In this guide16 sections
- Key Points
- What Is Mondor’s Disease?
- Mondor’s Disease Symptoms: What Does It Look and Feel Like?
- What Causes Mondor’s Disease?
- Mondor’s Disease After Breast Augmentation, Breast Lift or Breast Reduction
- Is Mondor’s Disease a Blood Clot?
- Is Mondor’s Disease Dangerous?
- How Is Mondor’s Disease Diagnosed?
- What Can Be Mistaken for Mondor’s Disease?
- Mondor’s Disease Treatment: What Helps
- How Long Does Mondor’s Disease Last?
- When Should You See a Doctor About a Cord in Your Breast?
- Can Men Get Mondor’s Disease?
- Frequently Asked Questions
- References
- Talk to a Surgeon About Breast Surgery
Key Points
- Mondor’s disease is inflammation of a small vein just under the skin of the breast or chest wall, usually with a little clot inside it. It shows up as a tight, sometimes tender cord, often under the breast or down the side of the chest.
- It is benign and self-limiting. The tenderness usually eases over a few weeks and the cord fades on its own, typically within a few weeks to a few months.
- It is a recognised complication of breast surgery, including breast augmentation, breast lift and breast reduction. Published figures put it at roughly 1 in 100 aesthetic breast operations or fewer, usually appearing a few weeks after surgery.
- It is not the same as a deep vein thrombosis (DVT). The vein affected sits just under the skin, and the clot does not travel to the lungs.
- Treatment is simple: warmth, anti-inflammatory gel or painkillers and a supportive bra. A cord that appears without a clear cause, such as recent surgery or an injury, should still be checked, as it is occasionally linked to an underlying breast problem.
Mondor’s disease often starts with a strange discovery: a tight, string-like band under the skin of the breast that you can feel, and sometimes see, when you lift your arm. It can be tender, it can pull the skin into a groove, and it often appears a few weeks after breast augmentation, a breast lift or a breast reduction, just as recovery seemed to be going well. Understandably, many women worry it is a blood clot or something more serious.
The reassuring news is that Mondor’s disease is harmless and settles by itself. This guide explains what Mondor’s disease is, the symptoms, what causes it, how it relates to breast surgery, how it is treated, how long it lasts and when a cord in the breast needs checking. If you have recently had surgery with us, our aftercare team will always see you to confirm what it is.
What Is Mondor’s Disease?
Mondor’s disease, also written Mondor disease or Mondors disease, is a superficial thrombophlebitis of the chest wall. In plain terms, a small vein lying just under the skin becomes inflamed (phlebitis), and a little blood clot (thrombus) forms inside it. The inflamed vein shrinks and hardens into a firm cord that you can feel under the skin[1].
It is named after the French surgeon Henri Mondor, who described it in detail in 1939. It most often affects three superficial veins:
- The thoracoepigastric vein, which runs from the lower outer breast down the side of the chest towards the upper tummy. This is the vein involved most often.
- The lateral thoracic vein, which runs down the side of the chest from the armpit.
- The superior epigastric vein, which runs from under the breast towards the middle of the upper tummy.
Mondor’s disease in the breast and other areas
Mondor’s disease of the breast is the most familiar form, but the same process can affect superficial veins elsewhere, including the armpit and upper inner arm, the groin and the penis[1]. It is considered rare, although doctors who see a lot of breast patients, including after surgery, meet it more often than the word rare suggests, and mild cases may never be diagnosed.
Mondor’s Disease Symptoms: What Does It Look and Feel Like?
The typical Mondor’s disease symptoms are:
- A firm cord under the skin, usually a few millimetres wide and anything from a few centimetres to the whole length of the chest. It often feels like a tight string or a piece of spaghetti under the skin.
- Tenderness or a pulling sensation along the cord, especially when you raise your arm or stretch. Some people have no pain at all and simply notice the cord.
- A groove or puckering in the skin over the cord, which becomes more obvious when the arm is lifted and the skin is stretched[2].
- Redness over the cord in the early stage, which fades as it settles.
The cord usually appears quite suddenly. Most people notice it in the lower outer part of the breast or running down the side of the chest, but it can sit anywhere on the front of the chest or upper tummy.
Redness can be harder to see on darker skin, so the cord and the skin groove may be the main signs. A case report in 2024 noted that good lighting and gently stretching the skin made the cord easier to see on darker skin types[3].
