Table of ContentsView AllTable of ContentsSymptomsWhat Causes Nipple Thrush?How Is Thrush on Nipples Diagnosed?Nipple Thrush TreatmentPreventing Yeast Infections on NipplesCan You Still Breastfeed With Thrush?Coping With Nipple Thrush
Table of ContentsView All
View All
Table of Contents
Symptoms
What Causes Nipple Thrush?
How Is Thrush on Nipples Diagnosed?
Nipple Thrush Treatment
Preventing Yeast Infections on Nipples
Can You Still Breastfeed With Thrush?
Coping With Nipple Thrush
Nipplethrushis ayeast infectionthat is common during breastfeeding. It causes red, cracked, and itchy nipples and burning or stabbing breast pain after feeds.
This article discusses nipple thrush. It explains what thrush on the nipples looks and feels like and how to find relief.
This photo contains content that some people may find graphic or disturbing.See PhotoVerywell / Jessica Olah
This photo contains content that some people may find graphic or disturbing.See Photo
This photo contains content that some people may find graphic or disturbing.
Verywell / Jessica Olah
How Do I Know if I Have Thrush on My Nipples?
Symptoms of nipple thrush generally appear in the first six weeks after giving birth and include:
Nipple thrush often occurs alongside oral thrush in nursing infants. Symptoms of oral thrush include:
Nursing sets up ideal conditions for nipple thrush.Candidathrives in warm, moist environments and feeds on the sugar found in breast milk. It can pass from the mother’s nipple to the child’s mouth and vice versa.
Risk factors for developing thrush on your nipple include:
Is Nipple Thrush Contagious?
Cluster Feeding Schedule in Newborns
Nipple thrush is usually diagnosed based on symptoms of both the parent and child. It is considered a diagnosis of exclusion, meaning healthcare providers eliminate other causes before diagnosing thrush.
Lab tests are not necessary for diagnosing thrush. However, if your symptoms are resistant to treatment, your healthcare provider may take a skin swab and breastmilk sample to rule out other types of infection or pinpoint the specificCandidastrain.
Other Causes of Nipple Pain
Early Breastfeeding Discomfort
Thrush is most common during the first six weeks after childbirth. However, this is also a notoriously uncomfortable period for those new to breastfeeding.
Improper Latch
Clogged Milk Duct
Mastitis
A clogged milk duct can turn into an infection known as mastitis. See your healthcare provider if you experience nipple or breast pain with any of the following symptoms:
Nipple thrush can be treated with a topical antifungal medication. Common medications used to treat thrush include:
Gentian violetis an antiseptic dye with antifungal properties that is also used to treat thrush.
Topical steroids may be prescribed to treat very inflamed nipples. Combination antifungal and steroid treatments are also available. However, the American Academy of Family Physicians cautions against the use of high-potency topical steroids in people with thrush.
If topical treatments fail to relieve thrush, oral antifungal medication may be prescribed.
Nipple thrush is uncomfortable and can be prevented with the following strategies:
Can Apple Cider Vinegar Treat Nipple Thrush?Apple cider vinegar (ACV) is an oft-recommended at-home remedy for nipple thrush due to its antifungal properties. While research in humans is lacking, lab studies confirm ACV effectively killsCandida albicansin a petri dish.Directions:Dilute 1 tablespoon ACV in 1 cup of water and apply between feedings to nipples. Do not use on cracked or bleeding nipples.
Can Apple Cider Vinegar Treat Nipple Thrush?
Apple cider vinegar (ACV) is an oft-recommended at-home remedy for nipple thrush due to its antifungal properties. While research in humans is lacking, lab studies confirm ACV effectively killsCandida albicansin a petri dish.Directions:Dilute 1 tablespoon ACV in 1 cup of water and apply between feedings to nipples. Do not use on cracked or bleeding nipples.
Apple cider vinegar (ACV) is an oft-recommended at-home remedy for nipple thrush due to its antifungal properties. While research in humans is lacking, lab studies confirm ACV effectively killsCandida albicansin a petri dish.
Directions:Dilute 1 tablespoon ACV in 1 cup of water and apply between feedings to nipples. Do not use on cracked or bleeding nipples.
Breastfeeding with nipple thrush is safe for both parent and child, though it may be uncomfortable.
Thrush on nipples is associated with oral thrush in the infant. Oral thrush is a relatively common and generally mild infection and not a reason to stop breastfeeding.
Nipple thrush can make breastfeeding painful. Fortunately, thrush is usually quite responsive to treatment. You should start to feel relief after two or three days of starting antifungal treatment.
In the meantime, the following tips can help:
If your symptoms don’t improve after five days of treatment, contact your healthcare provider. Some strains ofCandidaare resistant to certain medications. You may need to try a different antifungal treatment.
