Red Breast and Thickening - Pregnancy

[DungeonsLady]

Hi,

I am absolutely terrified. I am 19 weeks pregnant and I noticed my left breast felt thicker on the right side and the pores looked noticeably larger. I also have a red inflamed looking area around the breast.

Called GP, I was referred to the breast clinic and they said it didn't look that bad but sent me for an ultrasound. The sonographer said the scan showed normal but confirmed breast thickening so wasn't happy for me to just to home as suggested by the consultant. I got sent back to the consultant who just said that it was nothing sinister and just inflammation probably pregnancy related. Just to make sure it doesn't get worse.

I'm so worried it could be inflammatory breast cancer and not sure why they never gave me a mammogram/biopsy.

Has anyone had anything like this before and it turn out to just be pregnancy problems?

I had this in my first pregnancy starting at 16 weeks (but not my 2nd, bizarrely). I had several ultrasounds, and a punch biopsy which came back benign. The consultant advised it was likely caused by all the progesterone and I was discharged from her clinic 3 months after delivery when everything had settled down.

If you don't feel comfortable that it's settling down, or it seems to be getting worse, don't be afraid to ask to be seen again.

Thank you for responding, I appreciate it. Strangely this is my 2nd pregnancy and it didn't happen on the first one. Just finding it hard to trust what was said without the mammogram or biopsy. Just really depressed thinking the worst, can't shake it off.

I have a very close relative that works in the breast clinic and they say that this is something they see fairly often in pregnant woman, but that you have a right to ask for further tests if you're worried.

That is reassuring thank you. I haven't really seen anything online to explain the redness in the breast in addition to the skin thickening during pregnancy other than infection but that's been ruled out. I had hoped the redness would go down or have faded by now with wearing looser bra/clothes but no change to it.

I think because this is something they do see in inflammatory cancer, you'd be right to push for other tests, even though it's far more likely to be hormone based or due to usual breast changes in your pregnancy. For every 99 "nothings" there will be one "something." And although the odds are massively stacked in your favour, I know I would be unlikely to be able to shift it from my mind without a really thorough look. And you want to enjoy your pregnancy, not have a cloud of stress and gloomy feeling. So ask for those extra checks. They really ought to have done them anyway.

Hi, I just found your post as I have been searching for an explanation of basically the exact same thing! I am 18 weeks pregnant and 4 weeks ago I noticed a pink/pale red patch on the lower part of my right boob, with enlarged pores on the area. It hasn’t changed in the 4 weeks but hasn’t gone either. I have health anxiety so I freaked out… I had antibiotics for a week which I knew would do nothing and then got referred to the breast clinic plus given some cream which I don’t think has done anything. Finally had an ultrasound today which showed the red area had mild skin thickening but she said the rest of the breast was normal (although multiple fluid cysts which apparently is common…). The consultant rang me after and said it won’t be anything sinister as there would be something found within the breast tissue not only the skin if so, and that it seems like a skin issue rather than a breast issue, but that once they receive the official ultrasound report thing they will call me back with any next steps. I can’t stop worrying about the thickened skin with no explanation though! As of course if you google that it says IBC… I am so hoping it is a pregnancy / hormone thing though as this whole thing is really ruining my pregnancy. Sorry for the long post but I feel so depressed and alone with it! It gives me hope that we seem to have a similar thing, similar stage of pregnancy and given similar ultrasound results though xx

(Also this is my third pregnancy and I didn’t have anything like this with the other two, it’s such a stress!) x

I had this exact thing when I was pregnant (first pregnancy), it started early second trimester if I remember rightly.

Mine was on the inside of both boobs, very thickened skin to the point I could physically pinch the thickened skin like it was a swelling. A very clear raised area it was so odd. Very enlarged pores which looked exactly like orange peel skin. And some redness but no pain or anything.

Had a GP exam, fast tracked within 2 weeks to breast outpatient and ended up with two scans and further examinations. Was eventually told it was just hormonal swelling due to pregnancy! My GP had never seen it before but the hospital breast specialist said she had seen it a few times.

Mine went down within a week of giving birth.

The only thing to note from my experience was it made latching on for breastfeeding nearly impossible, my boob tissue had swollen so much it was making my nipple not really stick out enough - I don't think I'm explaining it very well but there you go. Even met with the lactation midwife on the labour ward and she wrote in my discharge notes that I wouldn't be able to latch until the swelling had gone down!

Also! Since my pregnancy I've noticed the enlarged 'pores' are now just where the really fine hairs on my boobs grow, but the swelling at the time made it look like dimpled skin

Thank you for responding, sorry to hear your having the same sort of issue. It's horrible not knowing - I have health anxiety too and all I've done today is Google medical journals to try get an answer.

