Dry Nipples: Why They Peel, What Helps and When to See a Doctor

Dry nipples that flake or peel are most often caused by friction, eczema or contact dermatitis, pregnancy hormones, or breastfeeding and pumping, and they usually improve once you remove the trigger and moisturize gently.

Dry nipples are common and rarely serious, but they can itch, sting and make you worry. Peeling skin on the nipple or areola can show up in pregnancy, in the early weeks of breastfeeding, after a long run, or out of nowhere after you switch detergents.

This guide explains why nipples get dry and peel, how to care for them safely during pregnancy and breastfeeding, how to tell common irritation from the rare signs that need a doctor, and what actually helps.

Why Are My Nipples Peeling? The Short Answer

Cleveland Clinic calls dry nipples a common symptom that is usually harmless. The useful question is “what is rubbing, drying or irritating this skin?” Once you remove the cause, the skin usually settles.

Common Causes of Dry, Peeling Nipples

Use this table as a starting point, not a diagnosis.

Cleveland Clinic adds that hormonal shifts can also cause nipple dryness around your period and during menopause, so you can have dry nipples without being pregnant or breastfeeding.

Peeling Nipples in Pregnancy

Cleveland Clinic says shifts in estrogen and progesterone during pregnancy can cause dry, itchy nipples, and that the nipples may also feel sore, tender or swollen.

Dried colostrum is a common cause of crusty nipples. Colostrum is the first milk. Cleveland Clinic says the breasts start producing it between 12 and 18 weeks of pregnancy, and that leaking can start as early as the second trimester (although some people never leak at all). It is thick, often sticky, and often deep yellow or orange, and Cleveland Clinic notes that some people find it dried on their nipples, where it can look like peeling skin.

• Rinse dried colostrum gently in the shower rather than picking it off, then apply a plain, unscented moisturizer if the skin feels tight (Cleveland Clinic).
• If you are leaking, wear disposable or washable breast pads (Cleveland Clinic).
• Do not express colostrum to “clear” the nipples. Cleveland Clinic says expressing before birth can bring on contractions, so ask your provider first.

Cleveland Clinic says leaking does not mean labor is coming, and faint traces of blood in colostrum can be normal. For other late-pregnancy changes, see our third trimester guide.

Dry Nipples While Breastfeeding or Pumping

Cleveland Clinic lists breastfeeding as a common cause of dry nipples: anything that contacts the nipple can irritate it, and latch problems, milk blebs and clogged ducts can add to the problem. The AAP says nipple soreness is usually temporary.

If the skin is splitting, bleeding or scabbing rather than just flaking, that is a nipple fissure, and the cause is usually mechanical. Our cracked nipples guide covers latch and pump flange fit. For latch basics, see how to breastfeed and breastfeeding positions.

Nursing-safe skin care. Your baby’s mouth goes where your skin care goes, so keep it simple. Here is what the sources recommend:

• Skip soap on the nipples: the AAP says to wash with warm water and skip soap, which can dry and irritate nipples. The Office on Women’s Health says clean water is enough and to avoid harsh soaps or ointments that contain astringents.
• Pat dry, then air dry: the AAP and the Office on Women’s Health both suggest patting the nipples dry or letting them air dry after feeds, or wearing a soft cotton shirt.
• Breast milk or purified lanolin: the AAP lists colostrum, breast milk or medical-grade purified lanolin after feeds, and says general creams and lotions usually will not help. The Office on Women’s Health says to ask your doctor or lactation consultant before using other creams. Cleveland Clinic also lists nipple gel pads and lanolin-free nipple balm.
• Keep moisture off the skin: change nursing pads often (Office on Women’s Health), skip plastic-lined pads, and remove plastic breast shells after 30 minutes (AAP).

If you have been prescribed a cream, ask whether it needs to come off before feeds. The National Eczema Association advises applying topical steroids after nursing and wiping them off before the next feeding, and telling your provider you are breastfeeding before you start any medicine.

If dryness started with a new pump or flange, read breast pain after pumping.

Thrush on the Nipple: Signs to Know

The Office on Women’s Health lists these possible signs of a fungal infection on the nipple:

• Sore nipples that last more than a few days even with a good latch.
• Sudden soreness after weeks of comfortable breastfeeding.
• Pink, flaky, shiny, itchy or cracked nipples, or deep pink, blistered nipples.
• Achy breasts or deep shooting pains during or after feeds.

The Office on Women’s Health says treatment is a medicine rubbed on the breasts several times a day for about a week, and that thrush may take several weeks to clear.

Pink, flaky skin is not proof of yeast, though. Dermatitis and eczema cause dry, flaky, itchy nipples too (Cleveland Clinic, National Eczema Association), and our cracked nipples guide explains why some experts question how often yeast is the cause. Get a diagnosis from your doctor or a lactation consultant before treating. If the pain is more burning or stinging than itchy, see stinging pain in the breast while breastfeeding.

