A white nipple discharge - mostly only extracted when squeezed

[J-16Cali]

About a year ago, I began experiencing a thick white nipple discharge protruding out of my nipples. I wasn't sure what it was so I tried to get it off and then realized that it was coming out of my nipple and squeezed it out. I was completely freaked out. I could see a clear opening from where the discharge had come. I had pierced my nipple about 6 months before this happened, but it wasn't until after I had removed the ring for a few months that I started to experience this discharge. Since then, I have continued to experience the discharge with some regularity (this has continued for over a year), and the discharge has remained the same - still think and white, and still needs to be extracted even though I can see it underneath the skin or it may begin to protrude on it's own.
Also, a month or two after the first one started, I began to check out the other nipple. If I poked around at it - I could get similar results. I am a 26-year-old woman, who has never been pregnant (there was no chance of that happening when this began either). What do I do? I am slightly embarrased by this, I have kind of bounced it around some of my friends, and no one has experienced anything like this. Even a friend of mine who also used to have a pierced nipple (I thought that was the cause at first). Do I need to do a biopsy? Mammogram? I am so young, but the more I research it on the internet, the more freaked out I am by the potential problems that could result. I did have my prolactin tested about a month ago by my OBGYN (dont know results yet) and she didn't think it was a big deal. help.

[Nikki615]

I am a 19 year old woman and have the same problem. I have been experiencing a whitish disharge from my nipples every once in a while for a few years now. I have never been pregnant or had my nipples pierced. I don't know if I should go to the doctor or ignore it. It doesn't seem very harmful yet though...

[jt83]

I have been wondering about this for some time.  I can now see that I am definitely not alone in the matter.  My nipples were pierced for about 3-4 years, then I took the rings out when I became pregnant.  My obgyn had told me that there was nothing to worry about due to the fact that the nipples had been pierced and that I could breast feed.  I stopped breast feeding when my daughter was 9 mo. and after my milk dried up I still noticed this white discharge coming out. Three years later, I am still experiencing the same thing.  I have since realized that it was from having them pierced previously and freak out about the fact that my daughter was probably ingesting the stuff with the breast milk.  I have no idea if that was harmful, I know it sounds really disgusting though.  I think this is something that our doctors should be addressing when we are pregnant.  Is the pus harmful to our baby?  What kind of affect will it have, if any, on the baby?  The discharge should probably be tested in order for our doctors to be more aware of the actual hazards if there are any.   My daughter has shown no signs of anything being wrong with her, and I am a stay at home mom so I am with her all the time.  Just glad I am not alone.  Thank you everyone for sharing.  

[Xyntho]

This is not an infection, when you pierce the nipples you create a space between some of the milk/oil producing cells which they in turn fill with milk/oil. My wife had this issue and she was super worried so I took her to the doctor and he explained it as such. Even if you have had the rings out for years, these glands may have continuously produced enough fluid and pressure to prevent the hole from properly closing, and it may never properly close, but it is in fact nothing serious. The only time you need to worry is if there is pain, redness, swelling, or if the discharge has an odor or is a color other than white.

[munchkin6987]

hi i have the same problem with my pierced nipple and am now 8 months pregnant and am guessing i have to take it out tto breast feed, do i have to take it out and will the white stuff affect my baby? can anyone help?

[saghi]

Hi everyone.
I remember last year when I first saw those discharges and read stuff in here. and now I have a big story to share.
I'm f. 24. no breast piercing, not married, no children, virgin, regular periods  etc. etc.

First, I had discharges from my breasts. both left & right. Sonograms didn't show anything. The prolactin level was not high either.

Discharges from my right breast stopped, while a lump formed in my left breast, close to nipple and it always had discharges. Excatly the same as what you say.
I had discharges everyday, liquid while, yellow with bad smell. then after 1 week or 10 days, a big hard thing came out of that lump and then the cycle went on again. liquid things for 7-10 days and then hard thing.

I did the sonography 2 times, each with an expert. I also checked with my dermatologist. They all said that it is sebaceous and not to worry about. Only one of the sonologists said that she sees a track going from that lump into my breast tissue.

My breast surgeon doctor did a sonography at her office. She was suspicious that this is not sebaceous. she decided to do an excision and biopsy. well the result?
first of all, that lump was NOT sebaceous AT ALL.  
It was not malignant, but it was "intraductal papilloma", which is a benign but should be removed because it increases the risk f breast cancer.

Now that I search " intraductal papilloma" I find tones of web pages, stating that this may cause breast discharges. But before that I didn't know this I couldn't find any of these pages.

So be aware and check everything and ask your doctor to do a biopsy if possible. People are shocked when they hear about my situation. No one believes that a girl at my age might have this thing.

Take a good care of yourself.

[Junkivore]

I get the same thing without ever having had a child or having my nipples pierced. Whitish spots appear on my nipples, that I squeeze out once a week or so to give a white, solid discharge. It's never sore or smelly, never any blood. My doctor didn't seem worried, said it's very common and can be a mix of milk, dead cells etc. The only time to worry is if it is ever painful, bloody, smelly or greeny-yellow (can indicate infection).

While we're on the subject, self-check as often as you can. The most important thing is to know what is normal for YOU as no woman is the same. It's any changes from your normal that indicate a problem, not how you compare to other people, so consult your doctor if anything looks or feels different to normal.