Weird Spot on My Breast

August 31, 2005 8:33 PM

Odd spot. A couple weeks ago I discovered a pink patch about 2 inches long by 1 inch wide on the top of my left breast.

I assumed that it was some kind of bruise... but it hasn't gone away. In fact, today I noticed a few pinprick sized spots of a darker red clustered to one side of it. It doesn't hurt, it isn't swollen or lumpy or warm, and it doesn't appear to be a rub spot from a bra. I don't think it's an allergic reaction as it is so localized and I haven't changed detergents or anything recently. Yes, yes, I have a doctor's appointment on Tuesday and I will be sure to ask about it, but I'm looking for clues about what to ask and what it could be. I foolishly did some "symptom surfing" and all I can come up with is inflammatory breast cancer which frankly is scaring the crap out of me.

posted by fancypants to Health & Fitness (14 answers total)

Response by poster: I should add that I'm 23 years old, take birth control (generic Ortho Cyclen) and have never been pregnant.
posted by fancypants at 8:38 PM on August 31, 2005

I get those little pinprick sized spots of red - they're called petechiae. They're relatively harmless minor bruises.
posted by Serena at 8:39 PM on August 31, 2005

Check your email.
posted by footnote at 8:51 PM on August 31, 2005

footnote, could you send me the same information? My girlfriend is having the exact same problem. She's the same age range, and it is in the exact same spot. Freaky. She has a doctor's appointment as well, but I've been worried about it for the past few days.
posted by purephase at 9:55 PM on August 31, 2005

See a doctor.
posted by pwb503 at 10:00 PM on August 31, 2005

Oddly enough, I've had that sort of thing. It went away, though, after a month or so, so I never found out what it was.
posted by jacquilynne at 10:28 PM on August 31, 2005

Purephase - ok, I'll just post it here instead of being so shy: I had something that sounded exactly the same in terms of location, size, and color which, on the basis of paranoid web surfing, I also concluded was inflammatory breast cancer. It turned out to be a little patch of ringworm, a mild fungal infection you can pick up from cats which goes away in about 24 hrs when you put some Lamisil on it.
posted by footnote at 10:33 PM on August 31, 2005

Eczema?
posted by callmejay at 10:42 PM on August 31, 2005

Or possibly psoriasis if the skin is inflamed not just a bruise-like mark.
posted by karmaville at 10:54 PM on August 31, 2005

I had ringworm as a kid, I remember a slight itch. A quick Google search for "ringworm" shows pictures too as well as information on treatment (many over-the-counter fungicide creams will work). I still wouldn't assume that's what it is, but I'd suspect ringworm or an allergy or something like that before I'd go all the way to cancer. But yes, do see your doctor. Hell if it were me I wouldn't want to wait almost a week either; I'd be trying for an earlier appointment or going down to the Urgent Care clinic. Sometimes it helps to be told "you're right, that's not cancer" (or tuberculosis, AIDS, or whatever).

And by the way footnote, the idea that one could get ringworm from pets had never occurred to me. If I ever get ringworm again the ferrets will get seen too, and I'll tell the neighbors to check their cats, and.... In the case of these indoor ferrets though it'd be more likely that I'd give something to them: I once stepped in dog shit and then spent an hour on the porch disinfecting the soles of my sandals with bleach and a toothbrush before I brought them in -- and I still kept them on a shelf for several days.
posted by davy at 11:29 PM on August 31, 2005

Well, if it is ringworm...

You'll know if it's ringworm because in about three weeks, everyone you know that's been to your house will likely also have these mysterious spot/patches. Seriously, that shit is hard as hell to erradicate from your home. Vacuum up any and all dust and pet hair/dander. Go on a cleaning frenzy, then get some Lotrimon-B (I think that's what our doc prescribed, as well as some "harder" stuff).
posted by Civil_Disobedient at 5:19 AM on September 1, 2005

Ringworm is generally raised at the edges and itches like a motherfucker. This sounds like mild eczema. I've had a few skin diseases in my time.
posted by Mayor Curley at 6:10 AM on September 1, 2005

Actually, what you describe may also be a candidal infection (ie a diaper rash), which is known for having "satellite lesions" like those you have described, and is easily treatable. But again, there's no way to diagnose it without seeing it, so please go see your doctor.
posted by drpynchon at 7:14 AM on September 1, 2005

It's a long shot, but consider Dermatitis Herpetiformis, especially if you have gluten-intolerance. It goes away with a change in diet.
posted by Asparagirl at 10:29 PM on September 1, 2005