White spots on the nipple can be sore, but gentle care can help you keep breastfeeding.
A white spot on the nipple is usually tiny – about the size of a pinhead or a little bigger. It doesn’t always look white. It might be pink or light yellow, and the skin around it can look red and inflamed.
It often feels sore during a feed, and sometimes the pain makes breastfeeding hard.
White spots can appear at any stage of breastfeeding and may come and go. You might hear them called a bleb, a milk blister or a blocked nipple pore.
What causes the white spot?
Not a lot is known about white spot but it’s often associated with breast inflammation. Scientists think spots form when the opening of a duct carrying breastmilk to the nipple becomes inflamed and closes. This stops milk from flowing.
Gentle ways to manage a white spot
If the spot isn’t causing pain or problems with breastfeeding, you don’t need to treat it. It may go away on its own.
If it is painful, try these gentle tips:
Keep breastfeeding your baby. They may help clear the spot so the milk begins to flow. It may take some time to clear completely.
Try holding your baby in different feeding positions to find one that's more comfortable.
If breastfeeding is too painful, try hand expressing to get milk flowing.
Use a cool pack between feeds to reduce inflammation.
- Apply a food-safe oil, like olive or coconut, to soften the spot, and gently wipe it away before breastfeeding. A useful tip is to place some cling film over the nipple to keep the oil from rubbing off.
- Soak your nipple in warm water before feeding or expressing.
- Be very gentle with your nipple to avoid causing more damage. Don't rub, pick at or scrape the white spot because this may cause more trauma and result in infection.
When the white spot clears, feeding will feel more comfortable but there might still be some inflammation.
If the spot doesn’t go away or becomes very painful, see a lactation consultant or a knowledgeable healthcare provider. They may prescribe a cream to treat the inflammation.
To prevent a white spot from recurring
Breastfeed your baby as often and for as long as they need.
Make sure your baby is positioned and attached well, so they can remove milk easily.
If you need to express, aim to express only as much breastmilk as your baby needs.
© Australian Breastfeeding Association May 2026
Mitchell, K. B., & Johnson, H. M. (2020). Breast pathology that contributes to dysfunction of human lactation: A spotlight on nipple blebs. Journal of Mammary Gland Biology and Neoplasia, 25(2), 79–83. https://physicianguidetobreastfeeding.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/08/Nippleblebs.pdf
Mitchell, K. B., Johnson, H. M., Rodríguez, J. M., Eglash, A., Scherzinger, C., Zakarija-Grkovic, I., Cash, K. W., Berens, P., Miller, B., & Academy of Breastfeeding Medicine (2022). Academy of Breastfeeding Medicine clinical protocol #36: The mastitis spectrum, revised 2022. Breastfeeding Medicine, 17(5), 360–376. https://www.bfmed.org/assets/ABM%20Protocol%20%2336.pdf
Obermeyer, S., & Shiehzadegan, S. (2022). Case report of the management of milk blebs. Journal of Obstetric, Gynecologic, and Neonatal Nursing, 51(1), 83–88. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jogn.2021.10.003
