Everything You Should Know About Breast
Cellulitis
Overview
Breast cellulitis is a type of serious bacterial
infection that affects the skin of the breast.
This condition may occur from broken skin,
but it’s most often the result of complications
from surgery or cancer treatments. While
most women will go through breast surgery
without developing an infection, about 1 in 20
women are affected.
If not diagnosed and promptly treated, breast
cellulitis can lead to life-threatening
complications.
Symptoms
The symptoms of breast cellulitis tend to
occur shortly after the skin is broken in any
fashion. This includes breast cancer surgery
and other related incisions. If you have a
weakened immune system from cancer
treatments, then a simple cut can lead to
cellulitis.
Symptoms of breast cellulitis may include:
redness and swelling
tenderness
fever
chills
pain when touched
a wound that is oozing clear or yellow
fluids
rash
red streaks developing from the rash
See your doctor right away if you develop any
symptoms that may indicate breast cellulitis.
Read more: What is a breast infection? »
Causes
Cellulitis is a type of skin infection that can
occur anywhere in the body. It’s a bacterial
infection that affects skin tissues just
underneath the skin’s
surface. Staphylococcus
aureus and Streptococcus are the two most
common types of bacteria that cause cellulitis.
They can cause the infection by getting into
exposed cuts. A decreased immune system
can also increase your risk for cellulitis.
Breast cellulitis isn’t normally caused by
infected cuts like other forms of the infection.
Instead, this type of infection mostly manifests
itself from cancer treatments or surgeries.
Lymph node removal can weaken your
immune system and increase your risk for
cellulitis in the upper body. This includes your
breasts. This infection can also occur after
breast augmentation or reduction surgeries.
Breast cellulitis vs. inflammatory breast
cancer
Breast cellulitis can sometimes be caused
by inflammatory breast cancer. However,
these are two separate conditions. Cellulitis of
the breasts is sometimes mistaken for
inflammatory breast cancer, and vice versa.
Inflammatory breast cancer is a rare form of
breast cancer. Symptoms include:
redness
swelling
pain
Cellulitis can cause fever or chills, which
aren’t symptoms of inflammatory breast
cancer.
Any significant changes in your breasts
should be evaluated by a doctor as soon as
possible, however, so that they can determine
the cause.
Treatment
Breast cellulitis, as with other forms of
cellulitis, is treated with antibiotics. These are
typically taken for 7–10 days to make sure
that the infection doesn’t come back. Take the
entire prescription as directed. Your doctor will
likely want to see you after a couple of weeks
to make sure the infection has fully cleared
up.
Ask your doctor if you can take over-the-
counter (OTC) pain relievers, such as
acetaminophen (Tylenol), to help ease
discomfort while the antibiotics run their
course.
If you don’t respond to prescription antibiotics,
your doctor may recommend intravenous
antibiotics given at the hospital.
Complications
Left untreated, breast cellulitis can lead to
serious complications. A blood infection can
lead to poisoning (septicemia), which is
potentially fatal.
Breast cellulitis may also lead to lymphedema.
Lymphedema is a condition where your lymph
nodes are unable to properly drain. You may
especially be at risk if you’ve had one or more
lymph nodes removed.