Yeast Infection Under the Breast: How to Identify the Rash
11 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.Goldstein L.Nipple thrush: how to identify and how to treat[published correction appears inMidwifery Today Int Midwife. 2015 Summer;114:68].Midwifery Today Int Midwife. 2015;(113):18-19.Plachouri KM, Mulita F, Oikonomou C, et al.Nipple candidiasis and painful lactation: an updated overview.Postepy Dermatol Alergol. 2022;39(4):651–5. doi:10.5114/ada.2022.116837Merad Y, Derrar H, Belkacemi M, Drici A, Belmokhtar Z.Candida albicans mastitis in breastfeeding woman: an under recognized diagnosis.Cureus. 2020;12(12):e12026. doi:10.7759/cureus.12026Amir LH, Donath SM, Garland SM, et al.Does Candida and/or Staphylococcus play a role in nipple and breast pain in lactation? A cohort study in Melbourne, Australia.BMJ Open. 2013;3(3):e002351. doi:10.1136/bmjopen-2012-002351Waldman RA, Finch J, Grant-Kels JM, Whitaker-Worth D.Skin diseases of the breast and nipple.Journal of the American Academy of Dermatology.2019;80(6):1483-1494. doi:10.1016/j.jaad.2018.08.067Heller MM, Fullerton-Stone H, Murase JE.Caring for new mothers: diagnosis, management and treatment of nipple dermatitis in breastfeeding mothers.International Journal of Dermatology. 2012;51(10):1149-1161. doi:10.1111/j.1365-4632.2011.05445.x.American Academy of Family Physicians.Choosing wisely recommendations: avoid the use of combination topical steroid antifungals for tinea corporis, Candida skin infections, and diaper dermatitis.Yagnik D, Serafin V, J Shah A.Antimicrobial activity of apple cider vinegar againstEscherichia coli,Staphylococcus aureusandCandida albicans; downregulating cytokine and microbial protein expression.Sci Rep. 2018;8(1):1732. doi:10.1038/s41598-017-18618-xKidsHealth from Nemours.Oral thrush (for parents).Drugs and Lactation Database(LactMed®) [Internet]. Bethesda (MD): National Institute of Child Health and Human Development; 2022.Arendrup MC, Patterson TF.Multidrug-resistant Candida: epidemiology, molecular mechanisms, and treatment.J Infect Dis. 2017;216(suppl_3):S445-S451. doi:10.1093/infdis/jix131
11 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.Goldstein L.Nipple thrush: how to identify and how to treat[published correction appears inMidwifery Today Int Midwife. 2015 Summer;114:68].Midwifery Today Int Midwife. 2015;(113):18-19.Plachouri KM, Mulita F, Oikonomou C, et al.Nipple candidiasis and painful lactation: an updated overview.Postepy Dermatol Alergol. 2022;39(4):651–5. doi:10.5114/ada.2022.116837Merad Y, Derrar H, Belkacemi M, Drici A, Belmokhtar Z.Candida albicans mastitis in breastfeeding woman: an under recognized diagnosis.Cureus. 2020;12(12):e12026. doi:10.7759/cureus.12026Amir LH, Donath SM, Garland SM, et al.Does Candida and/or Staphylococcus play a role in nipple and breast pain in lactation? A cohort study in Melbourne, Australia.BMJ Open. 2013;3(3):e002351. doi:10.1136/bmjopen-2012-002351Waldman RA, Finch J, Grant-Kels JM, Whitaker-Worth D.Skin diseases of the breast and nipple.Journal of the American Academy of Dermatology.2019;80(6):1483-1494. doi:10.1016/j.jaad.2018.08.067Heller MM, Fullerton-Stone H, Murase JE.Caring for new mothers: diagnosis, management and treatment of nipple dermatitis in breastfeeding mothers.International Journal of Dermatology. 2012;51(10):1149-1161. doi:10.1111/j.1365-4632.2011.05445.x.American Academy of Family Physicians.Choosing wisely recommendations: avoid the use of combination topical steroid antifungals for tinea corporis, Candida skin infections, and diaper dermatitis.Yagnik D, Serafin V, J Shah A.Antimicrobial activity of apple cider vinegar againstEscherichia coli,Staphylococcus aureusandCandida albicans; downregulating cytokine and microbial protein expression.Sci Rep. 2018;8(1):1732. doi:10.1038/s41598-017-18618-xKidsHealth from Nemours.Oral thrush (for parents).Drugs and Lactation Database(LactMed®) [Internet]. Bethesda (MD): National Institute of Child Health and Human Development; 2022.Arendrup MC, Patterson TF.Multidrug-resistant Candida: epidemiology, molecular mechanisms, and treatment.J Infect Dis. 2017;216(suppl_3):S445-S451. doi:10.1093/infdis/jix131
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.
