[feary]

Hello.

The past few days, I have had an itchy rash that developed on the right side of my right breast. I also noticed that when I touch that area, it feels harder than usual and there are small dot sized raised bumps on and around my areola.

Should I be concerned about this? Someone please advise. Thank you.

[bipolarmedstudent]

Originally Posted by feary

Hello.

The past few days, I have had an itchy rash that developed on the right side of my right breast. I also noticed that when I touch that area, it feels harder than usual and there are small dot sized raised bumps on and around my areola.

Should I be concerned about this? Someone please advise. Thank you.

It could (and probably is) just a skin rash. Has it been growing in surface area, or staying the same size? One thing to do right away is to get out a permanent marker and outline the rash, so you can track it's growth.

It could also be mastitis (an infection of the breast) -- for which you would need antibiotics.

But it could also be Inflammatory Breast Cancer, which is rare, but spreads very quickly, so it needs to be diagnosed right away. Inflammatory Breast Cancer looks like a warm red rash, and there is no lump.

Because of the possibility of inflammatory breast cancer (however rare, it is still a possibility), I think you should go to your doctor right away (if it were me, I would try to go tomorrow if possible). Because many GP's know little about inflammatory breast cancer, I would also print out an information sheet on the disorder and ask your doctor for a mammogram + ultrasound.

My intention is not to alarm you. Again, it's probably just a skin rash, or it could be mastitis (which is an infection of the breast). In fact, I had a similar rash on my right breast 2 years ago and it was nothing. It went away on it's on after a couple months. But because of the tiny but serious risk of inflammatory breast cancer, you do need to take this seriously, just in case. It's just one of those rare things you need to rule out to be safe.

For you own peace of mind though, don't go run off googling inflammatory breast cancer!

BTW, here is an info sheet you can bring in to your GP:
http://ww5.komen.org/uploadedFiles/C...806-03202a.pdf

Please remember, I'm not trying to scare you. I just want to make sure you are informed so you can best advocate for your health. If you have any questions, feel free to PM me, and I'll do my best to answer.

[BDPpartner]

Good advise go and see your doctor. I had a rash develop on my breasts and it kept getting worse, turned out to be stress related. The doctor gave me something to stop the itching, but i couldn't wear a bra for a good wk or more coz it rubbed and made it worse too. I sure it's nothing to worry about but it's always nice to have your mind put at rest. Big hugs

[Perna]

Here's the Mayo Clinic's advice about when to see a doctor for a breast rash and how to treat it at home yourself if it's not doctor-worthy:

http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/bre...o-see-a-doctor