or some women, having itchy breasts is an occasional discomfort. But for many women, breasts and nipples that constantly itch can be an embarrassing problem that affects their quality of life.
In many cases, breasts and nipples become itchy because of hormonal changes or, it could be something as simple as a bra causing an allergic reaction. However, some causes of breast itching are more serious and are caused by inflammation, infections, or even cancer.
There are many home remedies that help to soothe itchy breasts while pregnant or breastfeeding. Also, if the itch on your breast or around your nipple is caused by a fungal infection or eczema, ingredients like coconut oil, aloe vera, and tea tree oil will also help get rid of the underlying cause of the itch. Even if your breasts are itchy around the time of your period, many homemade remedies will provide relief from the discomfort itchy breasts can cause.
In this article, you will learn why sometimes you have itchy breasts and how you can relieve the itching. You will also find out more serious causes of itching nipples and breasts and when you should see a doctor about the breast irritation.
Itchy Breast Symptoms
Various conditions can cause mild to severe itching in your breasts and around the nipple area. You may have a red rash on your breast or under your breast that feels itchy. In cases of eczema or dermatitis, the rash on your breast may blister and start to ooze fluid and then crust over.
Unfortunately, scratching the itch on your breast may also cause further bacterial skin infections that may make the itch more difficult to treat.
If the reason for itching on one or both of your breasts is due to an inflammatory condition, you may feel warmness around the itchy red patch of skin. When breast itching happens along with your monthly period you may also have other symptoms like lumpy breasts, tenderness, and swelling in your breasts.
Causes of Itchy Breasts
Let’s look at the various reasons of breast and nipple itching before looking at the best home remedies to cure itchy breasts.
Atopic dermatitis
One of the most common causes of suffering from itchy breasts is atopic dermatitis, or sometimes called eczema. The breast itching can be very severe if you have patches of eczema on the breasts and you will probably also have a red rash.
Nurse practitioner, Dr. Jane Harrison-Hohner on WebMD says that atopic dermatitis that causes itchy breasts can happen in women of all ages. Factors like dry skin, over reaction to allergens, being in water for too long, or stress can cause flare-ups of eczema. Dr. Harrison-Hohner recommends keeping your breasts well moisturized to help prevent itchiness and rashes caused by atopic dermatitis.1
Dr. William Shiel on MedicineNet says that chronic eczema can also cause thickened patches of scaling skin. However, swelling, weeping, and crusting skin along with severe itching is also common with atopic dermatitis.2
Contact dermatitis
Another skin condition that can cause breasts to itch terribly is contact dermatitis. This type of dermatitis is caused by hypersensitivity to substances that inflame the skin and cause itchiness. For example, certain cosmetics, fragrances, or topical medications can cause the skin on your breasts to become irritated, red, and itchy.
The Indian Journal of Dermatology reported that contact dermatitis can sometimes cause similar symptoms to Paget’s disease which is a rare type of breast cancer that affects the nipple. One woman had persistent nipple itching with fluid oozing and crusting over. It was found that contact dermatitis due to using topical steroid creams was to blame for the itchy rash on her breast.3
In many cases, contact dermatitis can be prevented by avoiding the irritant that is causing the patches of blotchy, itchy red skin on your breast or nipple.
Jogger’s nipple
Women who enjoy sports and exercising are often affected by itchy nipples which are sometimes called “jogger’s nipple.” Although chafing can affect any part of the breast, the website SportsInjuryClinic.net says that friction burns on the nipple caused by constant rubbing of a T-shirt are often to blame.4
The journal Sports Medicine lists “jogger’s nipple” as one of the common skin disorders among athletes.5
To prevent developing itchy nipples and breasts after running, you should make sure and wear the right type of sports bra and apply an emollient before taking part in sports.
Pregnancy and breastfeeding
If you are pregnant, there is a high chance that you will suffer from itchy breasts at some point during your pregnancy.
Many women who are pregnant report that persistent breast itching is common while expecting a baby. This could be from the fact that breasts tend to become larger which stretches the skin and makes it more sensitive.