Peeling nipples is a condition that occurs when the skin around the nipples becomes dry. and peeling into sheets or becoming flaky People with dry nipples may have other symptoms, such as itching or pain. There is a red mark on the nipple. Peeling nipples is often a sign of health problems such as rashes, infections, and Paget’s disease of the nipple.
The nipple is the part that protrudes from the breast. And it has the main function of passing on breast milk to the baby, including helping to stimulate sexual feelings as well. Peeling or changing nipple appearance It can be a sign of some health problems. Therefore, it is important to observe any abnormalities that occur around your nipples and breasts. And proper treatment is therefore important to pay attention to.
Causes of peeling nipples
Peeling nipples can occur when the skin around the nipples becomes dry. This can be caused by various health problems such as
1. Mastitis
Mastitis is a condition that occurs when the breast and nipple area become inflamed. Due to various reasons such as blocked milk ducts. or exposure to bacteria These causes can cause infection, inflammation, and cause other symptoms such as touching the breast and causing pain, swollen breasts, redness, and peeling nipples.
2. Contact rash
contact rash disease It is a disease that can occur in any part of the body. including nipples This may be caused by contact with items or substances that irritate the skin around the nipples, such as fabric softener, detergent, cloth , soap, perfume, or sweat that accumulates in underwear or clothing. The contact rash disease may cause the nipples to peel. And can cause pain or itching of the nipples.
3. Atopic dermatitis
Atopic dermatitis The nipple area can cause peeling, dry, itchy, and inflamed nipples. The cause of atopic dermatitis is not yet clear. But it can be caused by a variety of factors, such as genetics, stress , or skin irritation.
4. Fungal infection around the nipples
Nipple fungal infections can occur when the amount of good bacteria and fungus on the skin is out of balance. This may result in an increase in the number of fungi and yeast infections. In addition, if the baby has thrush in the mouth , it can also cause the nipples to become infected with fungus from breastfeeding .
Symptoms of a fungal infection around the nipples may include things like peeling, dry, and red nipples, cracked nipples, shiny skin around the nipples and breasts, itching and sore nipples.
5. Paget’s Disease of the Nipple
Paget’s disease of the nipples can be a cause of peeling nipples. Paget’s disease of the nipple is a type of breast cancer. The cause of the disease may not yet be clear. Those who have peeling nipples from Paget’s disease of the nipples may have additional symptoms such as sore and inflamed nipples, nipple pain, itchy nipples, and lumps in the breast. If you have any of these symptoms, you should see your doctor early as it may be a sign of: Breast cancer symptoms
Peeling Nipples;How To Deal With Them Properly
Peeling nipples is a symptom that can initially be dealt with on your own. You may use various methods to relieve peeling nipples, such as:
- Avoid items or substances that may irritate the skin around the breast.
- Apply moisturizer. or skin cream to add moisture to the skin This prevents the nipples from drying out and peeling.
- Take a cool shower or normal temperature water. Because hot showers can make your skin more dry. and may cause peeling nipples to become more severe
- Reduce stress because stress may trigger atopic dermatitis. and peeling nipples follow You can reduce stress in many ways, such as exercising , doing hobbies.
- Those who are breastfeeding You should not stop or allow milk to remain at the breast for a long time. This may make mastitis caused by blocked milk ducts more severe. You should breastfeed normally. And apply a warm compress to the breast area to help the milk flow better.
- avoid scratching Peeling nipples usually occurs along with itching. But scratching to relieve itching can cause damage to the skin. and risk infection
You may also try using certain medications to treat the underlying health problem that is causing your nipple peeling, such as antifungal medication. To treat peeling nipples caused by fungus Or medicine may be used to relieve other symptoms that occur with peeling nipples, such as using antihistamines to relieve inflammation and itching of the skin.
However, if peeling nipple symptoms do not improve have more severe symptoms or signs of infection, such as severe pain, swelling, or redness of the nipple or breast. The nipple has pus or fluid coming out. You should see a doctor early to find the cause and provide appropriate treatment.