Does Mondor’s disease hurt?
It can. The early, inflamed stage is often tender or sore, particularly when you move your arm. As the inflammation settles, the pain fades, and the cord that is left is usually painless, though it can still feel tight for a while.
What Causes Mondor’s Disease?
Anything that injures, compresses or disturbs a small vein under the skin can trigger it. Recognised causes and triggers include[1] [2]:
- breast surgery, including cosmetic, reconstructive and cancer surgery;
- a breast biopsy, including core needle biopsy;
- a blow or other injury to the chest;
- pressure from a tight bra or tight clothing;
- strenuous exercise or repetitive arm movements, such as heavy lifting;
- infection or inflammation in the breast;
- conditions that make the blood clot more easily;
- occasionally, an underlying breast cancer.
In many people, though, no cause is ever found. In a 2022 report from the breast service in Edinburgh, a large UK breast unit, most of the 20 patients seen with Mondor’s disease in 2020 had no known trigger. Cases rose five-fold during the first year of the Covid-19 pandemic, which the authors suggested may reflect the way Covid affects blood clotting[4].
Mondor’s Disease After Breast Augmentation, Breast Lift or Breast Reduction
Breast surgery is one of the most common known triggers. When an incision is made across the chest wall, it can divide or bruise the small veins that run up and down beneath the skin. Those veins contain one-way valves, so blood in the cut-off section cannot easily flow back the other way. It slows down, and a clot can form[5].
How often does it happen? In a 2009 case report and literature review in the Aesthetic Surgery Journal ↗, the reported rate of Mondor’s disease was about 1.07% after aesthetic breast operations and 0.95% after breast cancer operations[5], roughly 1 in 100. A 2018 study of 652 women who had aesthetic breast surgery, published in the Journal of Cutaneous and Aesthetic Surgery ↗, found it in three patients (0.46%)[6]. It has been described after:
- Breast augmentation, with implants placed through an incision in the crease under the breast, around the areola or through the armpit[7] [8].
- Breast lift (mastopexy), including when it is combined with implants.
- Breast reduction, where the longer incisions cross more of the chest wall veins[9].
- Breast reconstruction and cancer surgery, including mastectomy and lymph node surgery.
It also occurs in men after chest surgery, including gynaecomastia surgery and top surgery, where the same chest wall veins are involved.
When does Mondor’s disease appear after surgery?
Most cases appear a few weeks after the operation, often once swelling has gone down and you are moving your arms more freely. In the 2018 study, it never appeared in the first two weeks: the earliest case was a couple of weeks after surgery and the latest two years later[6]. Other surgeons have described it from about 7 to 14 days after augmentation[7], and very rarely many years afterwards. One report described it 13 years after breast augmentation[10].
When it appears in the weeks after surgery, the link is usually clear. When it appears much later, or with no recent operation or injury, doctors treat it with more caution and look for other causes before putting it down to Mondor’s disease[10].
Mondor’s cord in the arm after transaxillary breast augmentation
If implants are placed through an incision in the armpit, a similar cord can run from the armpit down the upper inner arm, sometimes as far as the elbow. It is the same process in a vein of the arm, and it settles in the same way[8].
Can massage or a knock trigger it after surgery?
Possibly. One surgeon described Mondor’s disease starting after an accidental knock to a recently operated breast, and suggested that firm handling of the breast soon after surgery, including vigorous massage, could act as a trigger[11]. Follow your surgeon’s advice on wearing a supportive bra, and avoid massaging the breasts unless you have been told to.
Will Mondor’s disease affect my breast surgery result?
No. Mondor’s disease affects a small vein under the skin, not the implant, the pocket around it or the breast tissue. Once the cord has gone, it leaves no lasting change to the shape or result of your surgery[12]. If you have firmness or tightness around the implant itself, that is a different issue. Our guide to capsular contracture explains the difference.
Is Mondor’s Disease a Blood Clot?
Yes, but not the dangerous kind. Mondor’s disease involves a small clot in a superficial vein, one that lies just under the skin. A deep vein thrombosis (DVT) is a clot in one of the large, deep veins, usually in the leg, and it is a DVT that can break off and travel to the lungs as a pulmonary embolism.
