Table of ContentsView AllTable of ContentsCommon CausesAppearanceNoncancerous DimplingWhen to Seek Medical CareFrequently Asked Questions
Table of ContentsView All
View All
Table of Contents
Common Causes
Appearance
Noncancerous Dimpling
When to Seek Medical Care
Frequently Asked Questions
While alumpis the most commonbreast cancersymptom, dimpling of the breast may also be a warning sign.Dimpling usually appears as a slight indentation in the skin along with an uneven texture.
Breast cancer dimpling can occur when a tumor inside the breast pulls on healthy tissue and distorts the look of the skin.The dimpling may also be noticeable if a lump grows close to the overlying skin.
This article discusses breast cancer dimpling and when to talk to your healthcare provider about breast skin changes.
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Common Causes of Breast Cancer Dimpling
Dimpling can be a symptom of different types of breast cancer, includinglobular breast cancer, which begins in milk-producing glands) andinflammatory breast cancer(IBC), a rare, aggressive type affecting lymph vessels and skin.
Both of these breast cancers don’t usually cause distinct, firm breast lumps to form. Dimpling can also be a symptom ofinvasive ductal carcinoma, the most common breast cancer that often produces a classic lump.
Appearance of Breast Dimpling From Cancer
Dimpling creates a sunken appearance of the skin.When skin dimples, it can look slightly pitted and uneven in texture.
A dimple can form on the breast, near the armpit, or on the nipple. Some research suggests that when a breast lump and dimple are present, dimpling may not be noticeable until you move a lump around or press on it in various spots.However, with IBC and lobular breast cancer, dimpling can occur without a lump.
Puckering of the breast skin, which causes a slight indentation, is similar to dimpling and can signify breast cancer.
Dimpling vs. Stretch Marks
IBC and Skin Dimpling
With IBC, tumor cells blocklymphatic channelsthat flow through breast skin. This can cause the skin to look dimpled, somewhat like the skin of an orange.
IBC is a rare form of breast cancer that only accounts for about 1% to 5% of all cases, but it often doesn’t cause noticeable symptoms until it’s advanced.Other signs of IBC include:
Lobular Breast Cancer
Lobular breast cancer accounts for about 10% to 15% of all breast cancers.It can cause symptoms similar to IBC, including dimpling that looks like an orange peel.There may or may not be a lump or swelling under the arm or on the breast with this type of cancer.
Invasive Ductal Carcinoma
Other types of breast cancer, like invasive ductal carcinoma, can also cause dimpling if the tumor alters the shape of breast tissue and affects the skin.Invasive ductal carcinoma is the most common type of breast cancer and often causes a signature breast lump.
What’s Considered “Normal” Dimpling?
Normal dimpling is usually due tononcancerous lumpsor fat necrosis, often confused with breast cancer. Fat necrosis can cause firm, round lumps to form in the breast, but they are not cancerous.The skin around the lump may look dimpled, thickened, bruised, or red.
Other conditions, such as fibromatosis, can cause benign tumors and dimpling that may look like breast cancer.
Treating Fat NecrosisFat necrosis is harmless and usually doesn’t require treatment. In most cases, a person’s body will break down the lump.
Treating Fat Necrosis
Fat necrosis is harmless and usually doesn’t require treatment. In most cases, a person’s body will break down the lump.
Asking Your Healthcare Provider
You should see your healthcare provider any time you notice a change in the appearance of your breasts, including dimpling. It’s difficult to tell the difference between normal dimpling and dimpling due to breast cancer, so getting checked out is essential.
Diagnosis Steps
Summary
Dimpling can be a sign of breast cancer, but it isn’t always a cause for concern. Dimpling looks like a sunken, pitted area with an uneven texture. Breast cancers, such as inflammatory breast cancer, lobular breast cancer, and invasive ductal carcinoma, can all cause dimpling of the breast skin.
Noncancerous conditions like fat necrosis and fibromatosis are also common causes of dimpling. Your healthcare provider can help determine if the dimpling is related to breast cancer or a harmless lump.
A Word From Verywell
Frequently Asked QuestionsYes, dimpling can occur in conditions that cause benign lumps, such as fat necrosis and fibromatosis.Breast dimpling and puckering are related conditions that cause the skin to slightly indent. Dimpling also looks like the texture of an orange peel.Breast dimples can cause slight indentations or a sunken appearance, as well as an uneven texture.
