Dry, flakey, red, painful areola. Please help!

[woodchick]

I've been nursing constantly since May 2006.  I have had a couple bouts of mastitis, but have otherwise had a blissful breastfeeding career. I've nursed through a NICU experience, pregnancy and have been tandem nursing for two years now. I'm pretty well versed in the breastfeeding arts, but I can't seem to diagnose myself!

About a week ago I noticed a dry, red, flaky patch around one nipple. It is exactly where DDs mouth goes.  It does not go all the way around the nipple.  The other side is unaffected. What is this? How can I heal it?

It is so painful that I cry when she latches on.  It hurts the whole time she nurses on that side.  I looked up thrush, but she doesn't have any white spots or anything...

I have been applying Lansinoh a couple times a day. Maybe I should do it more?

TIA!

Edited by woodchick - 1/11/11 at 5:21am

[woodchick]

Bump

[kismetbaby]

Sounds to me like it could be thrush.  You can have thrush even if she doesn't. And for some people it appears as a flaky, red rash. Have you checked out this: http://www.drjacknewman.com/help/Candida-Protocol.asp

Wouldn't hurt to treat for thrush (the natural treatments) and see how that goes. Won't hurt and might help.

 I highly suggest a week of this treatment-- each time after your DD nurses, clean the nipple with a vinegar (or GSE mix) and then apply some of Jack Newmans all purpose nipple ointment (apply a very thin, sparring layer). I think in your case this would help more than Lansinoh. 

p.s. You can make your own version of Jack Newman's AP nipple ointment, by mixing equal amounts of neosporin/bacitracin cream, hydrocortizone cream, and antifungal (lotrimin, etc) cream. 

Edited by kismetbaby - 1/11/11 at 1:39pm

[PatioGardener]

hmmmm...  some ideas:

1) yeast?   monistat cream for a few days may help

2) eczema? 

3) bacterial?  the lansinoh is probably locking in the bacteria if this is the case

jack newman's all purpose nipple ointment may help.

nak sorry so short