The veins involved in Mondor’s disease are small and close to the surface, and the clot stays put as the vein heals. It is not considered a risk to the lungs, and it does not usually need blood-thinning treatment[1]. That is quite different from a clot in the leg after surgery, which needs urgent assessment. Our guide to blood clots after surgery explains the warning signs of a DVT and a pulmonary embolism.
Is Mondor’s Disease Dangerous?
Mondor’s disease itself is not dangerous or life-threatening. It is a benign condition that clears up on its own[1], and it does not turn into cancer.
The reason doctors take it seriously is that, occasionally, it is the first sign of something underneath. A cord with no obvious cause can sometimes be linked to a breast cancer that is pressing on or affecting the vein, or to a condition that makes the blood clot more easily.
Mondor’s disease breast cancer risk
How strong is the link? In a 1992 study of 63 patients with Mondor’s disease, published in the journal Cancer ↗, 8 (12.7%) were found to have breast cancer, and the authors advised breast imaging for everyone with the condition[13]. Those patients were seen at a specialist breast unit, so the figure is likely to be higher than in the general population, and the link is much weaker when the cord clearly follows recent surgery or an injury. Still, it is the reason a new cord in the breast, without an obvious cause, should always be examined and usually scanned. In the 2018 study of patients after aesthetic breast surgery, none of the three with Mondor’s disease had breast cancer[6].
How Is Mondor’s Disease Diagnosed?
Mondor’s disease is usually diagnosed by examination. A doctor will look at and feel the cord, often asking you to raise your arm so it stands out, and ask about recent surgery, injuries, exercise and any other breast changes.
An ultrasound scan is the usual test to confirm it. The scan shows a small tubular vein just under the skin, sometimes with a clot inside and with no blood flow on Doppler imaging[14]. Depending on your age and history, your doctor may also recommend a mammogram or a referral to a breast clinic, particularly if there is no recent surgery or injury to explain the cord, or if there is a lump or other change in the breast.
Blood tests are not usually needed, but they may be arranged if the cord keeps coming back, appears in several places or appears without any cause, to look for a condition that makes the blood clot more easily[1].
What Can Be Mistaken for Mondor’s Disease?
Several other conditions can cause a firm line or tightness in the breast or chest wall:
- Axillary web syndrome (cording), tight cords that run from the armpit down the inner arm after lymph node surgery. These are thought to involve the lymphatic channels rather than veins.
- A healing scar or the firm ridge that forms under an incision as it heals. Our guide to scar management explains what is normal.
- A dilated milk duct, which can look similar on a mammogram[14].
- A breast haematoma, a collection of blood under the skin after surgery, which usually causes swelling and bruising on one side rather than a thin cord.
- Capsular contracture, which causes firmness around an implant rather than a line under the skin.
- A breast lump or skin thickening from another cause, which always needs checking.
Mondor’s Disease Treatment: What Helps
Mondor’s disease gets better on its own, so treatment is about keeping you comfortable while it settles[1] [6]:
- Warm compresses. A warm (not hot) flannel or wrapped heat pad over the cord for 10 to 15 minutes a few times a day can ease tenderness. Avoid heat over numb skin after surgery, where it is harder to feel if it is too hot. Our guide to numbness after surgery explains why.
- Anti-inflammatory gel or painkillers. A topical anti-inflammatory gel, or tablets such as ibuprofen if they are safe for you and your surgeon is happy, can help with soreness. Check with your surgical team before starting anything in the first weeks after an operation.
- A supportive, well-fitting bra. Good support reduces pulling on the cord. Avoid underwired or tight bras until it settles.
- Gentle movement. Keep using your arm normally within your surgeon’s recovery advice, but avoid heavy lifting or strenuous upper-body exercise while it is tender.
Blood-thinning medicine is not usually needed for Mondor’s disease of the breast, as the vein is superficial and the clot does not travel.
Mondor’s disease not going away: what next?
Occasionally, a cord persists and stays uncomfortable for months. In that situation, options described in the medical literature include a steroid injection into the cord, which led to full resolution in a woman with a persistent cord 15 months after breast augmentation[15], and, rarely, a small procedure to release or remove the cord[16]. Most people never need either.
How Long Does Mondor’s Disease Last?
Mondor’s disease is self-limiting. The tender, inflamed stage usually eases within a few weeks, and the cord then softens and fades. In the 2018 study of patients after aesthetic breast surgery, all three cases had healed within two to three weeks[6]. In others, the cord takes longer to disappear completely, typically up to a few months[1].
