A dark ring (areola) around your nipple is usually a normal, temporary change due to hormonal shifts from puberty, menstruation, pregnancy (a common sign), breastfeeding, or hormonal birth control, increasing skin pigment (melanin). Other causes include certain medications, genetics, or sometimes skin conditions like eczema, but if you notice scaling, itching, redness, lumps, or discharge, see a doctor to rule out rare issues like Paget's disease.
The color of a person's areola — the circular area around the nipple — may darken in color. Hormonal changes can cause this, such as during pregnancy. Nipples vary widely in color. People with darker skin tones tend to have darker nipples and those with light skin tones have lighter-colored nipples.
In addition to red, dry, flaky, peeling, scaly or thickened skin on the nipple or surrounding tissue, other symptoms include: Itching or tingling in the nipple or areola. Yellow or bloody discharge. A nipple that appears to be flattened or inverted, meaning it caves inward.
Areolar glands, also known as glandulae areolares, Montgomery glands, and tubercula areolae, are 10–15 elevations found on the areola. They are usually arranged in a circle around the nipple, and can be particularly visible when the nipple is erect. Their role is to promote adequate breastfeeding of the infant.
Nipple pigmentation or areolar pigmentation is pigmentation (darkening) of the nipple or areola. It is dose-dependently induced as an effect of estrogens and can occur normally during pregnancy and breastfeeding or as a side effect of high-dose estrogen therapy.
Healthy female nipples vary greatly in color (pink to brown), size, shape (protruding, flat, inverted), and texture (often with small bumps called Montgomery glands). Normal variations include changes due to hormones, pregnancy, or arousal, but any sudden, persistent changes like new inversion, discharge, redness, crusting, or skin thickening warrant a doctor's visit.
The areolae can range from pink to red to brown to dark brown or nearly black, but generally tend to be paler among people with lighter skin tones and darker among people with darker skin tones. A reason for the differing color may be to make the nipple area more visible to the infant.
Along with dark areolas, you may also see that the area around it darkens early in pregnancy and resembles a web. This makes the areola look more prominent than before. It is essential to know that there can be other causes for dark areolas that are not related to pregnancy.
Causes of Montgomery tubercles
These are usually quite normal and nothing to worry about. Areolar glands can become more pronounced as a result of non pregnancy-related causes, such as: Hormonal changes due to your menstrual cycle, contraceptive pill, pre-menopause or menopause. Hormonal imbalances due to stress.
Areolae. The areola is the circular darker-colored area of skin surrounding your nipple.
The 5 key warning signs of breast cancer often involve changes like a new lump or thickening, a change in breast size or shape, skin changes such as dimpling or redness, nipple changes like inversion or discharge, and persistent pain or swelling in the breast or armpit, though many symptoms can overlap, and you should see a doctor for any new or unusual breast change.
Color: They can range from dark pink to dark brown, typically in relation to your skin tone. Texture: Areolas are peppered with small, pimple-like bumps (Montgomery's tubercles). These glands secrete an oil that lubricates and protects the nipples. They also secrete a small amount of milk during lactation.
Skin Changes: Look for dimpling, puckering, redness, or flaking on the breast or nipple. Some patients describe it as resembling the texture of an orange peel.
Signs and symptoms of breast cancer include: A lump or swelling in the breast, upper chest or armpit. A change to the skin, such as puckering or dimpling. A change in the colour of the breast – the breast may look darker, red or inflamed.
Tender breasts in early pregnancy
Your breasts may become larger and feel tender, just as they might do before your period. They may also tingle. The veins may be more visible, and the nipples may darken and stand out.
The melanosis of the areola has this cobblestone pattern combined with hyperpigmentation and this knowledge can change the management of these lesions. Therefore, this pattern should be added to the list of nonmelanocytic tumors of the skin.
The areolas are the area around your nipples. They can start to appear darker and larger as early as one or two weeks after conception, making this one of the more noticeable early signs of pregnancy. You may also begin to see more visible veins and little bumps popping up along the edge of the areolas.
Outside of pregnancy, Montgomery glands can become more prominent if a cyst develops because the gland becomes blocked, according to the National Library of Medicine. Cysts may appear as breast lumps that may or may not be painful, red or swollen.
The most common symptom of corneal ectasia is distorted vision. This distortion can present as ghosting, multiple images, glare, starbursts, or haloes around lights. Other symptoms include sensitivity to light and difficulty with night vision.
Your breasts may become larger and feel tender, just as they might do before your period. They may also tingle. The veins may be more visible, and the nipples may darken and stand out.
Researchers believe that the hormones estrogen and progesterone are the main factors causing color changes in the areola and nipple. Additionally, aging, chronic diseases, and poor lifestyle can also contribute to darker areolas. Skin pigmentation also determines the color of the areola.
It is normal for your nipple and areola colors to be slightly different. The areola is often darker than the nipple itself. Depending on your skin tone, the color can range from pale pink to dark brown.
So why do nipples get darker during pregnancy? Like many pregnancy symptoms and side-effects, dark or black areolas are most likely a result of your rising levels of hormones—namely, estrogen and progesterone.
Images with dark and medium areolar pigmentation were rated as more attractive than images with light areolae.