Bruise on Breast?????

[PennyP123]

So yesterday evening I noticed a very large reddish area on my left breast, underside. I noticed it because I looked because my breast hurt a little bit. I thought I was being pinched by my new bra.


Please note the following for context.
1. I just got new bras that are more compressive than my old ones. The jury still out on the comfort level and whether I will get more or not.
2. The recent mammogram conducted on 4/20/24 was all clear but also was extremely painful. I've had both painful and non-painful mammograms in the past. This one was epic..literally spent the next day in bed without a bra on...but the pain subsided in 3(ish) days. I gave it no further thought.
3. My husband believes that the "bruise" has been there first appearing a day or two after the mammo. He never mentioned it...he said, "I thought that's why you were in so much pain after the mammo. I thought they bruised you."
4. I sincerely have no idea when the "bruise" started because it's on the underside of my left breast, not an area that is readily visible or that I look at all the time, unlike the husband who sees it if I'm lying down. The bruise is on the breast tissue itself, not on my rib cage.


Messaged my doc and I'm seeing her today. She seemed unconcerned but agreed to see me to make sure.

Please...give me positive thoughts, your experiences...anything.

[PennyP123]

So I'm commenting here in case someone reads this in the future and wonders what happened.

I went to see my gyno and she confirmed that it is a bruise. Obviously, the likely cause was the mammo because of the epic pain and because of my husband's recollection of when the bruise started. She told me not to worry and that it would go away. Because I googled horrible things, I also talked to her about that and she reassured me again.

I should feel better but...you know...HA. I do feel better, but I won't feel "right" until the bruise goes away. Who knows when that will be as bruises can take a hot minute to resolve.

Anyhow, I'd love to know if anyone has had bruising after a mammo and how long any breast bruising anyone has had has lasted.

Regardless...I'll report back here when there is complete resolution of the bruise to document this for others suffering like me in the future.

Of course, any words of encouragement are appreciated.

[PennyP123]

I must confess that I'm not handling this well. Bruise is still there...seems unchanged to me but, of course, I look at it too much. It's still red(ish). I hope the doctor was right that it is a mere bruise, albeit a big one. I would have expected a color change by now. I hope this is a consequence of the mammo or tight bra (who knows which one). Mostly, I pray it goes away and doesn't leave me with any lasting issues. I'm scared it's not a bruise. I have to hold on to the fact that a medical doctor surely must know what a bruise looks like.

[PennyP123]

So I contacted by gyn who said it should have been gone by now and go see a Derm.
Derm diagnosed it as a bacterial infection in the skin and prescribed antibiotics, a cream and to put a cold compress on it several times a day.
He said is "should" clear up pretty fast and not to worry.

So this is why I can't just blindly trust doctors because I would have thought that surely someone who is an MD would know what a bruise looks like. "This is why we can't have nice things."

Anyhow, I'm hoping the derm is right and this takes care of it.

I'll continue to report back. It's always scary when you read a post and never know "the rest of the story" so I always try to post "the rest of the story."

Please send prayers, positive vibes, good mojo...whatever that the derm is right and this takes care of it.

[BlueIris]

Sending positive vibes, but I'm pretty sure you won't need them :) Feel better!

[PennyP123]

Sending positive vibes, but I'm pretty sure you won't need them :) Feel better!

Thank you for that. I'll take those positive vibes every day of the week and twice on Sunday. Truly, thank you for commenting. It helps... a lot.

[Lee J. Cook]

It's understandable to be worried about this situation, but it's great that you're taking the initiative and seeing your doctor. Many people experience bruising after a mammogram, especially if the procedure was particularly painful. The fact that your recent mammogram was clear is very reassuring.


I had a similar experience with mammograms causing temporary discomfort and even bruising. This is usually not serious and usually resolves on its own. Wearing bras with more pressure can also contribute to some irritation or bruising, especially if your body is still adjusting to the new level of support.