Yes, dimpling can occur in conditions that cause benign lumps, such as fat necrosis and fibromatosis.
Breast dimpling and puckering are related conditions that cause the skin to slightly indent. Dimpling also looks like the texture of an orange peel.
Breast dimples can cause slight indentations or a sunken appearance, as well as an uneven texture.
12 SourcesVerywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.American Cancer Society.Breast cancer signs and symptoms.Moffitt Cancer Center.5 facts about breast dimpling and cancer.National Breast Cancer Foundation.Inflammatory breast cancer (IBC).Johns Hopkins Medicine.Invasive ductal carcinoma (IDC).Naraynsingh V, Jarvis JK, Milne DM, et al.The pushing sign for early skin tethering in breast cancer.Cureus. 13(12):e20471. doi:10.7759/cureus.20471Cancer Research UK.Breast cancer symptoms.American Cancer Society.Inflammatory breast cancer.Johns Hopkins Medicine.Invasive lobular carcinoma.Breastcancer.org.Invasive lobular carcinoma (ILC).Breast Cancer Now.Invasive lobular breast cancer.Breast Cancer Now.Fat necrosis.Abdelwahab K, Hamdy O, Zaky M, et al.Breast fibromatosis, an unusual breast disease.J Surg Case Rep. 2017;2017(12):rjx248. doi:10.1093/jscr/rjx248
12 Sources
Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.American Cancer Society.Breast cancer signs and symptoms.Moffitt Cancer Center.5 facts about breast dimpling and cancer.National Breast Cancer Foundation.Inflammatory breast cancer (IBC).Johns Hopkins Medicine.Invasive ductal carcinoma (IDC).Naraynsingh V, Jarvis JK, Milne DM, et al.The pushing sign for early skin tethering in breast cancer.Cureus. 13(12):e20471. doi:10.7759/cureus.20471Cancer Research UK.Breast cancer symptoms.American Cancer Society.Inflammatory breast cancer.Johns Hopkins Medicine.Invasive lobular carcinoma.Breastcancer.org.Invasive lobular carcinoma (ILC).Breast Cancer Now.Invasive lobular breast cancer.Breast Cancer Now.Fat necrosis.Abdelwahab K, Hamdy O, Zaky M, et al.Breast fibromatosis, an unusual breast disease.J Surg Case Rep. 2017;2017(12):rjx248. doi:10.1093/jscr/rjx248
Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.
American Cancer Society.Breast cancer signs and symptoms.Moffitt Cancer Center.5 facts about breast dimpling and cancer.National Breast Cancer Foundation.Inflammatory breast cancer (IBC).Johns Hopkins Medicine.Invasive ductal carcinoma (IDC).Naraynsingh V, Jarvis JK, Milne DM, et al.The pushing sign for early skin tethering in breast cancer.Cureus. 13(12):e20471. doi:10.7759/cureus.20471Cancer Research UK.Breast cancer symptoms.American Cancer Society.Inflammatory breast cancer.Johns Hopkins Medicine.Invasive lobular carcinoma.Breastcancer.org.Invasive lobular carcinoma (ILC).Breast Cancer Now.Invasive lobular breast cancer.Breast Cancer Now.Fat necrosis.Abdelwahab K, Hamdy O, Zaky M, et al.Breast fibromatosis, an unusual breast disease.J Surg Case Rep. 2017;2017(12):rjx248. doi:10.1093/jscr/rjx248
American Cancer Society.Breast cancer signs and symptoms.
Moffitt Cancer Center.5 facts about breast dimpling and cancer.
National Breast Cancer Foundation.Inflammatory breast cancer (IBC).
Johns Hopkins Medicine.Invasive ductal carcinoma (IDC).
Naraynsingh V, Jarvis JK, Milne DM, et al.The pushing sign for early skin tethering in breast cancer.Cureus. 13(12):e20471. doi:10.7759/cureus.20471
Cancer Research UK.Breast cancer symptoms.
American Cancer Society.Inflammatory breast cancer.
Johns Hopkins Medicine.Invasive lobular carcinoma.
Breastcancer.org.Invasive lobular carcinoma (ILC).
Breast Cancer Now.Invasive lobular breast cancer.
Breast Cancer Now.Fat necrosis.
Abdelwahab K, Hamdy O, Zaky M, et al.Breast fibromatosis, an unusual breast disease.J Surg Case Rep. 2017;2017(12):rjx248. doi:10.1093/jscr/rjx248
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