Nipple Eczema and Contact Dermatitis

Two kinds of dermatitis are common causes:

• Nipple eczema (atopic dermatitis): Cleveland Clinic describes an itchy rash with a strong genetic component. The National Eczema Association says it causes dry, itchy, flaky or discolored skin on the breast, nipple, areola or skin folds in people of any age or gender. Redness can look brown to purple on darker skin.
• Contact dermatitis: an allergic or irritant reaction that causes an itchy rash, triggered by things like soaps or certain fabrics (Cleveland Clinic).

The National Eczema Association lists common triggers for breast eczema, which double as a checklist of things to change:

• Fragranced lotions, deodorants and perfumes, plus laundry detergents and fabric softeners.
• Synthetic, rough or tight clothing, wool, nickel in bra clasps and underwires, and latex in bra elastic.
• Hot showers, dry air, chlorine, heat and trapped sweat.
• Hormonal shifts from pregnancy, periods or menopause, plus stress.

What helps. The National Eczema Association recommends a thick, fragrance-free moisturizer at least twice a day and after bathing, lukewarm baths with a mild cleanser, soft cotton bras without underwires, and fragrance-free detergent without fabric softener. Patch testing can identify contact allergens.

If home care is not enough, Cleveland Clinic says a provider may prescribe an anti-inflammatory cream or ointment such as a corticosteroid. The National Eczema Association adds that eczema on the breast does not cause breast cancer.

Friction: Jogger’s Nipple and Bra Rub

Cleveland Clinic lists jogger’s nipple (nipple chafing): clothing rubbing the nipples over and over, or a tight bra. It recommends:

• Comfortable bras and shirts that do not rub the nipples.
• Adhesive bandages over the nipples if friction keeps happening, for example during long runs.
• Rest: Cleveland Clinic says dryness from friction usually clears once the friction stops.

If you are easing back into exercise after birth, our postpartum workout plan has a gradual schedule.

How to Treat Dry Nipples at Home

For mild dryness without warning signs:

• 1. Find and remove the trigger: a new detergent, scented body wash, rough bra or ill-fitting pump flange is often the culprit.
• 2. Wash gently: lukewarm water and a mild, fragrance-free cleanser on the breast; plain warm water on the nipples if you are nursing (AAP).
• 3. Moisturize: Cleveland Clinic suggests an unscented over-the-counter moisturizing cream or ointment; petroleum jelly can help keep skin moist. If you are breastfeeding, stick to breast milk, purified lanolin or a product your provider approves.
• 4. Wear soft cotton: a soft cotton bra without underwire is gentler on irritated skin (National Eczema Association).
• 5. Do not scratch: the National Eczema Association says chronic scratching can thicken skin.
• 6. Give it two weeks: Cleveland Clinic says to see a provider if home treatment has not helped after two weeks.

Is It Eczema or Something More? One Nipple vs Both

The National Cancer Institute says Paget disease of the breast is a rare cancer involving the nipple and usually the areola, and makes up about 1% to 3% of all breast cancers. It can look like eczema or dermatitis, so it can be overlooked.

Mayo Clinic lists these symptoms of Paget’s disease of the breast, which usually affect one breast and start at the nipple:

• Flaky or scaly skin on the nipple.
• Crusty, oozing or hardened skin that looks like eczema on the nipple, areola or both.
• Itching and burning.
• Straw-colored or bloody nipple discharge.
• A nipple that turns inward (the National Cancer Institute also lists a flattened nipple).
• A breast lump or thickened breast skin.

Most people with Paget’s disease of the breast also have cancer elsewhere in the breast, so the whole breast is checked (Mayo Clinic). The National Cancer Institute says diagnosis involves a breast exam and imaging such as a mammogram, ultrasound or MRI, and a skin biopsy confirms it.

Related Betteroo Guides

• Cracked Nipples From Breastfeeding
• Mastitis Symptoms and Treatment
• How to Breastfeed
• Breast Pain After Pumping
• Skin to Skin Contact
• Postpartum Essentials

When to See a Doctor

Make an appointment with your doctor, midwife or a dermatologist if:

• Dryness or peeling has not improved after about two weeks of home care (Cleveland Clinic).
• Pain, tenderness or nipple discharge lasts more than a few days (Cleveland Clinic).
• Only one nipple is affected, especially with crusting, oozing, itching or burning that does not heal (Mayo Clinic).
• You notice bloody or straw-colored discharge, a lump, thickened skin, or a nipple that turns inward or flattens (Mayo Clinic, National Cancer Institute).
• Eczema lasts more than 2 to 3 weeks, does not respond to treatment, or looks infected (National Eczema Association).
• You are breastfeeding and suspect thrush, or pain is making you skip feeds (Office on Women’s Health).

Call your doctor the same day if you are breastfeeding and develop fever, chills or flu-like symptoms with a red, painful area of the breast, or if you see pus or blood in your milk or red streaks on the breast (Office on Women’s Health). These can be signs of a breast infection; see our mastitis guide.

Call 911 or go to the nearest emergency room if you feel severely ill, confused or short of breath, or cannot keep fluids down. This article is general education, not medical advice.

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