Regular self-breast exams are something that every woman should feel comfortable and confident doing as a part of a weekly routine.
Of course, it does not replace a professional diagnosis made by doctor, but breast self-exam is one of the most useful, convenient, no-cost screening methods for early detection of breast cancer and overall breast health.
“ It is recommended that all women routinely perform breast self-exams as part of their overall breast cancer screening strategy.”
Follow this guide to learn Five Simple Steps (divided into 2 parts) you can do at home:
Part One: Look
Step 1:
You can start by stripping down to a bare upper body and looking at your breasts in the mirror. Make sure your shoulders are straight and your arms are positioned on your hips.
What you should be looking for:
-
Breasts that are their usual size, shape, and color
-
Breasts that are evenly shaped without visible distortion or swelling
Changes that you should be concerned about and should bring to your doctor’s attention:
-
Dimpling, puckering or bulging of the skin
-
Changing of the position of a nipple or an inverted one 9pushed inward instead of sticking out)
-
Redness, soreness, rash or swelling
-
Orange-peel-textured appearance
Step 2:
Now, raise your arms above your head and look for the same changes (if any). Don’t forget to check the armpit area too.
Step 3:
While looking at your breasts in the mirror, look also for any signs of fluid coming out of one or both nipples. The fluid could be watery, milky, or yellow fluid or sometimes even blood.
Part Two: Touch
Step 4:
Next, lie down (resting your back on a pillow) and raise your arms over your head, just like when you were standing, with the mirror in front of you. Now use your right hand to feel your left breast and vice versa.
Using the flat pads of your three middle fingers, apply a firm, smooth touch in a circular motion, about the size of a quarter, while keeping the fingers flat and together.
Make sure to cover the entire breast from top to bottom, side to side - from your collarbone to the top of your abdomen; and from your armpit to your cleavage.
Follow a pattern to be sure that you cover the whole breast.
-
You can begin at the nipple, moving in larger and larger circles until you reach the outer edge of the breast.
-
You can also move your fingers up and down vertically, in rows, as if you were mowing a lawn. This works best for most women.
Be sure to feel all the tissue from the front to the back of your breasts:
-
For the skin and tissue just beneath: use light pressure
-
For tissue in the middle of your breasts: use medium pressure
-
For the deep tissue in the back: use firm pressure.
When you've reached the deep tissue, you should be able to feel down to your ribcage.
Step 5:
For the final step, you will need to feel your breasts while standing or sitting. Women find that the easiest way to feel their breasts is when their skin is wet and slippery, so it is best to do this step in the shower. Just follow the same previous movements described in Step 4.
What To Expect When You Feel a Lump in your Breast
First of all, DO NOT PANIC. Most women have lumpy areas in their breasts all the time and most of it is not benign (non-cancerous). There are possible causes of non-cancerous breast lumps, including normal hormonal changes (menstrual cycle), a benign breast condition, or an injury.
If you notice changes that are worrisome (last more than one full menstrual cycle or seem to get more prominent in some way), do not hesitate to call your doctor.
We highly recommend you to consult a gynaecolgist as soon as you spot anything out of the ordinary.
Because in the end, prevention is always better than cure.
Download our Doc2Us app from Google Play Store or Apple Store and chat with a doctor now.
References:
-
Boraas, M. and Gupta, S. (2019). Breast Self-Exam: How to Check for Lumps and Other Breast Changes. [online] Breastcancer.org. Available at: https://www.breastcancer.org/symptoms/testing/types/self_exam.
-
Maurerfoundation.org. (2019). How to do a Breast Self-Exam (BSE). [online] Available at: https://www.maurerfoundation.org/about-breast-cancer-breast-health/how-to-do-a-bse-breast-self-exam/.
-
Gray, J. (2019). [online] Naturalcycles.com. Available at: https://www.naturalcycles.com/cyclematters/how-to-do-a-self-breast-exam.
Image credit:
-
https://d2gg9evh47fn9z.cloudfront.net/800px_COLOURBOX34326753.jpg
-
https://www.dummies.com/wp-content/uploads/breast-patterns.jpg
