Every woman has heard of the 18 causes for itchy breasts and nipples, but do you know what they are? Here is a list with descriptions to help.
The “Why are my breast itching like crazy” is a common question that women often ask themselves. The 18 causes of itchy breasts and nipples you should know about, will help you find the cause of your problem.
If you’re still wearing the same bras and shirts, it’s unlikely that this is the source of your itching boobs and nipples. If you’ve just started wearing a new top, gone braless totally, or changed your exercise regimen to one that gives you more bounce, and you’ve noticed breast or nipple itching, friction is absolutely something to think about.
4. A sunburn has inflamed your skin.
This might be the case if you’ve lately gone topless outside, whether on a beach or in your own garden. Your breast skin is delicate and easily burns, particularly since it is seldom exposed to sunlight. Sunburns may produce acute itching due to skin inflammation, in addition to pleasant side effects like peeling.
5. You’ve developed a heat rash.
According to Sherry A. Ross, M.D., a women’s health specialist and author of She-ology: The Definitive Guide to Women’s Intimate Health, experiencing a heat rash on your chest may also produce itchy breasts. SELF tells SELF, “Period.” “The skin of the breasts may become inflamed, red, and itchy when the breasts get warm and start to perspire,” she says. According to the Mayo Clinic, heat rash occurs when perspiration gets trapped beneath your skin and blocks your pores.
6. You experienced an adverse response to anything other than perfume, soap, laundry detergent, or dryer sheets.
According to the American Academy of Dermatology, contact dermatitis is an allergic response or irritation that occurs when your skin is exposed to something it doesn’t like, and itching is one of the most common symptoms (AAD). It’s conceivable that your boobs may revolt and get itchy if you wash them with conventional detergent or dry them with dryer sheets. (The same goes for towels, bedding, and everything else that may come into touch with your chest, even your body wash, if you sleep naked.) Fragrance is a common cause of allergic contact dermatitis, particularly in those with sensitive skin.
7. Your skin is just dry.
We’d be remiss if we didn’t mention this. If you have itchy boobs or nipples, it might be due to dry skin. Itching may be caused by dry skin anywhere on the body, according to Dr. Ross.
According to Dr. Rodney, this is especially troublesome in the winter. That’s because the air outdoors is often chilly and dry, which is a double whammy when it comes to skin moisture retention. Unfortunately, the heated air inside isn’t helping matters, since interior heating tends to zap humidity and leave dry air in its wake.
While the weather becomes colder, be particularly careful about putting moisturizer to your boobs (including your nipples), since it’s an area that many women with breasts overlook when moisturizing in general, according to Dr. Rodney.
8. You have severe eczema.
According to the American Academy of Dermatology, eczema is a persistent skin disorder that produces dry, itchy irritation that may manifest as a scaly rash. It usually affects the backs of the knees and the crooks of the elbows, but it may affect any part of your body, even your breasts. Eczema might be the problem if you’ve had itchy breasts for a long time and can’t figure out why, according to Dr. Rodney, particularly if you have dry, itchy, or cracked skin around the nipple region.
9. You suffer from psoriasis.
According to the Mayo Clinic, there are several distinct forms of psoriasis, but plaque psoriasis is the most prevalent. Your immune system causes skin cells to stack up and create dry, scaly, itchy plaques on regions like the elbows, knees, lower back, and scalp when you have this illness. Unfortunately, psoriasis, like eczema, may appear on or beneath your boobs. (On top of being aggravating, this may make psoriasis and eczema difficult to distinguish.) Check out SELF’s piece on how to recognize the difference between the two conditions to learn more.)
You have a yeast infection beneath your boobs, number ten.
Yeast infections are most often associated with your vaginal area. And you’d be right, since they may absolutely affect the vaginal area, causing symptoms like weird discharge and edema. Yeast infections, on the other hand, are rather frequent beneath the breasts, according to Dr. Goldenberg. Moisture may become trapped beneath there if the region is very sweaty, giving an ideal habitat for yeast to develop, resulting in itchy boobs. According to Johns Hopkins Medicine, you may also have additional symptoms such as a red rash, pimple-like pimples, burning, or skin areas that exude clear fluid.
11. You’re expecting a child, have just given birth, or are nursing.
Pregnancy, childbirth, and nursing may all cause a significant alteration in the breasts, which can lead to itchy boobs and nipples: According to Dr. Ross, your breasts may grow significantly in size. Which, you probably already knew, but it’s worth mentioning since that shift may result in stretch marks, which, according to Dr. Ross, can cause itching in some individuals as they develop. Because of all the touch, your nipples may get dry and sore throughout the nursing process.
12. Your boobs expanded swiftly due to a variety of factors.
Other factors, such as puberty and weight increase, might cause your boobs to grow in size quickly. Stretch marks form when the skin needs to stretch quicker than it typically does, causing irritation and itching, according to Dr. Rodney.
13. You’re suffering from hypothyroidism.
According to the Mayo Clinic, hypothyroidism (underactive thyroid) occurs when your thyroid gland does not produce enough hormones to keep your body working normally. Thyroid disorders may appear in a variety of ways since your thyroid is a little gland in your neck with a big job: it regulates your body’s metabolism. According to the Mayo Clinic, an underactive thyroid may produce dry skin, which can contribute to itchy breasts, as well as tiredness, constipation, thinning hair, and a slower heart rate.
14. You’re on a prescription that makes your skin itching.
Many drugs have a lengthy list of negative effects, and one of them is itchy skin. According to the AAD, they may include things like blood pressure drugs or even aspirin. If you feel a new medicine is to blame, see your doctor. He or she may prescribe a lower dose to reduce side effects or suggest a comparable prescription to try instead.
15. You’re in the midst of menopause.
The skin of your boobs might shrink as a result of changes in hormones that occur throughout menopause (specifically, a decline in estrogen and progesterone). According to Dr. Rodney, this might make the region more prone to itching.
16. Itchy boobs might be a sign of breast cancer in rare circumstances.
It’s far more probable that your breast itching is caused by one of the aforementioned factors rather than breast cancer. According to Jack Jacoub, M.D., a medical oncologist and medical director of MemorialCare Cancer Institute at Orange Coast Medical Center in Fountain Valley, California, there’s a small chance it could be inflammatory breast cancer, a rare but aggressive form of the disease that invades your skin’s dermis (the layer of skin beneath your epidermis, the outer layer of skin), causing an inflammatory response.
The “breast itching before period” is a common issue that many women experience. The 18 causes of itchy breasts and nipples you should know are listed below.
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