Rash on the breasts in early pregnancy?

[Heyanonynonymous]

Hello, I've asked this in the not community as well.

Just newly discovered I'm pregnant. As a bit of a background, I'm asthmatic and prone to bouts of eczema in winter, usually limited to the creases at my elbow and knees, and sometimes on my calves, but never anywhere else.

I'm only 5 weeks pg, but I can't think of anything else that could be causing this! The rash is on both breasts, over the whole breast (above, underneath, at sides, right by the nipple, extending all the way to the edge of the breast). It doesn't appear around my back or over the shoulders where bra straps have been, so unlikely to be caused by the bra. I don't have any flare ups of eczema anywhere else.

It's not itchy, but feels warm, and before I moisturised one or two of the larger little patches had little flakes of dry skin in the middle, similar to what my eczema usually looks like.. But it's not itchy!

I've asked doctor google, but results were inconclusive. I don't have a midwife to call yet, and i don't want to bother my GP if this isn't anything to worry about... I've just started using the really thick moisturiser that normally helps with my eczema, but won't know if it helps for days yet.

[sidekick]

I'm sorry, I don't have any advice to give you directly about the rash (apart from the fact that it resembles some patches of psoriasis I have had in the past)... but you are already worrying about it, so I think you should ask your GP as soon as you can. Don't think of it as bothering her/him, it's what they are there for. Your hormones are changing and your stress levels are possibly increasing anyway - anything you can do to set your mind at ease is a good idea, since, in my experience, increased levels of stress can have a negative impact on some physical conditions.

Good luck with everything; I hope it all goes well.

[Shell567]

Hi Heyanonynonymous,

Pregnancy can trigger/aggravate a number of different skin conditions. As sidekick says, you really need to see your GP.

In the meantime, the following info might help:

DermNet: Skin problems in pregnancy dermnetnz.org/site-age-spec...

Net Doctor: Skin changes during pregnancy netdoctor.co.uk/womenshealt...

[lovesradio]

Hi all my skin has tended to hiccup at any time of significant hormonal upset to a greater or lesser degree but with no particular pattern,,,,,,typical eczema! Pregnancy, after birth, menopause, oestrogen suppressant drugs as adjuvant breast cancer treatment....so it goes on. So I have a range of emollients, bath additives, soap substitutes, corticosteroids and use as needed, trying to limit the active medication to short periods and maintain with emollients. I have tried to find research on the link between hormonal change and eczema as I am convinced there is one, but I find dermatologists focus more on contact issues.

[earthwitch]

If its come up with pregnancy (and if its flaky in places), then I'd wonder if it was actually psoriasis rather than eczema, as psoriasis can be more of an autoimmune thing, and autoimmune conditions are very often either triggered or relieved by big hormonal changes (puberty, pregnancy, menopause). The only way to be really sure would be to have it biopsied, or at least be seen by a Dermatologist.