The first symptom of breast cancer most people notice is a lump in their breast or some thickening. Breast symptoms to look out for: These symptoms listed here are more often caused by other medical conditions. But if you have any of them it is important to see your doctor. Most breast lumps are not cancer. Lumps that aren’t cancer are called benign lumps. Most benign breast lumps are: It is important to always get a breast lump checked by your doctor. They will arrange for you to have tests to find out whether your lump is cancerous or not. You can’t
usually feel the lymph glands in your body. But they often become swollen when you have an infection or a cold, including the lymph nodes in the armpit. A less common cause of swollen lymph glands or lump in the armpit is breast cancer that has spread to this area. A cancer might cause your breast to look bigger or have a different shape than usual, it might feel different. Many healthy women find that their
breasts feel lumpy and tender just before their period. It can help to be breast aware. This means getting to know the size, shape and feel of your breasts. Skin changes include puckering, dimpling, a rash, or redness of the skin of the breast. Some people have a rash or redness of the nipple and the surrounding skin. The skin might look like orange peel or the texture might feel different. This can be caused by other breast conditions. But get
your doctor to check out anything that is not normal for you. Fluid leaking from a nipple in a woman who isn't pregnant or breastfeeding can be a sign of cancer. But other medical conditions can also cause this. One nipple might turn in or sink into the breast. It might look or feel different to usual. Do see your doctor if you notice anything different or unusual with one or both
nipples. Breast pain is very common and it’s not normally due to cancer. You might get pain in one or both breasts for a while, which goes after a time. There might be no obvious reason for this pain, even if you have a lot of tests. Do see your doctor if you have breast pain. They can give you advice on how to treat the pain and whether you need any tests. A rare type of breast cancer called
inflammatory breast cancer can have different symptoms to other types.Breast lump
A lump or swelling in your armpit
Change in size, shape or feel of your breast
Skin changes
Fluid leaking from your nipple
Change in the position of your nipple
Breast pain
Inflammatory breast cancer symptoms
Your whole breast might look red and inflamed and feel sore. The breast might feel hard and the skin might look like orange peel.
See your doctor if you have any of these symptoms.
Paget’s disease of the breast
This is a rare skin condition that is sometimes a sign of an underlying breast cancer. The symptoms are a red, scaly rash on the nipple and surrounding area. This can be itchy and looks a bit like eczema. It is sometimes mistaken for eczema at first.
See your doctor if you have any changes in the skin of your breast.
Seeing your doctor
Your symptoms may not be due to breast cancer, and they may not make you feel unwell. But it is important that any symptoms you have are checked by a doctor, even if you are feeling well.
The earlier a cancer is picked up, the easier it is to treat it and the more likely the treatment is to be successful.
Pam's story
Pam was referred by her GP to the hospital. This is her story about her diagnosis and treatment.
"I noticed my left nipple was permanently inverted. I went to my GP as I knew this could be a warning sign of breast cancer. My doctor referred me to the local hospital for a 2 week One Stop Breast Service appointment."
If you've got eczema, you're not alone. In fact, this condition affects more than 31 million Americans. Eczema is a skin condition that can affect multiple areas of the body, including your breasts.
Inflammation occurs when your body overreacts to substances called allergens. This condition typically causes dry, itchy skin. Unfortunately, there's no cure for eczema, but symptoms can be managed with medications and a good skin care routine.
This article will cover what you should know if you have breast eczema, including your options for managing the condition.
Symptoms
Breast eczema can affect your nipples, skin that's around or between your breasts, or skin across your chest. Symptoms can include:
- Redness or warmth in the affected area
- Itchy and/or painful skin
- Dry, crusted, or scaly skin
- Swelling
- Liquid oozing from the skin
Although it's tempting to scratch your irritated skin, this can lead to bleeding, which increases your risk of infection. Look out for swelling, pain, or pus draining from your skin. See your doctor if you suspect you have an infection.
Reproduced with permission from ©DermNet NZ and © Waikato District Health Board www.dermnetnz.org 2022.
Reproduced with permission from ©DermNet NZ and © Waikato District Health Board www.dermnetnz.org 2022
Causes
It can be a challenge to determine the cause of your breast eczema—symptoms don't always occur right after you've been exposed to your trigger. Eczema can develop from exposure to chemicals in everyday household products, such as soaps, detergents, shampoos, body washes, and other cleansing products. If you have other allergies, you are more likely to develop eczema as well.
Be on the lookout for these irritants that are common eczema triggers:
- Fragrances
- Cigarette smoke
- Nickel and other metals
- Antibacterial ointments
- Thickeners, such as cocamidopropyl betaine (which can commonly be found in cosmetics and personal hygiene products)
- Antibacterials in personal care products, such as isothiazolinone
- Formaldehyde
- Dyes, such as paraphenylenediamine
- Soaps and other cleansing products
Breast eczema can also be triggered by exposure to certain clothing fibers, such as wool and polyester. Dry skin is also more prone to an eczema flare-up.
