Table of ContentsView AllTable of ContentsAnatomyCausesPregnancyCancerMen vs. WomenDiagnosisTreatmentWhen to See a Healthcare Provider
Table of ContentsView All
View All
Table of Contents
Anatomy
Causes
Pregnancy
Cancer
Men vs. Women
Diagnosis
Treatment
When to See a Healthcare Provider
There are many reasons that you might have a bump that looks like a pimple on your nipple. It may, indeed, be a pimple, or you might have a blocked hair follicle or another benign bump.
In general, a pimple on or around your nipple is not something to worry about. However, it may be worth talking to your healthcare professional if you are experiencing pain, itchiness, or discharge.
This article discusses the symptoms, causes, and treatment for a pimple on your nipple.
Anatomy of the Breast and Nipple
Breast anatomy is very similar regardless of a person’s sex. While the size of a person’s breast, nipple, and areola varies depending on exposure to hormones and other factors, people of any sex have nipples and areolae.
Bumps, pimples, and other conditions affecting the breast, nipple, and areola are more common in women and other people with larger breasts. However, anyone can end up with pimples or other bumps on and around the nipple.
The Parts of the Breast
What Causes Pimples on the Nipple
There are a number of potential causes of a pimple on the nipple or other bump in the area. These include:
Acne
Some people do get acne pimples on their nipples. Pimples occur when sweat, bacteria, and dirt get trapped in your pores. Then those pores may swell. Breast acne can appear as:
Frequent acne on the nipples or breasts may be a sign you need to change your hygiene routine.
Ingrown Hairs
Subareolar Abscesses
Herpes
An extremely rare cause of nipple pimples is aherpes infection. This may be contracted either duringbreastfeeding an infected infantor when the breast has oral contact with an infected partner during sex.
Herpes infection generally appears initially as small, fluid-filled blisters that may resemble a pimple.
Papilloma
Sweating
Although sweating is important for cooling the body, it can become a breeding ground for bacteria if sweat dries on your skin, which can clog pores and lead to pimples.
Tight-fitting Clothing
Regular bras and tight-fitting workout clothing, such as sports bras and tank tops, can cause sweat and oils to get trapped and clog pores. Friction from clothing may irritate hair follicles and cause ingrown hairs.
Hormonal Changes
Hormonal changes related to pregnancy, menstruation, menopause, and stress can cause the sebaceous glands to produce more sebum and thicken the lining of the hair follicle, making it easier for pores to get blocked.
Excess Oil
If you naturally have more oily skin, you may be more prone to pimples on your nipples because oils can mix with dead skin cells, bacteria, and dried sebum clogging pores and causing acne.
Can Pregnancy Cause Pimples on the Nipple?
The Montgomery glands (also called areolar glands and Montgomery tubercles) make secretions that lubricate the nipples. They are a type ofsebaceous gland(oil-producing gland).
During pregnancy, the glands may become more numerous and prominent. Sometimes, they will become clogged and start to resemble a pimple. This can also occur at other times when hormone levels are changing.
It is possible for a clogged Montgomery gland to become infected. If that happens, you may experience pain as well as an enlarged bump on the areola. Infected Montgomery glands (or cysts) are most often seen in females aged 10–20 years.
Are Pimples on the Nipple a Sign of Cancer?
In extremely rare cases, bumps on the breast may be a symptom ofbreast cancer.
When cancer cells block the lymph vessels, which carry lymph fluid and white blood cells throughout the lymphatic system, they can cause red, swollen, and dimpled breast skin that may be mistaken for pimples.
Skin irritation or dimpling may be an early sign of inflammatory breast cancer. If your symptoms don’t improve after a week or so, you should see your healthcare provider.
Both men and women can get pimples on their nipples, but it is more common in women because of breastfeeding, hormonal changes, and wearing a bra. Men develop pimples on their nipples for some of the same reasons as women—such as sweat, ingrown hairs, and subareolar abscesses.
Men can also develop serious conditions, such as breast cancer and abscesses, so it is just as important for men to see a healthcare provider if they have a bump on or near their nipples that is painful or swollen.
How Are Pimples on the Nipple Diagnosed?
Most bumps and pimples on the nipple will go away on their own in a few days. However, if you are experiencing pain or discharge, talk to your healthcare provider. They will likely look at the bump and the surrounding skin to see if they can diagnose the problem based on appearance.
Your clinician may also take a sample of the bump or any fluid inside it to test for bacteria or other pathogens. This is generally done as a nipple biopsy. In rare cases, you may also need diagnostic imaging.
What You Can Do About a Pimple on the Nipple?
Most bumps or pimples on the nipples will go away in a few days. Specific treatments depend on the cause of the bump, and often no treatment is needed. However, if you get frequent pimples or bumps on your nipples, there are some things you can do to reduce the risk of having them come back, such as:
Depending on the cause of the pimples on your nipples, your healthcare provider might also recommend some form of topical treatment. This might be an antifungal treatment if you have a yeast infection.
