If you’ve got eczema, you’re not alone.
This condition typically causes dry, itchy skin.
Look out for swelling, pain, orpus drainingfrom your skin.
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See your doctor if you suspect you have an infection.
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Sometimes, a trigger for an outbreak can be identified, but not always.
Reproduced with permission from ©DermNet NZ and © Waikato District Health Boardwww.dermnetnz.org2022
Irritants and environmental conditions can also be triggers.
If you have other allergies, you are more likely to develop eczema as well.
Dry skin is also more prone to an eczema flare-up.
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Nipple Eczema
Eczema can affect your nipples.
However, your family doctor might be the first medical professional to recognize your symptoms.
Patch Test
Breast eczema is identified during a physical exam performed by your doctor.
Allergic skin reactions are different than some allergies that cause immediate symptoms.
Skin reactions can take hours or days to show up.
After 48 hours, you will go back to the doctor to have the patches removed.
The doctor will look for a reaction, or redness, under each of the patches.
You might also have itching or pain in the affected area.
After another four to seven days, you will return to the doctor again for another exam.
Some allergic reactions take this amount of time to show up.
However, this short-term discomfort can help you avoid your allergen and save you from long-term symptoms.
This can help your doctor identify the underlying cause of your allergy and help you avoid triggers.
Treatment
There’s no cure for breast eczema, or eczema on other parts of the body.
The best treatment for breast eczema is avoiding the allergen that’s causing your symptoms.
Breast Milk for Eczema
Breast milk contains antibodies and other substances that help repair skin cells.
Rubbing a few drops of breast milk into your nipples can help soothe irritated skin.
Each person will experience different triggers, so seeing a dermatologist to assess your allergies can be helpful.
A doctor can also work with you to find your best options for treatment.
Breastfeeding has not been shown to affect your risk of developing eczema.
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Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.Skin infections.
National Eczema Association.Eczema causes and triggers.
Breastcancer.org.Eczema of the nipple.
American Academy of Dermatology Association.Patch testing can find what’s causing your rash.
American Academy of Family Physicians.Eczema and atopic dermatitis.
National Eczema Association.Eczema and emotional wellness.
Witkowska-Zimny M, Kaminska-El-Hassan E, Wrobel E.Milk therapy: unexpected uses for human breast milk.Nutrients.
2019;11(5):944. doi:10.3390/nu11050944
