Small pimples on areola during breastfeeding

Women who are breastfeeding are very concerned about changes in their breasts and nipples. During this period, the breasts may sometimes feel swollen and painful, which may be due to pathological reasons or the accumulation of milk. The best way to identify this is to go to the hospital and let the doctor make a determination. Sometimes the areola will also change. Many mothers report that they have small bumps on their areola during breastfeeding, which is a relatively normal phenomenon. This article introduces the changes in the areola during lactation. Let’s take a look.

The areola is the ring-shaped area of ​​darker pigmentation around the nipple. The diameter of the areola is about 3 to 4 cm, and its color varies. It is rose red during puberty, and the pigmentation deepens to dark brown during pregnancy and lactation. It always gets darker after pregnancy and never fades. However, the color of the areola varies from person to person, and one cannot simply judge a woman's sexual experience or whether she has given birth based on the color of her areola. It is normal to have small bumps on the areola, but sometimes it is also a basic sign of some gynecological diseases:

1. Small bumps on the areola may be neurofibromas: they are often part of systemic fibromatosis, with groups of soft or light brown-pigmented pendulous tumors growing from the nipple and areola area, causing no discomfort. The body surface is often covered with scattered tumor-like masses and pigmented spots. Surgical removal is usually not required. If the tumor is large, ulcerated, or unsightly, it can be removed individually.

2. Small bumps on the areola may be breast lipoma: it is the most common benign tumor on the body surface. It can occur in any structure with adipose tissue, but is most common on the body surface and in the breast. It mostly occurs in obese female patients, and the age of onset is mostly between 30 and 50 years old. The main manifestations are single, round or lobed soft masses with clear boundaries, slow growth, and very few malignant changes. Treatment is mainly surgical resection. However, the surgery should be thorough; if there is any residue, it will inevitably cause recurrence. The resected tissue should be sent for pathological examination to avoid missed diagnosis due to the combination of other tumors.

3. Small bumps on the areola may be soft fibroma: also known as skin tags, fibroepithelial papilloma or fibrolipoma. It often occurs in the nipple area. The surface of the tumor is basically consistent with the surrounding skin. It is connected to the skin by a pedicle and has a soft texture. If the skin tag is large and unsightly, it should be removed from the pedicle, including some normal tissue.

It turns out that a small pimple can reveal so many problems. Therefore, we should not underestimate the pimples on the areola and should pay attention to them. Once we delay the treatment, it will be very difficult to deal with in the later stage. In fact, no matter it is a problem with the areola or other abnormalities, we should pay attention to it and solve it as soon as possible.