What should you know about dimpling of areola?

The areola can change with temperature, breastfeeding, pregnancy, skin irritation, or a change in the tissue beneath it. A scar or blocked duct may create a local pull. Dimpling of the areola is a common presentation of breast cancer, though the sign itself does not establish that diagnosis. Paget Disease of the Breast may involve the nipple or areola and can resemble dermatitis, with itching, scaling, crusting, or burning.

Use your normal appearance as the comparison. Take note of whether the change is new, one-sided, fixed in place, or linked with a lump or nipple fluid.

Check the skin gently after bathing and avoid harsh soaps or scratching while you arrange advice. A doctor can examine the areola, nipple, breast tissue, and nearby lymph nodes. Depending on what they find, they may request diagnostic imaging or a skin-focused assessment. Learn about [Breast Cancer](/conditions/breast-cancer/) and [Paget Disease of the Breast](/conditions/paget-disease-of-the-breast/) for background, but do not use online images to diagnose yourself.

Make an appointment soon for a persistent or progressive indentation, especially with a palpable lump, nipple inversion, spontaneous discharge, scaling, redness, warmth, or an area that fails to heal. Fever, rapidly increasing swelling, or intense pain calls for faster medical attention.

Ask whether the surface change looks like irritation or deeper tethering, whether imaging is needed, and how to care for the skin meanwhile. Share the date it began and any recent pregnancy, feeding, injury, procedure, or new product.