Eczema of the nipples is a fairly common disease of the skin among women, which is one of the types of dermatosis. The special clinical picture that accompanies this pathology is very uncomfortable and unpleasant, but if you seek help from a specialist in time, it will not be difficult to completely overcome the ailment.
There are a lot of factors that provoke the development of eczema of the nipples, however, it is still impossible to establish for what specific reason a particular case occurs. Many experienced doctors agree that the disease is a consequence of a deterioration in the immune system. And in order for specific signs of eczema of the nipples to occur, the action of certain provoking factors is necessary.
Main reasons
Dermatosis occurs in most cases against the background of diseases and impaired functioning of internal organs, and also accompanies skin pathologies. Among the factors that can provoke the development of eczema of the nipples, the following can be distinguished:
- diseases of the gastrointestinal tract, kidneys and liver;
- disturbances in the endocrine system;
- problems with the metabolic process;
- a long course of treatment with antibiotic drugs and other medicines;
- regular interaction with harmful chemicals that can provoke allergic reactions;
- infectious diseases (microbial, fungal);
- parasitic diseases;
- hereditary predisposition;
- psychosomatic causes.
How to recognize a disease?
The clinical picture of the initial stage of nipple eczema in many ways resembles ordinary dermatosis in other parts of the skin. Pathology quickly becomes chronic. The course of the disease has a wave-like type: the symptoms are aggravated, then replaced by a period of remission. During such a sluggish state, therapeutic actions have practically no effect. That is why eczema is often accompanied by complications. And although this type of disease is not contagious, that is, it is not transmitted from person to person, the external manifestations of the pathology are not at all attractive.
Symptomatology
With the disease, the following symptoms may occur:
- A pronounced inflammatory process in the areola zone.
- The apparent boundaries of the affected areas, the visible contour of the lesion.
- A spotty-papular rash that is filled with a translucent liquid.
- The skin is dry and flaky.
- There are painful sensations, burning and itching around the nipples.
- Cracks appear on the nipples, from which fluid is released.
The disease in pregnant and lactating
Many lactating women are prone to eczema. The fact is that during breastfeeding, the baby can injure the nipple, this can cause the development of the disease. The maculopapular rash, which is characteristic of the early stages, after a couple of days develops into vesicles and small erosions filled with fluid. Then, the affected areas are covered with crusts-flakes of a light brown shade.
In pregnant women, this disease can also occur quite often. Low immunity and a weakened body lead to the easy penetration of various infectious diseases. If a woman already had chronic skin pathologies, there is a risk of developing eczema of the nipples. If a girl suffers from chronic dermatosis, then the exacerbation of dermatological problems with nipples is understandable. The treatment of the disease in this position is very limited, since it is extremely undesirable for active drugs to enter the body.
Possible complications
It is usually not difficult to get rid of a disease that has a mild course, however, even after effective and efficient treatment, patients may often have spots on the chest. After complications “as a keepsake”, serious redness remains. However, this is far from the most unpleasant that pathology can leave behind. A more serious consequence of eczema is the development of a secondary bacterial infection.
Of particular danger is herpetic breast eczema , which develops in conjunction with the human herpes simplex virus that has got into or is activated in the body. Along with eczema, infection carries a big risk for pregnant women and their babies. The difficulty is that it is very difficult to recognize the presence of herpes in the body, since rashes of a viral vesicular nature have almost no difference from the symptoms of eczema. The only sign of a secondary infection may be complicated symptoms like fever.
Recommendations for the effective treatment of eczema
- If the general condition of the nipples is extremely severe and painful, it is better for a nursing mother to stop breastfeeding.
- If the disease is chronic, it is better to switch to a special hypoallergenic menu, consisting mainly of plant foods and foods high in protein.
- When buying underwear, pay special attention to the materials from which it is made. So, it is better to choose a bra from natural, cotton fabrics, refuse woolen, flannel and synthetic products.
- Be sure to change your underwear every day.
- Body care products should consist of hypoallergenic components.
- During an exacerbation of the disease, it is desirable to perform water procedures less often.
