Skin changes of the female breast: A guide to assessment and management

The breast can be affected by a wide range of dermatological conditions. Some conditions are unique to the skin of the breast, whereas others occur elsewhere on the body. General practitioners (GPs) will see both benign and malignant skin conditions of the breast; a nuanced approach to assessing and managing these conditions is required.

This paper gives an overview of the breast skin changes commonly seen in a GP practice, with aetiology, symptoms and guidance on treatment and management.

The symptoms of breast skin conditions might overlap. Failure to resolve with adequate treatment could indicate a serious underlying aetiology and the patient needs to be seen by a specialist for further investigation. Early referral decreases morbidity and, in malignant disease, mortality.