Nipple Eczema
Eczema can affect your nipples. While it isn't common, pain, redness, and flaking skin around your nipple can be a sign of a rare type of cancer called Paget's disease. See your doctor for an accurate diagnosis—particularly if your eczema symptoms don't improve with treatment.
Diagnosis
Eczema is typically diagnosed by a dermatologist, a doctor who specializes in skin disorders, or an allergist, a doctor who specializes in the treatment of allergies. However, your family doctor might be the first medical professional to recognize your symptoms.
Patch Test
Breast eczema is identified during a physical exam performed by your doctor. However, additional testing is needed to figure out what is causing your inflammation because more than 15,000 different allergens can cause allergic skin reactions. A patch test is a common way to identify the specific allergen that's causing your symptoms.
Allergic skin reactions are different than some allergies that cause immediate symptoms. Skin reactions can take hours or days to show up. During a patch test, your doctor will place small amounts of many different possible allergens on patches, which are then applied to the skin on your back.
Science Photo Library / Getty Images
The patches must be left in place and kept dry until testing is complete. After 48 hours, you will go back to the doctor to have the patches removed. The doctor will look for a reaction, or redness, under each of the patches. You might also have itching or pain in the affected area.
After another four to seven days, you will return to the doctor again for another exam. Some allergic reactions take this amount of time to show up.
Unfortunately, patch testing might have to be repeated with different substances if your first round is unsuccessful in diagnosing your allergen. However, this short-term discomfort can help you avoid your allergen and save you from long-term symptoms.
Keep a Diary
Consider keeping a diary of what you are wearing and the body washes, lotions, and other personal care items you are using to look for trends in your breast eczema symptoms. This can help your doctor identify the underlying cause of your allergy and help you avoid triggers.
Treatment
There's no cure for breast eczema, or eczema on other parts of the body. The best treatment for breast eczema is avoiding the allergen that's causing your symptoms. This might require you to change up your hygiene products or avoid wearing bras or shirts made out of a particular material.
Prescription medications or creams might be needed to treat your breast eczema, but other treatments can help reduce your symptoms during a flare-up.
- Take cool or warm showers: While hot showers might be good for sore muscles, they are bad for breast eczema. Hot water can damage the top layer of your skin, causing more inflammation. Soaking in the tub for 15 to 20 minutes can also reduce dryness. Pat your skin dry with a towel—rubbing can further irritate your skin.
- Use unscented soaps and shampoos: Choosing products that are unscented or "made for sensitive skin" can help you avoid some allergens.
- Be gentle: Don't scrub your skin if you've got breast eczema. While exfoliating can be helpful for removing dead skin cells, it can make eczema much worse.
- Lock in the moisture: Use a cream or an ointment to moisturize your skin—most lotions are water-based and tend to evaporate quickly. Apply your cream or moisturizer right after you pat dry to help keep your skin moist.
- Rinse and rinse again: To reduce exposure to potential allergens in your bras or other clothing, double-rinse your laundry to remove any detergent residue.
- Minimize your stress: Living with breast eczema can be very stressful. Stress causes your body to release certain hormones, including cortisol. Too much of this hormone can lead to skin inflammation. This vicious cycle can worsen your breast eczema symptoms.
Breast Milk for Eczema
Breast milk contains antibodies and other substances that help repair skin cells. In many cultures outside the United States, breast milk is used to treat skin problems such as eczema and diaper rash. If you're breastfeeding, your options for cream and ointment treatments will probably be limited if your symptoms are on or near your nipples. Rubbing a few drops of breast milk into your nipples can
help soothe irritated skin.
Coping With Stress
There are several things you can do to help decrease your stress levels to help control your breast eczema flare-ups:
- Try guided meditation.
- Attend a yoga or tai chi class.
- Explore new hobbies.
- Join a support group.
- Get enough sleep.
- Limit sugar, caffeine, or alcohol if they trigger symptoms.
- Exercise regularly.
Use caution when exercising—getting hot and sweaty can aggravate your symptoms. If you sweat a lot, be sure to shower and change your bra and shirt soon after your workout.
A Word From Verywell
While breast eczema can negatively impact your quality of life, there are many lifestyle changes that can help
reduce symptoms. Each person will experience different triggers, so seeing a dermatologist to assess your allergies can be helpful. A doctor can also work with you to find your best options for treatment.
Frequently Asked Questions
What causes breast eczema?
Eczema occurs when your immune system overreacts to an allergen—any substance it views as "foreign" to your body.
How common is breast eczema?
Eczema affects many parts of the body, and over 31 million Americans have been diagnosed with this condition.
Does breastfeeding reduce the risk of eczema?
Breastfeeding has not been shown to affect your risk of developing eczema.
Does breast milk treat eczema?
Breast milk can soothe sore nipples, but more research is needed to determine if it is effective for the treatment of eczema.
By Aubrey Bailey, PT,
DPT, CHT
Aubrey Bailey is a physical therapist and professor of anatomy and physiology with over a decade of experience providing in-person and online education for medical personnel and the general public, specializing in the areas of orthopedic injury, neurologic diseases, developmental disorders, and healthy living.
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