A 35-year-old woman presents with itchy, inflamed skin on her nipples. She denies any recent changes in detergents, soaps, or new clothing. She is currently not breastfeeding. What could be causing her symptoms, and what should be the next steps?
The localized itch and inflammation on the woman's nipples could indicate a type of eczema known as nipple eczema. It's also crucial to rule out Paget's disease of the breast, which can present similarly but is a type of breast cancer. A skin biopsy may be needed to differentiate between the two conditions. If it's eczema, topical corticosteroids and emollients would likely be the first line of treatment.