[Breast Disease] The hidden danger behind abnormal changes in women's nipples
The normal color of a woman's nipple and areola is light red or pinkish brown. If there are changes in the color of the nipple and areola, it can indicate certain physiological or pathological changes in the endocrine system within the woman's body.
Physiological Changes:
1. After pregnancy, from early pregnancy onwards, the color of the nipple and areola may deepen, changing from light red to dark brown. This change is mainly due to the increase in estrogen and progesterone in the body during pregnancy, which is a normal physiological change.
2. Some women (mostly between 30-45 years old), without being pregnant, may also experience a gradual deepening of the nipple and areola color, changing from pinkish brown to dark brown. If a breast examination finds no lesions, this color change suggests that the woman has a "transient" increase in estrogen levels in her body. Perhaps after some time, due to self-regulation, the estrogen level returns to normal, and the color of the nipple and areola also returns to normal. This still falls under normal physiological changes.
Pathological Changes:
1. If the color of the nipple and areola deepens and is accompanied by severe itching around both nipples and areolas, a breast physical examination may find hyperplastic lesions or cystic hyperplasia in one or both breasts. The deepening of the nipple and areola color indicates an increase in estrogen levels in the body, and as target organs, the breasts develop diseases, which follows the pattern of disease progression.
2. Simple deepening of the nipple and areola color, becoming dark brown or blackish brown, or even small nodules appearing around the areolar glands forming protrusions, while no lesions are found during breast examination. One should consider whether the patient has a relatively serious liver disease? This is because liver disease leads to decreased liver function, and estrogen cannot be properly degraded in the liver, resulting in the deepening of the nipple and areola color. This is similar to the appearance of "spider angiomas" and "vermilion palms" in men with severe liver disease.
3. Women with certain benign ovarian tumors that cause increased estrogen secretion by the ovaries can lead to the deepening of the nipple and areola color. At the same time, many small nodules may appear around the areolar glands. Such patients should promptly visit the gynecology department to identify the cause and receive timely treatment.
Given this, during breast examinations, one must pay attention to changes in the color of the nipple and areola. It is necessary to determine whether the changes in the color of the nipple and areola are physiological or pathological, and based on the characteristics of the changes, make a clear diagnosis and provide active treatment.
What does nipple discharge mean?
Nipple discharge may just be a normal function of the breast. If that is the case, the problem of nipple discharge will resolve itself. Avoid stimulating the nipple, such as frequently checking for nipple leakage. Because stimulation can actually prolong the leakage issue.
Aside from being a normal physiological function of the breast, other causes of nipple discharge include:
Breast engorgement. Breast engorgement is the most common cause of nipple discharge.
Intraductal papilloma. An intraductal papilloma is a small, benign tumor that grows inside the milk duct.
Mammary fistula. Nipple discharge associated with mammary fistulas usually excretes a clear white fluid.
Injury. Impacts from airbags in car accidents or impacts on the breast during exercise can all lead to nipple discharge.
Cysts. Nipple discharge in lactating women is usually caused by cysts.
Fibrocystic changes. Fibrocystic changes in the breast cause the chest to swell and become fragile, and can excrete pale yellow or light green fluid.
Breast cancer. The probability of breast cancer causing nipple discharge is low, but nipple discharge can also indicate intraductal breast cancer or invasive breast cancer. If your discharge is bloody, spontaneous, and occurs only on one side of the breast, you need to consult a doctor promptly.
Is female nipple inversion a disease?
Nipple inversion is a common condition in women. The most common causes of nipple inversion are as follows:
Wearing clothes that are too tight. Especially during breast development, wearing underwear that is too tight can easily lead to nipple inversion.
Improper use of bras. Bras that are too small, too tight, or used too early can all cause nipple inversion.
Nipple inversion is also related to genetics. Clinical observations show that if mothers or grandmothers have a history of nipple inversion, the next generation is more likely to suffer from nipple inversion compared to normal people.
There are ways to correct and treat nipple inversion, but the key lies in prevention.
Prevention of nipple inversion should start during adolescence. If there is a history of nipple inversion in close relatives such as mothers or aunts, they should be considered as key targets for prevention.
What does nipple and areola itching mean?
Some patients may not yet have discovered any definite lumps in their breasts, but only experience itching and rashes in the nipple and areola area, looking like eczema. In fact, this could also indicate a special type of cancer, namely Paget’s disease, or eczematous breast cancer. Therefore, do not overlook small changes.
Of course, eczematous changes in the nipple and areola are not always cancer; some are simply eczema. So, what situations should raise particular concern? Generally speaking, if there are eczematous changes in the nipple and areola on one side and they persist for a long time without healing, the possibility of eczematous cancer is higher. Its main manifestations include initial severe itching or mild burning sensation in the nipple, followed by redness and slight erosion in the nipple and areola skin, with yellowish-brown or gray scaly crusts often adhering to the surface. The lesion area skin becomes rough, thickened, and hard, with clear boundaries from the surrounding areas. Later, it may also lead to nipple inversion or erosion on the affected side, or a palpable hard lump may be felt within the breast.