A breast rash describes redness and irritation of the skin on your breast. A breast rash can also be itchy, scaly, painful or blistered.
Other terms used to describe a breast rash include dermatitis and hives.
Most breast rashes have the same causes as rashes occurring elsewhere on the body. Some rashes occur only on the breast.
Make an appointment
A breast rash is rarely an emergency. But make an appointment with your doctor if your breast rash doesn't respond to self-care, or if it's accompanied by:
- Fever
- Severe pain
- Sores that won't heal
- Red streaks coming from the rash
- Yellow or green fluid oozing from the rash
- Signs and symptoms that worsen
Self-care for breast rash
In the meantime, you may find some relief from your breast rash with these measures:
- Take a warm bath or place a warm washcloth over the rash for a few minutes.
- Apply a fragrance-free moisturizer to the area.
- Take care of your skin. Don't scratch the rash.
- Think about recent behaviors that may have caused your rash. Have you tried a new soap? Have you been wearing scratchy clothing? Stop using any new products that may have caused your rash.
Show References
- Rash 101 in adults: When to seek treatment. American Academy of Dermatology. https://www.aad.org/public/diseases/rashes/rash-in-adults. Accessed Dec. 29, 2016.
- Papadakis MA, et al., eds. Breast disorders. In: Current Medical Diagnosis & Treatment 2017. 56th ed. New York, N.Y.: The McGraw-Hill Companies; 2017. http://www.accessmedicine.com. Accessed Dec. 28, 2016.
- Tintinalli JE, et al. Breast disorders. In: Tintinalli's Emergency Medicine: A Comprehensive Study Guide. 7th ed. New York, N.Y.: The McGraw Hill Companies; 2011. http://www.accessmedicine.com. Accessed Dec. 28, 2016.
- Papadakis MA, et al., eds. Dermatologic disorders. In: Current Medical Diagnosis & Treatment 2016. 55th ed. New York, N.Y.: The McGraw-Hill Companies; 2016. http://www.accessmedicine.com. Accessed Dec. 28, 2016.
- Hoffman BL, et al. Breast disease. In: Williams Gynecology. 3rd ed. New York, N.Y.: McGraw-Hill Education; 2016. http://accessmedicine.com. Accessed Dec. 28, 2016.
March 24, 2022Original article: https://www.mayoclinic.org/symptoms/breast-rash/basics/definition/sym-20050817