Goldstein L.Nipple thrush: how to identify and how to treat[published correction appears inMidwifery Today Int Midwife. 2015 Summer;114:68].Midwifery Today Int Midwife. 2015;(113):18-19.Plachouri KM, Mulita F, Oikonomou C, et al.Nipple candidiasis and painful lactation: an updated overview.Postepy Dermatol Alergol. 2022;39(4):651–5. doi:10.5114/ada.2022.116837Merad Y, Derrar H, Belkacemi M, Drici A, Belmokhtar Z.Candida albicans mastitis in breastfeeding woman: an under recognized diagnosis.Cureus. 2020;12(12):e12026. doi:10.7759/cureus.12026Amir LH, Donath SM, Garland SM, et al.Does Candida and/or Staphylococcus play a role in nipple and breast pain in lactation? A cohort study in Melbourne, Australia.BMJ Open. 2013;3(3):e002351. doi:10.1136/bmjopen-2012-002351Waldman RA, Finch J, Grant-Kels JM, Whitaker-Worth D.Skin diseases of the breast and nipple.Journal of the American Academy of Dermatology.2019;80(6):1483-1494. doi:10.1016/j.jaad.2018.08.067Heller MM, Fullerton-Stone H, Murase JE.Caring for new mothers: diagnosis, management and treatment of nipple dermatitis in breastfeeding mothers.International Journal of Dermatology. 2012;51(10):1149-1161. doi:10.1111/j.1365-4632.2011.05445.x.American Academy of Family Physicians.Choosing wisely recommendations: avoid the use of combination topical steroid antifungals for tinea corporis, Candida skin infections, and diaper dermatitis.Yagnik D, Serafin V, J Shah A.Antimicrobial activity of apple cider vinegar againstEscherichia coli,Staphylococcus aureusandCandida albicans; downregulating cytokine and microbial protein expression.Sci Rep. 2018;8(1):1732. doi:10.1038/s41598-017-18618-xKidsHealth from Nemours.Oral thrush (for parents).Drugs and Lactation Database(LactMed®) [Internet]. Bethesda (MD): National Institute of Child Health and Human Development; 2022.Arendrup MC, Patterson TF.Multidrug-resistant Candida: epidemiology, molecular mechanisms, and treatment.J Infect Dis. 2017;216(suppl_3):S445-S451. doi:10.1093/infdis/jix131
Goldstein L.Nipple thrush: how to identify and how to treat[published correction appears inMidwifery Today Int Midwife. 2015 Summer;114:68].Midwifery Today Int Midwife. 2015;(113):18-19.
Plachouri KM, Mulita F, Oikonomou C, et al.Nipple candidiasis and painful lactation: an updated overview.Postepy Dermatol Alergol. 2022;39(4):651–5. doi:10.5114/ada.2022.116837
Merad Y, Derrar H, Belkacemi M, Drici A, Belmokhtar Z.Candida albicans mastitis in breastfeeding woman: an under recognized diagnosis.Cureus. 2020;12(12):e12026. doi:10.7759/cureus.12026
Amir LH, Donath SM, Garland SM, et al.Does Candida and/or Staphylococcus play a role in nipple and breast pain in lactation? A cohort study in Melbourne, Australia.BMJ Open. 2013;3(3):e002351. doi:10.1136/bmjopen-2012-002351
Waldman RA, Finch J, Grant-Kels JM, Whitaker-Worth D.Skin diseases of the breast and nipple.Journal of the American Academy of Dermatology.2019;80(6):1483-1494. doi:10.1016/j.jaad.2018.08.067
Heller MM, Fullerton-Stone H, Murase JE.Caring for new mothers: diagnosis, management and treatment of nipple dermatitis in breastfeeding mothers.International Journal of Dermatology. 2012;51(10):1149-1161. doi:10.1111/j.1365-4632.2011.05445.x.
American Academy of Family Physicians.Choosing wisely recommendations: avoid the use of combination topical steroid antifungals for tinea corporis, Candida skin infections, and diaper dermatitis.
Yagnik D, Serafin V, J Shah A.Antimicrobial activity of apple cider vinegar againstEscherichia coli,Staphylococcus aureusandCandida albicans; downregulating cytokine and microbial protein expression.Sci Rep. 2018;8(1):1732. doi:10.1038/s41598-017-18618-x
KidsHealth from Nemours.Oral thrush (for parents).
Drugs and Lactation Database(LactMed®) [Internet]. Bethesda (MD): National Institute of Child Health and Human Development; 2022.
Arendrup MC, Patterson TF.Multidrug-resistant Candida: epidemiology, molecular mechanisms, and treatment.J Infect Dis. 2017;216(suppl_3):S445-S451. doi:10.1093/infdis/jix131
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