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Why is the skin under my breasts dark?

Acanthosis nigricans is a skin condition that causes a dark discoloration in body folds and creases.

mayoclinic.org - Acanthosis nigricans - Symptoms and causes - Mayo Clinic

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Overview

Acanthosis nigricans Open pop-up dialog box Close Acanthosis nigricans Acanthosis nigricans Acanthosis nigricans is a skin condition that causes a dark discoloration in body folds and creases. It typically affects the armpits, groin and neck. Acanthosis nigricans is a condition that causes areas of dark, thick velvety skin in body folds and creases. It typically affects the armpits, groin and neck. Acanthosis nigricans (ak-an-THOE-sis NIE-grih-kuns) tends to affect people with obesity. Rarely, the skin condition can be a sign of cancer in an internal organ, such as the stomach or liver. Treating the cause of acanthosis nigricans might restore the usual color and texture of the skin.

Symptoms

The main sign of acanthosis nigricans is dark, thick, velvety skin in body folds and creases. It often appears in the armpits, groin and back of the neck. It develops slowly. The affected skin might be itchy, have an odor and develop skin tags.

When to see a doctor

Consult your health care provider if you notice changes in your skin — especially if the changes are sudden. You may have an underlying condition that needs treatment. There is a problem with information submitted for this request. Review/update the information highlighted below and resubmit the form. From Mayo Clinic to your inbox Sign up for free, and stay up to date on research advancements, health tips and current health topics, like COVID-19, plus expertise on managing health. Email ErrorEmail field is required ErrorInclude a valid email address Learn more about Mayo Clinic’s use of data. To provide you with the most relevant and helpful information, and understand which information is beneficial, we may combine your email and website usage information with other information we have about you. If you are a Mayo Clinic patient, this could include protected health information. If we combine this information with your protected health information, we will treat all of that information as protected health information and will only use or disclose that information as set forth in our notice of privacy practices. You may opt-out of email communications at any time by clicking on the unsubscribe link in the e-mail. Subscribe! Thank you for subscribing! You'll soon start receiving the latest Mayo Clinic health information you requested in your inbox. Sorry something went wrong with your subscription Please, try again in a couple of minutes Retry

Causes

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Acanthosis nigricans might be related to:

Insulin resistance. Most people who have acanthosis nigricans have also become resistant to insulin. Insulin is a hormone secreted by the pancreas that allows the body to process sugar. Insulin resistance is what leads to type 2 diabetes. Insulin resistance is also related to polycystic ovarian syndrome and might be a factor in why acanthosis nigricans develops. Most people who have acanthosis nigricans have also become resistant to insulin. Insulin is a hormone secreted by the pancreas that allows the body to process sugar. Insulin resistance is what leads to type 2 diabetes. Insulin resistance is also related to polycystic ovarian syndrome and might be a factor in why acanthosis nigricans develops. Certain drugs and supplements. High-dose niacin, birth control pills, prednisone and other corticosteroids may cause acanthosis nigricans. High-dose niacin, birth control pills, prednisone and other corticosteroids may cause acanthosis nigricans. Cancer. Some types of cancer cause acanthosis nigricans. These include lymphoma and cancers of the stomach, colon and liver.

Risk factors

The risk of acanthosis nigricans is higher in people who have obesity. The risk is also higher in people with a family history of the condition, especially in families where obesity and type 2 diabetes are also common.

Complications

People who have acanthosis nigricans are much more likely to develop type 2 diabetes.

mayoclinic.org - Acanthosis nigricans - Symptoms and causes - Mayo Clinic

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