Can Mondor’s disease come back?
It is uncommon for Mondor’s disease to come back in the same place. If it does recur, or appears in several places, your doctor may suggest blood tests to look for a condition that makes the blood clot more easily[1].
When Should You See a Doctor About a Cord in Your Breast?
Always get a new cord in the breast or chest wall checked, even if it does not hurt. In most cases the diagnosis is quick and reassuring, but it is important to confirm it and make sure nothing else needs looking at. See a doctor promptly if:
- the cord appeared without any recent surgery, biopsy or injury;
- you can also feel a lump, or notice skin dimpling, nipple changes or discharge;
- the area is hot, increasingly red or swollen, or you have a fever, which could suggest infection;
- the cord is getting worse rather than better after a few weeks, or has not gone after a few months.
If you have one swollen, painful leg, or breathlessness or chest pain, that is not Mondor’s disease. Call 999 or get urgent help, as these can be signs of a DVT or a pulmonary embolism.
If you have had breast surgery with us
Call us if you notice a cord after your operation. We will usually ask you to come in so your surgeon or our nursing team can examine it, and arrange a scan if needed. Your aftercare after surgery at Centre for Surgery includes this, and there is no charge to be seen about your operation. Our guides to breast augmentation recovery and cosmetic surgery risks explain what else to expect while you heal.
If you have implants, keeping up with your routine breast implant checks is still worthwhile, and any new change in the breast should be raised at those appointments too. The charity Breast Cancer Now also has a patient guide to Mondor’s disease ↗.
Can Men Get Mondor’s Disease?
Yes. Mondor’s disease is more common in women, but men get it too, on the chest wall after surgery, injury or strenuous exercise, and occasionally with no clear cause[2]. It behaves in the same way, is just as harmless and settles on its own. As with women, a new cord on the chest should still be checked, particularly if there is no recent surgery or injury to explain it.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does Mondor’s disease go away by itself?
Yes. Mondor’s disease is self-limiting. The tenderness usually settles within a few weeks and the cord fades on its own, typically within a few weeks to a few months. Treatment such as warmth and anti-inflammatory gel only eases the symptoms while it heals.
Is Mondor’s disease life-threatening?
No. It is a benign inflammation of a small vein just under the skin. The clot does not travel to the lungs like a DVT can. It should still be checked by a doctor, as a cord without an obvious cause is occasionally linked to an underlying breast problem.
Can Mondor’s disease kill you?
No. Mondor’s disease itself is not fatal. The clot sits in a small vein just under the skin and stays there while the vein heals. The reason to see a doctor is to confirm the diagnosis and, where there is no clear cause, rule out an underlying breast problem.
Should I take aspirin for Mondor’s disease?
Not without advice. Most cases settle with warmth and anti-inflammatory gel or painkillers, and blood-thinning medicine is not usually needed. Aspirin can increase bleeding after surgery, so check with your surgical team or GP before taking it.
How do I know if I have Mondor’s disease?
The usual sign is a tight, string-like cord under the skin of the breast or chest wall, often more visible when you lift your arm, sometimes with tenderness and a groove in the skin. A doctor can usually diagnose it by examination, and an ultrasound scan confirms it.
What is the cause of Mondor’s disease?
It is caused by inflammation and a small clot in a superficial vein. Triggers include breast surgery, biopsies, injury, a tight bra and strenuous exercise, but in many people no cause is found. Rarely, it is linked to breast cancer or a clotting condition.
Can Mondor’s disease be caused by breast cancer?
Occasionally. In one study from a specialist breast unit, about 1 in 8 people with Mondor’s disease had breast cancer. The link is much weaker when the cord follows recent surgery or an injury, but a cord with no obvious cause should be examined and usually scanned.
Is Mondor’s disease common after breast augmentation?
It is uncommon. Studies of aesthetic breast surgery report it in roughly 0.5% to 1% of operations, usually a few weeks after surgery. It is harmless, does not affect the implant and settles on its own.
Should I massage a Mondor’s cord?
Gentle warmth helps more than massage. Firm massage of the area is not recommended while it is tender, and after breast surgery you should only massage the breasts if your surgeon has advised it.
Can a tight bra or exercise cause Mondor’s disease?
