The normal color of female nipples and areolas is pale pink or light brown. Any changes in the color of the nipples and areolas can indicate physiological or pathological changes in the female endocrine system.
Physiological changes:
1. During pregnancy, starting from early pregnancy, the color of the nipples and areolas can darken from pale pink to dark brown. This change is mainly due to increased levels of estrogen and progesterone in the body during pregnancy, and it is a normal physiological change.
2. Some women (usually between 30 and 45 years old) may experience a gradual darkening of the color of their nipples and areolas without being pregnant. If a breast examination shows no signs of abnormalities, this change in color may indicate a temporary increase in estrogen levels in the body. After a period of time, the estrogen levels may return to normal and the color of the nipples and areolas will also return to normal. This is still considered a normal physiological change.
Pathological changes:
1. After the color of the nipples and areolas darkens and is accompanied by itching around the breasts, a breast examination may reveal proliferative or cystic proliferative lesions in one or both breasts. The darkening of the color of the nipples and areolas indicates an increase in estrogen levels in the body, which can lead to breast lesions as a target organ. This is in line with the pattern of disease development.
2. If the color of the nipples and areolas simply darkens, becoming dark brown or blackish brown, and small nodules appear around the areolar glands without any other breast abnormalities, it should be considered whether the patient has a severe liver disease. This is because liver disease can lead to decreased liver function, causing estrogen to not be properly metabolized in the liver, resulting in darkening of the color of the nipples and areolas. This is similar to the appearance of "spider nevi" and "palmar erythema" in men with severe liver disease.
3. In women, an increase in estrogen secretion due to certain benign tumors in the ovaries can cause darkening of the nipples and areolas, accompanied by the appearance of many small nodules around the areolas. Such patients should seek medical attention from a gynecologist as soon as possible to identify the cause and receive timely treatment.
Therefore, it is important to pay attention to changes in the color of the nipples and areolas during breast examinations. It is necessary to determine whether the changes in color are physiological or pathological, and based on the characteristics of the changes, make a clear diagnosis and provide appropriate treatment.
