Montgomery glands (also called tubercles) are small sebaceous glands found around the nipple and areola (the area of pigmented skin around the nipple). Just like other sebaceous glands around the hair follicles on your body, they secrete an oily or waxy substance that helps to lubricate the skin.
Nipple discharge is very common. Fluid can be obtained from the nipples of approximately 50–70% of normal women when special techniques, massage, or devices such as breast pumps are used. This discharge of fluid from a normal breast is referred to as 'physiological discharge'.
These swollen glands can be filled with a waxy substance, giving them the appearance of a spot or a pimple with a yellowish or white head. These are harmless. You should avoid squeezing, popping or trying to unclog Montgomery glands because this could lead to infection or skin injury.
The crustiness you're referring to is likely related to the discharge from the nipple that has dried, forming a crusty scale. In most cases, nipple discharge is nothing to worry about. It could be due to cysts in the breasts, non-cancerous tumors, or infection, among other conditions.
Similarly to elsewhere on the body, a blocked pore can cause a pimple on the nipple. Dead skin cells and sebum, which is the body's natural oil, can lead to a pimple almost anywhere on the body, and the nipples are no exception. Hormones are a common cause of pimples that appear anywhere on the body.
Tubercles around the breast and nipples should not be squeezed or picked at. Although they look a bit like small pimples that could be popped, they're a normal part of your breast anatomy and should be left alone.
What does a sebum plug look like? Sebum plugs usually start out white or yellowish in colour but can turn darker if the pore is open and they are exposed to air. They can occur anywhere on the body, but usually form on the face, scalp, chest and back because that is where we produce the most sebum.
Nipple discharge can be normal in women or people assigned female at birth (AFAB). It's always abnormal in men or people assigned male at birth (AMAB). Hormones, lactation or sexual arousal can be normal causes for nipple discharge. Abnormal causes could be from tumors, infection or rarely, breast cancer.
Paget's disease of the nipple always starts in the nipple and may extend to the areola. 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.
Nurse or pump frequently: As painful as it feels, don't stop pumping or nursing. This can help open the nipple pore. Some people find relief by placing their baby's chin against the duct to better drain the clogged area. Apply heat: Place a warm washcloth or heating pad on the milk bleb several times a day.
The skin of the nipple and areola often looks crusted, scaly, and red. There may be blood or yellow fluid coming out of the nipple. Sometimes the nipple looks flat or inverted. It also might burn or itch.
The clinical spectrum of autoimmune mastitis is broad: while some patients are asymptomatic, others have severe, recurrent breast inflammation, painful nodules, nipple discharge or retraction, and/or lymphadenopathy.
Paget's disease of the breast occurs most often after age 50. Most people with this diagnosis also have underlying ductal breast cancer, either in situ — meaning in its original place — or, less commonly, invasive breast cancer. Only rarely is Paget's disease of the breast confined to the nipple itself.
If you squeeze sebaceous filaments, a waxy, threadlike structure may pop out of your pore. However, you may not squeeze anything out, or you may squeeze out a tiny amount of oil. You should avoid squeezing your sebaceous filaments.
The symptoms of scalp buildup include the flaky scalp, crusty skin, redness on the scalp, and itchy scalp. If you have long-term sebum build-up, then you may also begin to experience complications. These include folliculitis, hairline acne, oily dandruff, and seborrheic dermatitis.
The short answer is that you technically can squeeze them, but you really shouldn't. Dr. Purvisha Patel, MD, a board-certified dermatologist and founder of Visha Skincare, says that while squeezing a sebaceous filament can make a “stringy, wormlike structure come out of the pores,” it's best to leave them alone.
The glands supply the skin with sebum and are visible primarily because of the very thin nature of the skin in these areas. Small amounts of white, pasty material can be expressed from areolar glands with digital manipulation, although the material reforms very quickly. On occasion, they can become slightly inflamed.
These secretions also contain antibacterial properties that can protect your breasts and your baby from certain infections. Sometimes, Montgomery's tubercles become so enlarged that they look like fluid-filled pimples. You may be tempted to try to pop them, but don't: That can invite infection.
Dermatitis, eczema, psoriasis, and allergic reactions are all conditions that can cause skin rashes. If the rash is over the nipples, the skin of can become dry, scaly, and split. These cracks may bleed or become infected and start oozing.
Osteoporosis drugs (bisphosphonates) are the most common treatment for Paget's disease of bone. Bisphosphonates are typically given by injection into a vein, but they can also be taken by mouth. When taken orally, bisphosphonates are generally well tolerated but can irritate the stomach.
Three phases of Paget disease have been described: lytic, mixed lytic and blastic, and sclerotic. In an individual patient, different skeletal lesions may progress at different rates. Thus, at any one time, multiple stages of the disease may be demonstrated in different skeletal regions.
Clogged pores on the chest can make breasts feel inflamed, lumpy, or discolored. Clogged pores may also appear as whiteheads, blackheads or cystic pimples. Inflammation: Clogged pores can lead to inflammation, making breasts feel warm to the touch, swollen, red or irritated.