My breasts itch and red spots appear when I scratch them. What's going on?

If your breasts itch and red spots appear when you scratch them, this may be caused by eczema. Breast eczema is relatively common in postpartum mothers. It is closely related to breastfeeding and adverse stimulation. As a mother, you should encourage your child to suck the breast more. At this time, you should pay attention to the cleanliness of the breast. You can use hot compresses to regulate it. In addition, you should also pay attention to your diet and avoid eating foods that are prone to cause allergies.

Causes of Breast Eczema

1. External causes of breast eczema

(1) Dry skin, excessive sweating, scratching, friction and other dietary factors of postpartum mothers may induce breast eczema.

(2) Many mothers develop breast eczema due to allergic irritation to animal fur, topical medications, certain soaps, cosmetics, dyes, etc.

(3) When mothers are breastfeeding, the babies suckle their breasts repeatedly, causing local irritation such as excessive moisture in the breasts, which can induce allergic reactions in the nipples and surrounding skin, leading to breast eczema.

(4) During the confinement period after childbirth, an unsuitable living environment can also lead to breast eczema, such as poor ventilation in the room, exposure to sunlight and ultraviolet rays, etc.

2. Internal causes of breast eczema

(1) Postpartum mothers consume a lot of energy and their physical constitution is generally poor. When taking certain medications orally, it is easy to cause endocrine disorders and cause eczema bacterial infection.

(2) If mothers suffer from chronic digestive system diseases, endocrine dysfunction and other diseases, the lesions and parasites in the body will make the mothers develop allergic constitution and be easily infected by eczema bacteria.

(3) Many mothers develop breast eczema due to mental factors such as long-term insomnia, mental stress, and excessive fatigue.

(4) Allergies caused by foods such as fish and shrimp can also cause breast eczema in mothers.

Treatment of breast eczema

1. General prevention and control principles

(1) Try to find out the cause of the disease, have an in-depth understanding of your work environment, living habits, diet, thoughts and emotions, and conduct a comprehensive body examination to determine whether there are any chronic diseases or internal organ diseases, so as to eliminate possible pathogenic factors.

(2) Mothers who are ill should avoid all kinds of external stimulation, such as washing with hot water, violent scratching, and excessive washing.

(3) It is best not to eat fish, shrimp, strong tea, coffee, alcohol, etc., which are allergenic and irritating foods.

(4) Medication should be used under the guidance of a doctor. If breast eczema is accompanied by breastfeeding, weaning can be used.

2. Drug treatment

(1) Internal therapy. Antihistamines can be used to relieve itching. For mothers with acute or subacute generalized breast eczema, intravenous infusion of calcium bromide, calcium gluconate or sodium thiosulfate solution can be used under the guidance of a doctor.

(2)Topical therapy Choose appropriate dosage form and medication according to the severity of breast lesions. For mothers with small-scale subacute eczema, they can use glucocorticoid cream under the guidance of a doctor. The effect will be better if it is used externally with tar preparations.

(3) Traditional Chinese medicine. Traditional Chinese medicine treatment focuses on clearing away heat and dampness. You can also use Chinese medicine spray to eliminate itching caused by the disease. Mothers with purulent infections can choose Chinese herbal decoctions for treatment. For mothers whose disease is more acute, the main treatment is to strengthen the spleen and eliminate dampness, while clearing internal heat, and Wei Ling Decoction can be used in combination. For mothers with chronic eczema, the main focus should be on nourishing blood and dispelling wind, while clearing away heat and dampness. They can take Yangxue Dingfeng Decoction under the guidance of a Chinese medicine practitioner.