White spot on nipple?

[MuhajibahMama]

I just discovered a white spot on my nipple that is making me a bit uneasy. Any idea what could be causing it?

A little background...DD is 21mos old. She is nursing 3-5x a day...usually closer to 3. We are in the process of night-weaing. I have had some mild discomfort in this breast, but I attributed it to her being "rough" at latch-on...then I noticed the white spot. It is definitely around the area of a duct opening, but the duct is not plugged...if I express milk, I see milk coming out of the middle of the white spot, so nothing is blocked. The tissue there is whitish...not particularly raw looking, but not normal looking either. DD has been clamping down on my nipple during her sleep (we still nurse down, but then do not nurse again until morning)...could that have caused this? She clamped down hard tonight again and my breast is just throbbing...I am not sure I can nurse her again on this side tomorrow as my breast is just that tender right now...not sure if it is just from the clamping or if the white spot has any contributions as well.

Any insights would be appreciated. Thanks!

[velcromom]

I've had a couple things that could be described as white spots, one would be a bleb which would be more of a blister, and also I've had a plug build up at the duct opening. I had one get fairly large and milk would ooze around it but it still hurt like crazy. (TMI ahead) I ended up gently (painfully!) expressing it out. It was so dry and hard I heard a noise when it flew out and hit the bathroom mirror!!

but you say it is the tissue itself that is white in color and not a spot within the opening? I hate to think it might be yeast, sure hope not. I'd really want it to be looked at if I couldn't find a definite "yes, that's it!" identification for it. Especially since you are at the point of not wanting to nurse on that side, it might just be time to get to an LC.

[abac]

I am having the exact same problem so I'm at least thankful to come here and see I'm not alone. Ds is 11 mo. and this is the first time I've had nipple pain. I also have a white dot and it is the actual tissue, not anything in the opening. Around it is red and it hurts REALLY BAD to even have a shirt on. Unfortunately MIL came to stay for a couple days so going topless is not an option. I bought some lanolin today because that was the only thing I could think might help. I have to grit my teeth while ds nurses as it is agony. I haven't had yeast problems at all, but could we develop a yeast problem without having had antibiotics or anything? I actually described it to dh as looking like a blister? Any suggestions if it is? I am in pain!!

Sorry no help for the OP... just more questions.

[Azreial]

this may be what you are talking about. scroll down a little to this section Blanching due to vasospasm sorry nak'ing

[abac]

I noticed this morning that after ds finished nursing, the white spot was gone and in it's place was a little HOLE! I assumed this meant the white spot was dried on milk and he had cleared a little clog, (although I had no pain like from previous clogged ducts, just the nipple pain.) I was hopeful until a couple hours later when I looked again and saw the white was back. I think it's actually the little wound sealing shut and reopening every time he nurses. It turns white when it seals shut. I'm applying lanolin, but I fail to see how it's going to heal if it reopens every time he nurses.

[velcromom]

I'd make a call to an LC or LLL leader to see if that type of wound needs dry or moist wound care - it can make a difference being cared for properly. A milk blister needs moist wound care, if you have seen a layer of white skin over it and it is white-knuckle, hair raising painful, it may well have been a milk blister instead of a plug.

http://www.kellymom.com/index.html has excellent care instructions for milk blister healing and also yeast too.

[kvan]

[QUOTE=velcromom]if you have seen a layer of white skin over it and it is white-knuckle, hair raising painful, it may well have been a milk blister instead of a plug.QUOTE]

This thread sounds exactly like what I had when ds was about 3 mo/4 mo.
I ended up at the OB and he said 'milk blister'.

It was the most painful thing. So sharp it was hard not to cry out. It went away slowly then disappeared after about a week or two, and thankfully hasn't been back. I changed nursing positions on that side for awhile and that helped. It was ds's 'favorite' side, and his suck is much much stronger on that side.

[MuhajibahMama]

Thanks everyone for your input. I really appreciate it. I know it isn't a milk blister...and I am not in constant sort of pain and it is not excessively painful to nurse. I think it is blanching due to the trauma cause by her biting down repeatedly lately. Hopefully, she'll get past this soon...it's already feeling better and is looking a little less blanched.

Thanks a bunch for everything!