Introduction: Breastfeeding is the primary source of nutrition for a newborn, but it is often prematurely discontinued for various reasons. One of the most common causes for stopping breastfeeding is painful and damaged nipples. Healthcare professionals must understand the causes of nipple trauma and know the measures for preventing and managing nipple injuries. Purpose: The purpose of this thesis is to identify the effective preventive measures for nipple trauma and the effective measures for its treatment. Methods: A descriptive research method was used, based on a review of professional and scientific literature. The Prisma diagram was used to guide the literature review. A time frame from 2020 to 2026 was applied. The literature search was conducted between October and December of 2025 in the English language using the keywords breastfeeding, nipple trauma, and prevention or treatment, combined with the operators AND and OR, across the PubMed, ScienceDirect, and CINAHL databases. A total of 12 articles were included in the analysis and evaluated using an eight-level quality assessment scale. Results: Nipple damage is a common complication of breastfeeding, particularly in the early postpartum period. The most effective measure for the prevention and management of nipple injuries is appropriate education on correct breastfeeding techniques. Various local, protective, and nourishing approaches, such as vernix, beeswax dressings, lanolin, hydrogel dressings, and silver nipple shields, have also been shown to be effective in the management of nipple injuries. More advanced therapeutic methods, including surgical interventions and light therapy, may be effective in cases of severe injuries. However, the literature highlights a lack of high-quality studies and the need for further scientific research. Discussion and conclusion: The high prevalence of nipple damage in the early postpartum period highlights the need for appropriate support for breastfeeding mothers. The most frequent cause is incorrect latching, along with various biomechanical factors, which is why prevention, early education, professional support, and partner involvement play a key role. Among preventive and therapeutic measures, breast milk and lanolin are most commonly used, while some modern and natural approaches also show promise, although evidence of their effectiveness is inconsistent. Management of nipple injuries requires a comprehensive, individualized approach with correct breastfeeding technique as the foundation and other measure a complementary support. Despite the available options, there is still insufficient high-quality evidence, highlighting the need for further research.
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