Breast abscess risk factors

Editor-In-Chief: C. Michael Gibson, M.S., M.D. [1]Associate Editor(s)-in-Chief: Ahmed Elsaiey, MBBCH [2]

The most important risk factor that can participate in breast infection and abscess formation is the trauma. Other risk factors include duct ectasia, obesity, diabetes mellitus and insect bites.

• The most important risk factor of breast abscess is trauma.Trauma increases the possibility of the abscess formation as it facilitates the entrance of the causative bacteria into the soft tissue. Trauma can take place by different ways like shaving subareolar hair, piercing of nipple, infant’s mouth during breastfeeding and picking acne lesions.
• Smoking: increases the chances of abscess recurrence^[1]
• Obesity
• Diabetes mellitus
• Duct ectasia of the breast
• Local skin infection

These risk factors are related more to the non-lactational breast abscess:^[2]

• Insect bites
• Increasing age
• Surgical treatment: increases recurrence rate of the abscess^[1]

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