They can be triggers. Pressure from tight bras or clothing, and strenuous exercise or heavy lifting, have both been linked to Mondor’s disease. A well-fitting supportive bra and easing off upper-body exercise while it settles can help.
How rare is Mondor’s disease?
It is considered rare in the general population, although it is seen more often after breast surgery, at roughly 0.5% to 1% of aesthetic breast operations. Mild cases may go unnoticed, so the true figure may be higher.
References
- Alvarez-Garrido H, Garrido-Ríos AA, Sanz-Muñoz C, Miranda-Romero A. Mondor’s disease. Clin Exp Dermatol. 2009;34(7):753-756. doi:10.1111/j.1365-2230.2009.03430.x ↗
- Mayor M, Burón I, de Mora JC, et al. Mondor’s disease. Int J Dermatol. 2000;39(12):922-925. doi:10.1046/j.1365-4362.2000.00018.x ↗
- Seemann LL, Ardon T, Bowie RA, Bullock KC. Breast pain differential: Mondor’s disease of the breast. J Investig Med High Impact Case Rep. 2024;12:23247096241246621. doi:10.1177/23247096241246621 ↗
- Renshaw L, Dixon JM, Anderson J, Turnbull AK. Mondor’s disease of the breast: a cutaneous thromboembolic manifestation of Covid-19? Breast. 2022;66:305-309. doi:10.1016/j.breast.2022.11.006 ↗
- Khan UD. Mondor disease: a case report and review of the literature. Aesthet Surg J. 2009;29(3):209-212. doi:10.1016/j.asj.2009.01.019 ↗
- Goldman A, Wollina U. Mondor’s disease after aesthetic breast surgery: a case series and literature review. J Cutan Aesthet Surg. 2018;11(3):132-135. doi:10.4103/JCAS.JCAS_69_18 ↗
- Tijerina VNE, Saenz RAE. Mondor’s syndrome: a clinical finding on subfascial breast augmentation. Aesthetic Plast Surg. 2010;34(4):531-533. doi:10.1007/s00266-009-9468-z ↗
- Niechajev I. Mondor’s subcutaneous banding after transaxillary breast augmentation: case report and the review of literature. Aesthetic Plast Surg. 2013;37(4):767-769. doi:10.1007/s00266-013-0136-y ↗
- Loos B, Horch RE. Mondor’s disease after breast reduction surgery. Plast Reconstr Surg. 2006;117(7):129e-132e. doi:10.1097/01.prs.0000218179.86916.ff ↗
- Coscia J, Lance S, Wong M, Garcia J. Mondor’s thrombophlebitis 13 years after breast augmentation. Ann Plast Surg. 2012;68(4):336-337. doi:10.1097/SAP.0b013e31824e5c0d ↗
- Yordanov YP. Trauma on a recently augmented breast as a trigger for Mondor’s disease. Aesthetic Plast Surg. 2019;43(4):927-929. doi:10.1007/s00266-019-01331-7 ↗
- Dudrap E, Milliez PY, Auquit-Auckbur I, Bony-Rerolle S. Mondor’s disease and breast plastic surgery [in French]. Ann Chir Plast Esthet. 2010;55(3):233-237. doi:10.1016/j.anplas.2009.06.001 ↗
- Catania S, Zurrida S, Veronesi P, et al. Mondor’s disease and breast cancer. Cancer. 1992;69(9):2267-2270. doi:10.1002/1097-0142(19920501)69:9<2267::aid-cncr2820690910>3.0.co;2-u ↗
- Shetty MK, Watson AB. Mondor’s disease of the breast: sonographic and mammographic findings. AJR Am J Roentgenol. 2001;177(4):893-896. doi:10.2214/ajr.177.4.1770893 ↗
- Shah NA, Gryskiewicz J, Crutchfield CE. Successful treatment of a recalcitrant Mondor’s cord following breast augmentation. J Clin Aesthet Dermatol. 2014;7(4):50-51. PMC3990541 ↗
- B M N, Hiremath B, Vinaya Kumar H. Mondor disease. BMJ Case Rep. 2024;17(12):e261801. doi:10.1136/bcr-2024-261801 ↗
Talk to a Surgeon About Breast Surgery
If you are considering breast surgery and would like to talk through recovery and possible complications, including Mondor’s disease, you can book a consultation at our Baker Street clinic by calling 020 7993 4849 or using the form below. A patient coordinator will be your point of contact throughout.
