Stretch marks, changes in color or in the nipple … Your breast may be sending you signals about your health, but you may not quite understand what it wants to tell you. You may not have even noticed those little changes. So if you want us to help you interpret these signs and warnings, be sure to read the following article.
1. Stretch marks: it could be your hormones
The most widespread idea is that stretch marks appear when you gain weight quickly, because the skin stretches and breaks. But now it is known that stretch marks are decisively influenced by hormonal changes, such as those that occur in adolescence or during pregnancy. These hormonal changes decrease the amount of collagen and elastin, substances in the skin that keep it firm and elastic. To avoid stretch marks, protect the skin with creams with anti-stretch marks. Once they appear, stretch marks cannot be removed, but they can be reduced with treatments such as lasers.
2. Pain in the breasts: surely it is something benign
There are many causes why breasts can hurt, and most of them are benign. Pain can be caused by PMS, an ill-fitting bra, a slight bump to the chest when you hit something, when doing impact exercise, and even carrying a shoulder bag often. If your chest hurts, see your doctor to see what can cause the pain. Only in very rare cases can it warn of cancer.
3. Wrinkles: have you been over the sun?
The skin of the neckline is very thin, similar to that of the neck, and if you expose it a lot to the sun, it is easy for it to become dehydrated and age earlier. In the same way that you use cream with protection on the face, also apply it on the chest area. On the beach, the cream should not go below SPF 50; And during the rest of the year, use a sunscreen with an SPF greater than 20.
4. Cellulite in the chest: maybe it's cancer
If you notice that the skin of the chest shows a thickening, tiny dimples similar to those of the "orange skin" appear and it is accompanied by an inflammation of the breast, it could be indicating that there is an inflammatory breast cancer. Do not panic, but make an urgent appointment with your gynecologist.
5. Inverted nipple: is it something new?
If you have always had them out and you realize that one has gone in, go quickly to the doctor because it could be a sign of cancer. If, on the contrary, you have always had them inward, do not worry because it is part of your anatomy and they do not have to cause problems. However, keep an eye out for changes or this trend accentuates.
6. Changes in the color of the nipple: if you are not pregnant, pay attention to them
The color of the nipples varies greatly from one woman to another, but you should be aware of changes in your own color if you are not pregnant. If the changes occur in a single nipple or are accompanied by redness and itching, consult your gynecologist, because they can alert you to a rare type of cancer. If you are pregnant, it is normal for the nipple and areola to enlarge and darken.
7. Chest pain: what if it's the heart?
Many heart attacks start with a simple discomfort in the center of the chest that lasts a few minutes or that goes away and comes back. It feels like uncomfortable pressure, a choking sensation, and / or pain. If you recognize these symptoms, you feel more tired or anxious than usual, you have heartburn, nausea, dizziness or cold sweats, go quickly to the ER.
8. Smaller breasts: could it be the coffee?
It is common for breasts to be reduced in size when losing weight, lowering estrogen levels after stopping the pill or during the phase before the arrival of menopause. But, according to a Swedish study, coffee could also be responsible. Drinking three cups a day or more will decrease breast volume in the long run, so don't overdo it.
9. Nipple discharge: what are they like?
The abnormal discharge from the nipples can vary widely and have different causes. Although secretions in the breasts are generally due to a benign disorder, they should be treated by a doctor, especially if they come from a single breast and occur without squeezing the breast. If you notice any type of fluid coming out of your chest, consult your doctor. We identify 4 different types:
- With pus and a bad smell. The discharge may be caused by a breast infection (mastitis).
- Transparent or bloody. It usually occurs in only one breast and can be caused by a benign tumor.
- Greenish. It can be different shades of green or greenish-brown or bloody, and is thick and sticky. It can be caused by a benign tumor (fibroadenoma) or by a benign widening of the ducts in the breast.
- Milky If it is not given during pregnancy or breastfeeding, it may be due to a thyroid problem, which causes a hormonal imbalance.
10. Breast lump: benign or malignant tumor?
Before you get carried away by nervousness, identify what the lump in your chest is like. There are these four:
- It is squishy and it moves. If it is not anchored in the tissue and you feel it, it is probably a fat lump or lipoma. The malignant tumor, unlike this one, is hard and remains fixed on the skin.
- Closed bag. It is under the skin and its growth is usually slow, although it can sometimes change in size quickly. All this usually indicates that it is a cyst, what happens is that if it is hard and is in a deep area, it can be mistaken for a tumor.
- Rounded and hard. It is usually a fibroadenoma and is common in women whose breasts are very fibrous; but as it has little mobility, it can be confused with a malignant tumor, so it is always better to consult a specialist.
- Various and irregular. More than lumps, what you can notice are the glands and ducts of the breast. This usually happens in women whose breasts have little fat tissue.
Whatever type it is, always consult with your gynecologist.
