Can your nipples grow extra bits? Oh stop laughing at the back, I'm serious!

[whomovedmychocolate]

My right nipple seems to have ahem grown an extra bit - not like a skin tag, it sort of looks like a cluster of moles next to the outside of my nipple. The don't hurt, there's no lump and they definitely won't there six months ago.

I'm going to the GP tomorrow but so I don't look like a total numpty can anyone shed any light?

I am only worried because I've had five melanomas in fifteen years I think. Please come call me paranoid.

Oh and I'm breastfeeding- have been for 25 months. Perhaps DD has gnawed a bit off in her enthusiasm?

could be hormonal... are the 'moles' raised, or coloured?

Coloured yes, raised no. Are you following me?

I had a similar thing - like an extra bit of nipple growing out of the centre of my nipple though. Got referred straight to breast clinic - they said it was probably part of my own tissue, maybe not even a benign small tumour but an 'overgrowth' they called it.They had no explanation for it but may have been caused by the 'trauma of breastfeeding' They offered to remove it but said it could be left safely. It actually shrank quite a lot fairly recently. I hope yours turns out to be as normal (if annoying) as mine.

ephrinedaily - thanks - I sort of thought they might need to refer me

To reassure you though, most GPs will refer absolutely anything to do with breast changes to the clinic - its definitely better to be safe than sorry. Depending on your age / other risk factors, you might get seen within a week then hopefully like me get the all clear very quickly.

yeah, don't be worried about being referred within 2 weeks... I have a mamogram on Friday after seeing the doc on monday

btw, you've had more responses to my lumpy thread than me!

I got extra moles when I was breastfeeding, around the nipple area, though not a cluster as such, but 4-5 moles on both sides around the area. I havent breastfed for about 1 year now, and the extra moles have almost all gone.

I wondered if it was the hormones associated with breast feeding - my extra moles were all along the milk line, which is why I thought that. (But that is just what I thought, I dont know if that is possible).

I expect they will refer you though, given your history they will want to be sure.

Oh I know all about the two week wait so that doesn't phase me thanks. Will have to go hunt for Oatcake's thread now