Nothing has changed for me, still have a large pinkish/red area on the left breast and the same skin thickening. Just can't fund anything online about having redness but no infection/cancer! All info I've read says the only way to rule out IBC is via biopsy.

Tried calling the breast clinic back but could only get nurse who repeated the info I was given on Friday that the ultrasound was fine, its nothing sinister, it's not an infection and don't need antibiotics ...just to relax basically.

I've called bupa and i have managed to get an appointment next Tuesday for their breast clinic...really need a second opinion on this because I just keep crying and obsessing.

Keep me updated with how you get on with the ultrasound results? Hopefully this is all just hormones and it's just not really mentioned on the pregnancy sites!

So glad to hear it all sorted itself out and settled down after birth! So did your breasts stay red/pink colour the entire remaining duration of pregnancy from when you first noticed?

My redness hasn't gotten bigger or smaller which I thought strange as if it was inflammation it would either get better or get worse I assumed.

Finding it reassuring but bizarre that this seems to happen to pregnant women but it doesn't seem to be documented anywhere and all you can find is site after site of IBC!

Hi again! So I spoke to the breast clinic nurse again yesterday and she basically just reassured me that the ultrasound was clear, that the skin thickening was only 1mm and didn't look at all like IBC and that the ultrasound would have found tissue thickening or a lump etc. She said the ultrasound lady is very good and basically nothing further needs doing as it is a skin issue not breast issue and likely either fungal or due to hormones, and to relax and enjoy my pregnancy. I do feel slightly better but every time I get changed and see the red bit I get a feeling of panic, I just wish it would go!! And then my anxiety takes over and says ultrasounds miss things etc but they are experts so I'm trying to just believe what they are telling me and trust that they are the experts and that it's all ok.

Did you have your bupa appointment? Hope you got some more reassurance from it ❤️ please let me know what they said if you don't mind! Hope you are feeling ok, health anxiety is so awful, I have been in such a dark place the last 4 weeks!

Well that all sounds very positive. Although I'm not sure what the difference is between the ultra sound showing skin thickening and tissue thickening? I was just told I had thickening on the ultrasound but otherwise it was normal. Not sure what it means or why it's happened.

The redness hasn't gone away for me, no better and no worse. The thick area is still quite obvious and worrying. My areola also keeps going a bit wierd and swelling up and going hard leaving my nipple feeling small and flat. So scared!

Bupa appointment is not till Tuesday and I'm going a bit mad in the mean time. I will update though. Hoping to push for a biopsy so will let you know what the consultant says. Fingers crossed its all good and it's just an unexplained pregnancy thing!

Also was meaning to ask how large is the red area for you? Mine is taking up quite a large area (roughly the right side of left breast from midway to down past the nipple) and a good bit of that feels very thick. It's getting really hard to ignore and I can't find any reason for it...doesn't seem infected!

Hi lovely how did your bupa appointment go today?? I hope you’re ok!

The area on my breast is weird it’s maybe an inch across and half an inch up? But then around that it’s slightly red too but not as red as the main area. Sorry it’s hard to explain!! And it’s sort of a peach/pink colour or a pale red it’s not a bright or angry red. What is yours like? It still hasn’t changed but hasn’t gone either, I’m desperate for it to go but can’t see that happening!! :(

Hi, sorry for not messaging after appointment my son just tested positive for covid....its a rough week.

BUPA appt went well, they didn't want to do biopsy. Basically said that it looked like edema of the breast cause by pregnancy. They did a much more in depth ultrasound across the whole breast and checked the lymph nodes. Apparently there is absolutely nothing suspicious in the breast tissue it just seems to be the skin and Thickening there. So because I have big droopy boobs and the left is bigger the fluid is pooling in that inner lower area and the areola causing the thickening and the skin marking easily. Apparently the redness is just a sign of edema. I'm going to have to trust the experts on this one and stop obsessing. Have a follow up in 4 weeks though.

Also my red area is quite large pretty much follows the outline of a bra. Everything that would be held in the bra is pink and it's quite a distinct boundary. Xx

Oh I’m so glad you got some reassurance! It sounds similar to what I was told (but you got much more detail so thank you so much for sharing it), so the fact we have something similar and both have been told something similar has really helped ease my mind personally! Did they say anything about how long it could last? When I asked the lady at the breast clinic what happens if it just doesn’t go (as it doesn’t seem to be) she didn’t really have an answer. I’m worried it will last forever! Xx

Sorry to hear about your son as well! I hope he has a speedy recovery and you manage to avoid catching it. What a week bless you xx

Hi there, I know this post was over a year ago. But just wanted to check did your symptoms subside after pregnancy? Is all okay? I have pitting (orange peel like) on inside of both breasts but more predominantly the left. I also have thicker skin in the inside if that area. I had an ultrasound which came back that breast tissue was clear but thickening of the skin in the lower area I can feel it thicker. I am 31 weeks pregnant. Terrified it’s something more serious so looking for women who have been through similar.

