Red rash on breast - posting for traffic please help (pic included)

[Sickofworry]

I’ve had a small bump like a ingrown hair for a few weeks, been squeezing and picking at it most days (silly I know). There’s now a raised red rash nearby as you can see from the pic, but not actually surrounding the bump area.

I also had a punch biopsy for a lumpy area in almost exactly the same place two weeks ago, the bruise is still visible and again just to the side of the rash. The actual biopsy section would be exactly under the rash. Could it be related? Had two clear ultrasounds and a clear mammo plus clear biopsy but the rash wasn’t there then. The Dr checked out the ingrown hair and said it was totally innocent. The rash has only appeared in the last day or two. I also have some pea sized nodes in my neck but I’ve just had a throat infection. Rash not particularly itchy but I’m thinking about it now.

The rash is raised and looks a bit like hives, but I’ve heard Inflammatory Breast Cancer looks like that too 😣 can anyone help? I’m going mad, I’ve just had one health problem after another lately.

So sorry OP, sounds like it may be related if in exact same place? Ring 111 to get an emergency appointment ASAP!

Likely to be completely innocent so the sooner you get it checked out the better for your peace of mind over Xmas period.

It'll be fine, people always jump straight to cancer, but it's more likely to be 1 of 100 other things 🤷‍♀️ get it checked for peace of mind though, more-so than anything else ☺❤

Thanks very much for your replies.

Just realised I had a needle biopsy not a punch biopsy. Surely that would’ve shown up IBC? It was exactly where the rash is now. Could it be infected? It doesn’t hurt or feel hot. Ugh so sick of thinking about my health 🤦‍♀️

Hopeful bump in case anyone has any further advice/similar experience x

First thing I thought was shingles. I got an awful rash across my chest, side & back - started small & grew.
To be on the safe side get it checked

Inflammatory breast cancer is rare Op. it is much, much more likely to be a reaction to something or an infection. Draw a line round the red area, and lather it with Sudocreme while you wait to get seen.

My sister abroad has flu and has a breast rash. Her doc said all was fine. Wonder if virus related?

Thank you very much everyone. I’m trying to think surely my biopsy would’ve shown something two weeks ago. It’s surely a stretch too far to think visible IBC symptoms could’ve started two weeks after in the exact place I had a clear biopsy 🤦‍♀️ I have a mutual assurance health cover that’s pretty crap but it gives 24hr access to GP video appointments so I’ve booked one for tomorrow. Also I have a follow up breast clinic appointment in Jan so I’ll ring them on Monday and see if they’ve got any cancellations 🤞

Hope I get a good sleep tonight, I keep having nightmares and panic attacks due to endless health scares, I’ve been investigated for bowel, cervical and breast cancer in the past six months and I’m just at the end of my rope 😣

@Sonata13 ah that’s interesting, thanks. I have just been ill with a temperature and throat infection so could be related 🤞 PCR was clear so not COVID related at least.

The pea sized nodes in your neck are likely just little cysts, quite common. But ask about them anyway. You need to get the rash on your breast checked on Monday.

Put an anti histamine cream on it tonight, like a mosquito or wasp sting cream, leave it completely alone and call gp for urgent appt if still there Monday

A bit of an update in case anyone finds this on a panicked late night google search…

I had a video chat with a private GP this morning and he said he was very unconcerned about the rash, I believe I described it accurately to him and he could see it on the screen. He didn’t really offer much in the way of what he thought it was, but he was fairly sure it wasn’t Inflammatory Breast Cancer as it didn’t have many of the key indicators (hot to touch, puckered orange peel skin, inverted or leaking nipple). To be honest I didn’t find it that reassuring as I know IBC can present as just a rash at first, but I was reassured that he knew what IBC was and the symptoms as a lot of doctors aren’t aware!

More reassuringly he said that it couldn’t really be cancer as I’ve had two ultrasounds, a mammo and a biopsy of the area in the last few weeks and they all came back clear.

Unfortunately the rash has pretty much doubled in size and is stinging slightly now, so I will still call my GP tomorrow and get an exam in person. I’m still waiting on one more appointment from the breast clinic so I think I’ll ring them tomorrow and ask if the appointment can be brought forward in light of this rash. I’m wondering if it could be trauma from the biopsy, or from me picking my ingrown hair, or even if I could be allergic to the titanium clamp that is sitting in my breast post-biopsy!

Also personally I’m not convinced it doesn’t have an orange peel look, it’s not tough and rind-like, but raised and sort of thicker looking than the rest of my breast skin.

I have got breast cancer and no expert but I think as you have had a clear biopsy so recently would not be concerned about cancer but maybe you got an infection / irritation from biopsy, a bruise is normal. Would ask gp or breast clinic. Though temp and sore throat and rash sounds like an infection or virus.

Thanks very much for your reply @Silkieschickens. I know you’ve been through the mill lately and I’ve got everything crossed for you x I don’t know how you manage to stay so calm to be honest, you sound like an incredibly strong woman x

I did get a bruise too and thought the initial part of this rash might be part of the healing, but it’s the size of a large cucumber slice now and kind of stinging. Hasn’t grown any more in the last few hours and I’m hoping this is as bad as it gets 🤞🏼

Did they leave a marker in your breast after the biopsy ?

I had one where they left a marker and a while later got an infection in the breast where they had biopsied. I'm not sure whether its because they messed up my biopsy (which they admitted) or a reaction to the supposedly non allergic metal they use

Have you posted recently op? There was someone here with huge health anxiety who had convinced themselves about IBC, so much so it was affecting her relationship with husband and child.

There are many kinds of allergic reactions. There is a classification system even. One kind tends to show up after several days and presents as a rash that can slowly spread over the body and lasts for 2-6 weeks.

I’m actually wondering if you are having an allergic reaction to whatever they used to clean your skin for the biopsy.

@Oldraver yes I’ve got a titanium clip inside my breast, exactly at the site of the rash! Did yours look similar? I had my biopsy 2.5 weeks ago now, and the rash only appeared yesterday and spread to double it’s size within 18hr.

I do have very sensitive skin in general, had stress hives in the past and can only use a very small range of unperfumed products etc. Always got little spots and tiny patches of eczema all over the place.

@NeilBuchananisBanksy no I only just got this rash yesterday!

@Blossom64265 I don’t remember what they used, but the biopsy was actually almost three weeks ago now I’ve checked the date - could it be such a delayed reaction?

You’re all filling me with hope which is great, I felt so down last night and then again this morning when it started to spread (hasn’t spread in about 8 hours now).

Is it sore? Could it be mastitis?

Looks like a reaction/infection at the site of the biopsy to me, which hopefully it is.

Three weeks is an unlikely link for skin cleaning.

I would be more concerned about the tracer clip than anything else in terms of potential reactions at this point. No, it’s not a common reaction, but there are articles in medical journals about people having reactions to the titanium markers, especially people with history of atopic dermatitis.