For example, if you lift your arms, you may notice an indentation or puckering, like a dimple or a dent. “When this happens, it means the skin overlying the breast is being pulled in or retracted by some process within the breast,” says Richard Reitherman, M.D., Ph.
The growth of a tumor within the breast may pull at the tissue above it, which can cause the skin to dimple. A tumor growing close to the surface of the breast may cause the skin above it to ripple. A rare form of breast cancer, which occurs in the cells of the milk ducts, can also cause dimpled skin.
What's Considered “Normal” Dimpling? Normal dimpling is usually due to noncancerous lumps or fat necrosis, often confused with breast cancer. Fat necrosis can cause firm, round lumps to form in the breast, but they are not cancerous. 11 The skin around the lump may look dimpled, thickened, bruised, or red.
Breast symptoms to look out for:
a new lump or thickening in your breast or armpit. a change in size, shape or feel of your breast. skin changes in the breast such as puckering, dimpling, a rash or redness of the skin.
Also known as peau d'orange, dimpling of the breast causes the skin to look like the pitting and uneven skin of an orange. Sometimes, the skin can also be red and inflamed. The following changes may also occur: Skin changes: The area around the breast, nipple, or areola may appear red, scaly, or swollen.
Puckering, dimpling, or scaling of the breast are also possible signs of benign breast disease. Problems with the nipple might also be a clue. Nipple discharge or nipples that are creased, inverted, or scaly may indicate benign breast disease.
Breast dimpling or thickening
These symptoms are often associated with inflammatory breast cancer (IBC), a rare but aggressive disease that usually does not involve a lump and may not be detected by a mammogram. IBC symptoms are caused by cancer cells blocking lymph vessels in the skin.
In some people, dimples last only until adolescence or young adulthood, while in others they are a lifetime trait. Dimples that have a similar appearance can occur in successive generations of a family.
They are categorized as those opposite the angle of the mouth (para-angle), those below (lower para-angle) the angle of the mouth, and those above (upper para-angle) the angle of the mouth. Lower para-angle dimple is the most common type of facial dimple.
Puckering may be so slight it only looks like a mild indentation and it may resolve after you've moved your arms back into a normal position. Along with puckering, another possible sign of breast cancer is breast dimpling. Dimpling is a type of condition that resembles the skin of an orange.
a change in the size, outline or shape of your breast. a change in the look or feel of the skin on your breast, such as puckering or dimpling, a rash or redness. a new lump, swelling, thickening or bumpy area in one breast or armpit that was not there before. a discharge of fluid from either of your nipples.
Just because you might have a dimple or two, it's not automatically cause for concern. Breast skin and tissue often goes through shifts due to various natural transitions, such as pregnancy, breastfeeding, weight loss and gain, menstrual periods, and aging.
Skin puckering or dimpling
Dimpling can often result from scar tissue forming in the breast, whether due to previous surgery, infection or obesity. However a specific type of dimpling known as 'Peau d'orange' is important to recognize as it is associated with inflammatory breast cancer.
As fat cells increase, they push up against the skin. Tough, long connective cords pull down. This creates an uneven surface or dimpling, often referred to as cellulite. Cellulite is a very common, harmless skin condition that causes lumpy, dimpled flesh on the thighs, hips, buttocks and abdomen.
The skin on your breasts should naturally be more or less flat and smooth. Again, consistency is key. Bumps and birthmarks that are always present are not a problem. A sudden change in the skin on your breasts should be reported to a doctor.
A tumor may feel more like a rock than a grape. A cancerous lump is usually hard, not soft or squishy. And it often has angular, irregular, asymmetrical edges, as opposed to being smooth, Dr. Comander says.
It appears as a red, scaly rash on the skin of the nipple and areola. The affected skin is often sore and inflamed, and it can be itchy or cause a burning sensation. The nipple can sometimes be ulcerated. The rash is often similar in appearance to other skin conditions, such as eczema or psoriasis.
Visually inspect your breasts with your arms at your sides. Next, raise your arms high overhead. Look for any changes in the contour, any swelling, or dimpling of the skin, or changes in the nipples. Next, rest your palms on your hips and press firmly to flex your chest muscles.
Fat necrosis feels like a firm, round lump or lumps. It's usually painless, but in some people it may feel tender or even painful. The skin around the lump may look thickened, red, bruised or occasionally dimpled. Sometimes fat necrosis can cause the nipple to be pulled in.
A breast lump that's painless, hard, irregularly shaped and different from surrounding breast tissue might be breast cancer. Skin covering the lump may look red, dimpled or pitted like the skin of an orange. Your breast size and shape may change, or you may notice discharge from the nipple.
There are many possible causes of non-cancerous (benign) breast lumps. Two of the most common causes of benign single breast lumps are cysts and fibroadenomas. In addition, several other conditions can present themselves as lumps, such as fat necrosis and sclerosing adenosis.
The accumulating abnormal cells infiltrate and clog the lymphatic vessels in the skin of the breast. The blockage in the lymphatic vessels causes red, swollen and dimpled skin — a classic sign of inflammatory breast cancer.
You can have breast cancer without knowing it for several years, depending on how quickly it starts, grows, and spreads. Annually, almost 288,000 new breast cancer cases are diagnosed in the United States. More than half of these cancers are found before they spread beyond the breast.
Skin "dimpling" or "puckering" is distinct from "tethering," as the former is the latter's presentation on inspection, which is a concavity or sunken appearance of the skin. Tethering is elicited on palpation of the lump in relation to the surrounding skin.