I am sending you positive thoughts and wish for a quick resolution. You got it!

[PennyP123]

It's understandable to be worried about this situation, but it's great that you're taking the initiative and seeing your doctor. Many people experience bruising after a mammogram, especially if the procedure was particularly painful. The fact that your recent mammogram was clear is very reassuring.


I had a similar experience with mammograms causing temporary discomfort and even bruising. This is usually not serious and usually resolves on its own. Wearing bras with more pressure can also contribute to some irritation or bruising, especially if your body is still adjusting to the new level of support.


I am sending you positive thoughts and wish for a quick resolution. You got it!

Thank you for your kind words and well wishes. I posted above but you may have missed it that since it wasn't improving the gynecologist suggested I see a dermatologist and the dematologist said it's a bacterial skin infection...in the skin of my boob. Like cellulitis...in the boob skin.

I'm on antibiotics now and we'll see how it goes. This has certainly been something...not something I ever want to repeat. I pray the derm is right and this fixes itself soon.

Anyhow, thank you again for your kindness in reading and responding. It helps to not feel so alone when other respond.

[PennyP123]

It's understandable to be worried about this situation, but it's great that you're taking the initiative and seeing your doctor. Many people experience bruising after a mammogram, especially if the procedure was particularly painful. The fact that your recent mammogram was clear is very reassuring.


I had a similar experience with mammograms causing temporary discomfort and even bruising. This is usually not serious and usually resolves on its own. Wearing bras with more pressure can also contribute to some irritation or bruising, especially if your body is still adjusting to the new level of support.


I am sending you positive thoughts and wish for a quick resolution. You got it!

Hi Lee...the red bruise marks are not fading at all...any clue how long bruising lasted for you?

[PennyP123]

So to update here for all of us.
So far the antibiotics haven't made any changes and the areas are not growing but also not going away.
At this point, I'm wondering if it isn't a fungal infection. I have those under my breast but this doesn't look like it or feel like it. Nevertheless, I put some OTC Antifungal cream on it today...

I'm scared y'all. I guess I can take solace in that my mammogram was all clear. Nevertheless...I'm scared. Not gonna lie. Really scared.

Sigh...

[Lee J. Cook]

Hi Lee...the red bruise marks are not fading at all...any clue how long bruising lasted for you?

About a week or two passed, how is the situation now?

[PennyP123]

About a week or two passed, how is the situation now?

It's still a mystery.
Here's the long story as short as I can make it.
The redness wasn't going away and my derm was out of town. I was concerned that if it were a bacterial skin infection (ie cellulitis)...I might need a longer course of antibiotics...but my derm was out of the country for 2 weeks.
So I found another derm who told me it was possibly cutaneous lymphoma but didn't want to do a biopsy to confirm.
I freaked.
Went to another derm that very day who took the biopsy.
Negative (thank God) for cutaneous lymphoma...he even took a biopsy from my hip which had irritated skin on it. To me they are different but who knows.
Biopsy results came back as possible pityriasis rosea but it doesn't look like it, possible lupus - but I have Rheumatoid Arthritis and the treatment is the same and I just had major bloodwork done which I get done every 6 months for the RA and all was excellent...so we don't think that. Or it could be some viral skin infection. Basically derm #3 said he didn't know but it's nothing bad and just give it time.
Meanwhile the biopsy site got infected. I can't make this stuff up...but seems to be better now.
So I don't know what to do.
Derm #3 said it has faded a bit from the day he took the biopsy to now.
My husband thinks it's fading slowly.
I have no idea if it is fading.
I did have irritated red skin on my hips, back of my head and they have spontaneously resolved.
I had a small red area on the underside of the other breast which seems to be 99% gone.
The large red area on the underside of the breast which started this whole thing is still there.
So here we are...
I just saw Derm #3 last week and he said to just give it time and that he thinks we might never know what it is and it will just fade slowly.