Hello, is there any update on this? I hope everything worked out well! I came across this post because I have something similar on my left breast but I don’t have thickened skin, just a strange new red area coming out of my nipple and covering a good amount of the lower part and side of my boob. The red area is kind of a patchy reddish with some splotches of lighter skin in it. Very weird looking! The GP gave me an anti fungal cream and said to come back if that didn’t work in 2 weeks. Trying not to worry but also worrying loads because I’m generally anxious!

Hey! I know I’m super late from when this was posted but I am going through this currently ! Convincing myself it will be IBC! I have had two scans. Showing nothing except slight thickening.

I had redness on both breasts. One is worse than the other ! I have been given antibiotics. Initially 1 week for mastitis. Which didn’t work. Second was 2 weeks for infection which helped bring some of the colour down but not fully gone.

I am scaring myself silly ! All you read about is IBC !

keep thinking the scans are missing something. Has this around 9 weeks now. I also have implants which can make things worse. I’m 24 weeks pregnant and petrified for my own life and leaving behind my husband and baby girl when she arrives.

got an appointment tomorrow with my breast surgeon hoping he will say it’s just hormonal! He specialises in cancers. Also been referred on the 2ww.

when did this go away for you ladies ?

never been so scared in my life x

Hi!

I just wanted to offer some reassurance - this exact same thing happened to me, identical to how you describe yours, on both sides but slightly worse on one and one breast bigger than the other suddenly. I had scans and checks at the breast clinic that showed slight thickening but nothing sinister and was told it was hormonal and pregnancy related and I was convinced they’d missed IBC. I was planning my own funeral in my head I was so upset. The last breast surgeon I saw told me it would probably disappear after birth and that they aren’t sure why this happens sometimes in pregnancy but it’s down to hormones.

Anyway, fast forward 10 months - I’ve been breastfeeding since he was born. Redness is gone and they look normal again so I guess the breast consultant was right!!

I’ve since spoken to a couple of women who had the same thing and apparently it’s more common than you think! Definitely great to get checked out but it sounds like you can try and relax and enjoy the rest of your pregnancy!!

xxx

Thank you so much for replying to me ! It means a lot ! Honestly I am stressing myself out so much I’m worried I’m affecting baby girl.

no one ever talks about this being a thing ! I e been focused like the only definitive is a biopsy. I assume you didn’t have this done ? I’m going my surgeon says this tomorrow ! He did my boob surgery and he’s also a cancer specialist so I feel if I’m to trust a home it’s him. Like I said I’ve been scanned twice and no one is concerned and even for a dr friend to look at my last scan report and all are reassuring me but it hasn’t felt enough 🙃

when did you develop it in pregnancy ? And it stayed until after baby was here ?

mine has come down in colour for sure. Not as angry looking and I’m so pale so you notice it more ! It almost felt more purple like a couple weeks ago where I’m so pale but it’s just red but less red now. Defo feel a couple are stretch marks. I’ve got visible pores too and asked my mum if she has them and she does ha.

thank you again means a lot xxx

Update

Saw my surgeon he said 99.9% sure it isn’t IBC. He said by now it would look and feel different. He said clinical examination by eye would tell him. He sees it once a year typically. He said scans can come back negative in some cases but people can have it. He said my boobs for
one wouldn’t both have it. Secondly said it would be a lot firmer by now and the skin be like orange peel etc. he said to be safe he will see me again in 5 weeks. He took pictures to compare. Said no point in a biopsy now. If it’s worse then he will but if it’s the same or better then he won’t. He just wants to be sure and also not waste my money on tests for no reason. He said he’s seen it a few times in pregnant women. One even had it all the way up to her neck. So that was so reassuring to hear. x

UPDATE - To anyone who may come across this. I had a biopsy done through the NHS and it came back benign. I was so relieved. The stress and anxiety I have had has been insane. I do also have a condition called ehlers danlos syndrome whereby my skin is extremely thin as even the biopsy was harder to perform the consultant had to also use a scalpel to take the biopsy. I have been told both boobs are red due to the massive growth, the skin being stretched and I have implants which add extra weight (albeit they aren’t big implants only 325cc). I was told to wear more supportive bras as I’ve not been used to bras with implants as they never moved ! My boobs have defo gone more south!

I would definitely recommend anyone who’s worried to push for testing. I was lucky that the NHS consultant I saw knew my breast surgeon by first name and very well that he did a biopsy from my first visit to give me peace of mind. Even though he wasn’t concerned, I was.

when I went in for my results the consultant walked in and went how are you, I burst into tears and he blurted out the biopsy was fine to calm me down 😅

it isn’t talked about enough that this can happy to us ! And google terrifies the shitt out of you!