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I have what looks like a small canker sore on my aereola (sp?). What is it and what can I do about it? It's horribly painful.
Breast Herpes If you've been exposed to the herpes simplex virus (HSV), you can develop herpes sores on your nipples. Most doctors will be able to determine if you have a herpes simplex sore (called a vesicle) just by visual inspection, but a culture will confirm it. HSV I or II can now be associated with sores above the waist. (In the past, HSV II was the dreaded genital herpes, but now it's seen above the waist, too.) Anytime you have a cold sore or fever blister, it's a sign that HSV is active. In this case, the nipple and areola can also be sites for these sores. If this is your diagnosis, you may need to wean your baby until the virus has cleared up, pumping your breasts and feeding the baby your milk with another feeding tool (see chapters 5 and 6). The symptoms of breast herpes are characterized by extreme pain during breastfeeding. The sores must be kept dry, however, and in this case, dusting them with cornstarch and blow-drying them may be helpful. So long as the baby has been breastfeeding exclusively until now, the antibodies in your milk should provide protection from the virus. There is no cure for herpes, but the sores will go away and will reappear less and less frequenlty, until you will simply not be bothered by them anymore. |