Dry skin can be hard to avoid during the cold months. For many women, the nuisance of chapped hands pales in comparison to the uncomfortable dryness around their nipples and areolas.
If you’re reading this, you’ve likely experienced it, for any number of reasons.
While it rarely comes up on skincare sites, dry and itchy skin around the nipples is not an uncommon issue. Various factors can lead to it, including excessive sweating, dermatitis, and even an uncomfortable bra. Sometimes, the reason isn’t always clear-cut.
If the sensation is severe, see a board-certified dermatologist. For more minor cases, you may be able to find relief with certain over-the-counter products and adjustments to your daily routine. More on that in a moment. First, let’s dig deeper into what could be causing this discomfort.
What causes dry nipples?
Nipple skin and breast skin are slightly different, although both are thinner than other areas of your body, making the nipples and breasts particularly prone to dryness and irritation. Nipple skin is hair-free, has more glands than breast skin, and rests on smooth muscle. It also has many nerve endings, which can make it especially sensitive.
As mentioned above, the wrong bra (both in terms of fit and material) can chafe the skin around the nipples and breasts. As can not wearing a bra at all. In this instance, the friction between the nipple and clothing can lead to irritation.
Other reasons for dry nipple and breast skin include exposure to cold or dry air, overly hot showers, and irritating fragrances or body products. Eczema, a condition that causes skin to become inflamed, red, itchy, and scaly, is another possibility, even if you’ve never been diagnosed with it before or you don’t have it elsewhere on your body.
Hormonal factors could also be at play. Most of the time, when women experience abnormal dryness in and around the nipple, it’s because of a hormonal imbalance, whether it’s pregnancy or menopause. Pregnancy increases progesterone and estrogen, which can cause breast and nipple skin to become even thinner, making it more susceptible to dryness.
Menstruation can also cause a fluctuation in these hormones, with the same result.
Different aspects of breastfeeding – pumping issues, poor latching, or trauma to the area – can lead to dry and itchy nipples and areolas, too.
Can I treat it on my own?
If the irritation you’re experiencing is recent, try to pinpoint what’s changed in the last week. Did you wear a new bra? Try a new bar soap or bodywash? Has the weather become appreciably colder or suddenly dryer? Then try removing the irritant, if possible, and see if it makes a difference. (Obviously, there’s little you can do about weather changes.)
In the meantime, shower with a gentle, fragrance-free cleanser like Aveeno Skin Relief body wash or Dove Sensitive Skin Body Wash. Leave your skin slightly damp after your shower and try to apply moisturizer to your whole body within a couple minutes of toweling off. This will enable the moisturizer to seal in all that available moisture. You may also want to consider using a thicker cream or balm on your breasts and nipples.
If you’re pregnant, nursing, or going through menopause, share your symptoms with your gynecologist.
When to see a dermatologist
If after two weeks the dryness and itching remain, see a dermatologist for more clarity. They may be able to pick up on other potential factors that you’re missing. A dermatologist will also be able to determine if the dryness is, in fact, eczema and provide a targeted treatment.
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