching during pregnancy, including itchy breasts.
In addition, pregnant women regularly use a soft, clean towel to rub the nipples to help promote excess skin. However, when performing these movements, it should be done gently, avoiding strong stimulation because it may cause the uterus to contract a lot, affecting the pregnancy period. Or you can use your hands to massage, gently massage the breast to increase the breast's resistance to disease. This process helps to increase blood circulation, and at the same time stimulates more milk production for pregnant women after giving birth. However, it should not be done vigorously and often, which can have a negative effect on the fetus.
At Vinmec, the maternity care package program also gives mothers useful knowledge through antenatal classes, pregnant women can completely ask questions to get answers from doctors. Beauty knowledge during pregnancy or nutrition for a healthy fetus but the mother does not gain too much weight.

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