In some cases, an abscess may need to be drained and/or treated with antibiotics.
Summary
If the bump doesn’t go away on its own within about a week or if the bump is itchy, painful, or leaking pus or other fluid, talk to your healthcare provider to get the proper diagnosis and treatment.
8 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.Merck Manual.Acne.Toussaint A, Simonson C, Valla C. Herpes mastitis: Diagnosis and management.Breast J. 2016 May;22(3):335-8. doi: 10.1111/tbj.12579Karzai S, Lehman JC.HSV-1 mastitis in a 30-year-old woman.Breast J. 2021;27(3):268-270. doi:10.1111/tbj.14169Wu Y, Song G, Li M, Lun W.Condyloma acuminata on the nipple and coronary sulcus of the penis: A case report.Medicine (Baltimore). 2019;98(16):e15109. doi:10.1097/MD.0000000000015109American Academy of Dermatology Association.Adult acne.Wallace D, Sian A, Carne A, Irvine TE.Diagnosis and management of retroareolar cysts in adolescents: a case report.J Surg Case Rep. 2013;2013(7):rjt052. doi:10.1093/jscr/rjt052American Cancer Society.Breast cancer symptoms: what you need to know.Lyons D, Wahab RA, Vijapura C, Mahoney MC.The nipple-areolar complex: comprehensive imaging review.Clin Radiol. 2021;76(3):172-184. doi:10.1016/j.crad.2020.09.013
8 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.Merck Manual.Acne.Toussaint A, Simonson C, Valla C. Herpes mastitis: Diagnosis and management.Breast J. 2016 May;22(3):335-8. doi: 10.1111/tbj.12579Karzai S, Lehman JC.HSV-1 mastitis in a 30-year-old woman.Breast J. 2021;27(3):268-270. doi:10.1111/tbj.14169Wu Y, Song G, Li M, Lun W.Condyloma acuminata on the nipple and coronary sulcus of the penis: A case report.Medicine (Baltimore). 2019;98(16):e15109. doi:10.1097/MD.0000000000015109American Academy of Dermatology Association.Adult acne.Wallace D, Sian A, Carne A, Irvine TE.Diagnosis and management of retroareolar cysts in adolescents: a case report.J Surg Case Rep. 2013;2013(7):rjt052. doi:10.1093/jscr/rjt052American Cancer Society.Breast cancer symptoms: what you need to know.Lyons D, Wahab RA, Vijapura C, Mahoney MC.The nipple-areolar complex: comprehensive imaging review.Clin Radiol. 2021;76(3):172-184. doi:10.1016/j.crad.2020.09.013
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.
Merck Manual.Acne.Toussaint A, Simonson C, Valla C. Herpes mastitis: Diagnosis and management.Breast J. 2016 May;22(3):335-8. doi: 10.1111/tbj.12579Karzai S, Lehman JC.HSV-1 mastitis in a 30-year-old woman.Breast J. 2021;27(3):268-270. doi:10.1111/tbj.14169Wu Y, Song G, Li M, Lun W.Condyloma acuminata on the nipple and coronary sulcus of the penis: A case report.Medicine (Baltimore). 2019;98(16):e15109. doi:10.1097/MD.0000000000015109American Academy of Dermatology Association.Adult acne.Wallace D, Sian A, Carne A, Irvine TE.Diagnosis and management of retroareolar cysts in adolescents: a case report.J Surg Case Rep. 2013;2013(7):rjt052. doi:10.1093/jscr/rjt052American Cancer Society.Breast cancer symptoms: what you need to know.Lyons D, Wahab RA, Vijapura C, Mahoney MC.The nipple-areolar complex: comprehensive imaging review.Clin Radiol. 2021;76(3):172-184. doi:10.1016/j.crad.2020.09.013
Merck Manual.Acne.
Toussaint A, Simonson C, Valla C. Herpes mastitis: Diagnosis and management.Breast J. 2016 May;22(3):335-8. doi: 10.1111/tbj.12579
Karzai S, Lehman JC.HSV-1 mastitis in a 30-year-old woman.Breast J. 2021;27(3):268-270. doi:10.1111/tbj.14169
Wu Y, Song G, Li M, Lun W.Condyloma acuminata on the nipple and coronary sulcus of the penis: A case report.Medicine (Baltimore). 2019;98(16):e15109. doi:10.1097/MD.0000000000015109
American Academy of Dermatology Association.Adult acne.
Wallace D, Sian A, Carne A, Irvine TE.Diagnosis and management of retroareolar cysts in adolescents: a case report.J Surg Case Rep. 2013;2013(7):rjt052. doi:10.1093/jscr/rjt052
American Cancer Society.Breast cancer symptoms: what you need to know.
Lyons D, Wahab RA, Vijapura C, Mahoney MC.The nipple-areolar complex: comprehensive imaging review.Clin Radiol. 2021;76(3):172-184. doi:10.1016/j.crad.2020.09.013
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