Where to start treatment?
Getting rid of stains on the chest and other symptoms of eczema takes a lot of time, as well as effort and patience, since it is imperative to follow all the doctor's recommendations. Sometimes specialists are in no hurry with medical treatment in the hope that the body can independently overcome dermatological pathology. If after some time no positive results are observed, the doctor prescribes a special course of treatment.
Naturally, it will not be possible to get rid of the pathology on its own if it has a fungal or bacterial nature. In any case, before curing eczema, you must first change your lifestyle and revise your diet. From the daily menu, you should exclude those products that can cause an allergic reaction.
Diet
- Those who are interested in how to cure eczema should include more dairy and sour-milk products in the menu.
- The use of a large number of vegetables and fruits is recommended to provide the body with the missing vitamins and minerals.
- It is important to eat protein foods of animal origin, while their fat content should be within reach. These include chicken, rabbit, turkey and beef.
- Eating river or sea fish is recommended at least twice a week.
- Be sure to include whole grain cereals in the menu, for example, oatmeal, buckwheat, brown rice.
Also, during treatment it is worth giving up spicy, smoked, salted and fried foods. Exclude sweet foods, bakery products, spirits and sodas, coffee from your menu. In addition to drug therapy, very often resort to other types of treatment of the skin. For example, after consulting with your doctor, you can try eczema treatment with folk remedies at home. A comprehensive and comprehensive fight against pathology should bear fruit.
There is no way to determine how quickly the disease will recede. This mainly depends on the general well-being and strength of the body, the duration of the disease and the frequency of relapses (if we talk about chronic pathology). The disease is especially complex in older people. The faster the patient will resort to medical care, the easier and faster the course of treatment.
Diagnostic measures
In the traditional clinical picture, it is not difficult to diagnose eczema of the nipples. It is more problematic to determine the disease if the symptoms are blurred or do not proceed as they should. One of the diagnostic tasks is to eliminate the likelihood of a secondary infection. The most effective diagnostic methods are:
- Sowing scraping and microscopy. If eczema is microbial in nature, then pathogens can be detected in the test material.
- The level of immunoglobulins. With this nipple disease, an increase in IgE is observed, which is a sign of an allergic reaction, even if the disease is in remission.
- A study of histamine levels in the blood. With dermatosis of an allergic nature, as well as with eczema on the nipples, the level of histamine in the blood is significantly increased.
If the disease is of a sluggish nature and serious symptoms, they resort to examining the fluid or biopsy from the lesion that is secreted from the nipples, ultrasound examination of the mammary glands, mammography, and also an allergy test. Differential diagnosis is carried out with cracks in the nipples, if there is a rash of herpetic type, the inflammatory process of the skin in the areola, as well as with Paget's cancer. If necessary, send for consultation to a dermatologist, oncologist, allergist or infectious disease specialist who can prescribe ointments for eczema and dermatitis.
Essential medicines for treatment
Drug treatment is individual for each patient, however, the scheme by which all specialists prescribe their course of therapy is the same for everyone. So, first of all, antihistamine-type drugs are prescribed. Such medications eliminate the symptoms of the disease. Of the common antihistamines, the following can be distinguished:
- "Loratadine."
- Pipolfen.
- Zirtek.
- "Loratin."
- Fenistil.
Some doctors consider it necessary to cope with the intoxication of the body before treating eczema itself. To remove harmful substances resort to such absorbents:
- Multisorb.
- Enterosgel.
- Entegnin.
- Atoxil.
With a complicated course of the disease and serious lesions of the nipples, it will be necessary to include hormonal drugs in the treatment.
Drugs for local treatment
As a local treatment, creams or ointments for eczema and dermatitis with corticosteroids are prescribed, such as:
- "Celestoderm."
- Triderm.
- Sinaflan.
- Sinalar.
- Ultralan.
- "Flucinar."
- With eczema of the nipples, Dermoveit ointment shows good results.
Do not start the disease. The sooner you start treatment, the faster you will get rid of this unpleasant pathology.