Reviewed by The Mom Store editorial team, October 2026. See our editorial policy.
Areolas get darker in pregnancy because of hormones. The NHS page on common health problems in pregnancy explains that hormonal changes can make your nipples and the area around them go darker, and that skin elsewhere can darken a little too, in patches or all over. It is a normal change and not a sign that anything is wrong.
What else tends to change at the same time
Darker areolas rarely arrive on their own. The NHS leaflet on possible breast changes during and after pregnancy from the Mersey and West Lancashire NHS trust lists the changes many women notice:
- Nipples and areolas usually become darker as pregnancy goes on.
- The small raised bumps on the areola, called Montgomery's tubercles, may get bigger and more noticeable. They make a fluid that keeps the nipple skin moisturised, so they are not a rash or something to squeeze.
- Breasts often grow or change shape, and can feel heavy or tender.
- Veins on the surface of the breasts may show more clearly.
- Small amounts of clear or coloured fluid, called colostrum, can leak from the nipples. The leaflet says this is normal and not something to worry about.
The same hormones can also cause a dark line down the middle of your stomach and darken moles, freckles or birthmarks. How much your skin changes depends a lot on your natural skin tone. On darker Indian skin the shift may look like a deeper shade of brown rather than a new colour, and some women barely notice it.
Will it fade after birth?
Mostly, yes. The NHS says these skin changes gradually fade after the baby is born, although your nipples may stay a little darker than before. You do not need to treat the darkening; it is expected to settle by itself.
For the rest of your skin, the NHS suggests a high factor sunscreen and not staying out in the sun for long, because you may burn more easily while pregnant. That is worth remembering in Indian summers.
Staying comfortable
Tender, growing breasts are often the bigger problem than colour. A few things help:
- Wear a soft, well fitting bra. You may need a bigger size more than once in pregnancy, so get measured again if your bra starts to dig in or leave marks. A maternity bra in your current size is worth having by the second trimester.
- Wash with plain water or a mild, unscented soap and pat the skin dry, especially if the skin feels dry or itchy.
- Choose loose cotton tops in hot weather to cut down rubbing and sweat.
- If colostrum leaks onto your clothes in later pregnancy, breast pads inside your bra soak it up. Change them when they get damp.
When to see your doctor or midwife
Darkening on its own does not need a check. The NHS leaflet advises getting these looked at:
- Any blood leaking from the nipple.
- Any new lump in the breast.
- A lump you already know about, such as a cyst, that changes.
- After birth, a breast that is red, hot and painful, which can be a sign of mastitis.
If you are unsure whether a change is normal, the leaflet's advice is simply to talk to your midwife or GP about it.
This article is general information and does not replace advice from your doctor.
