Wounds on breast is quite common. These wounds are often a result from breast surgery or improper breastfeeding sessions. There are some reasons making wound on breast very painful and every breastfeeding mother will probably agree that these wounds may trigger trauma in breastfeeding. Similar to any other wounds on the body, wounds on breast might be caused by cuts, scratches, or scrapes. Surgical incisions and sutures also cause wound on breast. Breast wounds as a result of surgical incisions are the most common type of breast wound that heals very slowly.
Why breast wound heals slowly
There are some possible risk factors leading to delayed healing of certain wounds in breast. These factors include:
An infection
All wounds all over the body have a risk of being infected. Staph bacteria resides on your skin and can be transferred into a wounded area, causing infection. A delayed wound healing on breast might be a sign of bacterial or fungal infection. Look for other signs of infection, such as excessive redness and swelling, and elevating pain on the wound site to reassure and see a doctor immediately once you discover these symptoms.
Poor blood circulation
To heal a wound, the body needs to pump more blood into the infection site. If you are doing some things that prevent this from happening, it will be very hard for the wound to heal properly and quickly. Smoking and drinking too much caffeine are a couple of risk factors leading to delayed wound healing on breast. Moreover, if you are breastfeeding, you will need more amount of nutrition than usual, so that inhibited blood circulation will give a big impact on how likely the wound on breast will heal properly.
Lack of protein, zinc, and vitamin C
Those substances are incredibly important for proper wound healing. Being lack of one of these may result in interrupted wound healing. Protein is needed for new skin cell growth and skin regeneration, while vitamin C is required for the absorption of zinc, an essential substance for wound healing.
Lack of exercises
Lack of exercises might also cause your wound on breast heal slowly. Thus, exercise lightly and make sure you are wearing a well-supporting, breathable sport bra, so that the wound will not be aggravated by the contact between the wounded skin and your bra.
How to treat delayed breast wound healing
The most proper treatment you can do to treat breast wound that won’t heal is seeking for a doctor’s opinion. However, if you have noticed those signs of infection initially, you can help manage it by performing things you can do at home, such as:
Eat well-balanced diet
Your diet is your source of nutrition, which is very important for wound healing anywhere on your body, including the breast. Thus, eating well-balanced diet will improve the healing process. If you are breastfeeding, you must exactly realize the importance of a well-balanced diet. Consume foods that are enriched with lean protein, vitamin C, and zinc, and keep your body well-hydrated to promote faster healing.
Keep your wound site hygienic
In some cases, a wound on breast won’t heal because the patient fails to keep the wound site hygienic after breastfeeding sessions. To do this, you will need to rinse the area where your baby used to latch with saline solution. This will kill any infesting bacteria and as a result, your infection can be improved. Also clean your nipple and the skin around the wound site and keep it dry. Avoid wearing tight, non-breathable clothing while still in the healing period, as this may aggravate the wound and make it worse.
Moist-heal the wound site
Moist wound healing is essential in that it promotes faster skin cell formation, which is essential for tissue regeneration. Keeping the wound site moist by bandaging it with breathable gauze and change the bandage regularly. Avoid wetting the bandage as it may tenderize the wound and delay the entire healing process. If you decide to do this, it is advised to pump the breast milk for breastfeeding your baby, as breast with open wounds may cause harmful bacteria transmission into your baby’s body.
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