Cracked nipples most often result from chafing during sports and due to breastfeeding. Cracked nipples are characterized by red, irritated, and scabbed skin on or around the nipple. Using gentle creams and avoiding harsh soaps, chemicals, and tight clothing can help treat and prevent nipple cracking.
Symptoms of Nipple Chafing
Nipple chafing starts out as an uncomfortable burning, stinging sensation and can eventually lead to pain, irritation, and bleeding, which can make exercise seem unbearable at times. Common symptoms of nipple chafing include: Redness. Irritated, chapped, flaking skin.
Treatment of chafing, including runner's nipple, involves cleaning the area with soap and water, thoroughly drying and applying lubricating ointments like petroleum jelly or steroid ointment such as hydrocortisone to relieve inflammation. Occasionally, drying agents such as talcum and alum powder are used.
Superficial and recent soreness may clear in a matter of hours or days. However, long-established and profound wounds may require a up to 2 or 3 weeks to be entirely resolved even after the cause of the soreness has been eliminated.
In most cases, sore nipples are caused by hormonal changes from pregnancy or menstruation, allergies or friction from clothing. In rare cases, it can be a sign of a serious disease like breast cancer. Your healthcare provider should evaluate any pain that's accompanied by discharge or lumps as soon as possible.
Your nipples can chafe when they rub against clothing while you exercise or because your bra is too tight. It's usually more painful than itchy, but some women say the friction can feel like itching or burning.
Products like Vaseline or lanolin can help with dry or cracked nipples (although there's little evidence to show what really works well). After each feed, let your nipples dry before getting dressed – change your breast pads after every feed. Avoid using soap, as this can dry out your skin.
Chafed nipples are caused by the fabric on your vest, bra, or running shirt rubbing against your nipple. Nipple chafe in females is less common than in men, but nipple chafe can happen to women too if their sports bras are a little loose fitting.
Anyone, either male or female, can experience cracked nipples. The areola, the area of skin surrounding the nipple, and the nipple, are more delicate and prone to injury than most of the skin on the rest of the body. Cracked nipples can be caused by breastfeeding, chafing, or underlying skin conditions.
Chafed skin takes one to two days to heal, as long as it is treated immediately. If you leave chafed skin unattended or continue to participate in activities that exacerbate it, the chafed area can take longer to heal or become worse over time.
Milk blebs or blisters usually look like a tiny white or yellow spot about the size of a pinhead on your nipple, and often resemble a whitehead pimple. The skin surrounding a milk bleb may be red and inflamed, and you may feel pain while nursing.
Friction is the most common reason for the nipples to be sore. Friction can occur if the nipples rub against a shirt or poorly-fitting bra, during sports activities, such as running, surfing, or basketball. Friction on the nipple can often cause soreness and a stinging pain. The skin may also become dry or chapped.
A scab on your nipple is a normal reaction to a break in the skin. It can be a result of a variety of causes from breastfeeding to friction from your clothing. When your skin's broken, platelets in your blood — along with other things like the protein fibrin — start the clotting process.
The nipple has thin and delicate skin, making them prone to dryness, chafing, and redness. That's why it's worth incorporating a nipple cream or moisturizer into your routine that provides relief to dry skin and replenishes lost moisture.
You may have a thrush infection in your breasts if: you start to feel pain in both nipples or breasts after feeds, having previously had no pain after feeding. the pain can range from sore to severe and lasts for up to an hour after every feed.
What does a cracked nipple look like? Crusty, with flaky skin or scabs on or around your nipple. Red and dry, sometimes with more pronounced redness at the tip.
A crusted nipple and areola may occur as a secondary condition due to a patient's reluctance to touch or clean their breasts. Keywords: Crusted nipple and areola; hyperkeratosis of the nipple and areola; neglected nipples.
Applying moist heat to the affected area, soaking the breast in warm water with Epsom salts or gently rubbing the blister with a clean, warm washcloth to remove any skin obstructing the milk duct may provide some relief. This method may work well if the plugged nipple pore is caused by a blister.
A friction blister is a small pocket of puffy, raised skin containing clear fluid. It is usually painful when touched.
Thrush is caused by a yeast fungus, usually Candida albicans. Additional symptoms can include: Itchy or burning nipples that appear fiery red, shiny, flaky, and/or have a rash with tiny blisters. Cracked nipples.
With blanching, you might notice the following: A white or misshapen nipple as soon as it leaves your baby's mouth. A white stripe across your nipple. Some pain a few minutes later as circulation and blood flow returns.
Use petroleum jelly or baby powder on chafed areas until the skin heals. You can also use these before activities to prevent chafing in easily irritated areas, for example, on your inner thighs or upper arms before running.
Overnight relief to chafing
There are many simple and soothing ointment options, such as Vaseline or A&D. Even baby's diaper rash creams have worked well for some. Using it before bedtime will help it work overnight. Avoid touching or rubbing the skin in that area.