Breast self-exam is a step-by-step method to look for anything unusual with their breasts. It helps in early detection of symptoms of breast cancer.
Women can pick a day of the month to examine their breasts, for example – first day of the month or the last day. However, it is considered best to examine the breasts after periods.
Self-breast examination can be done in 3 simple steps:
This manual inspection process can be done by seeing or feeling your breasts.
- Look for visual changes: With your top removed, stand straight in front of the mirror. Look for any changes in breast shape, size, and color, signs of swelling, redness or changes in the nipple.
Look for these changes-
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- With your arms held high over your head
- While placing your hands on your hips
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Be sure to look at both breasts
- Manual inspection while standing up: With your top removed, use your right hand to examine the left breast and vice versa. Use light pressure and press firmly against the breasts with three middle fingers. Feel for any lumps or skin changes. A circular motion or up and down pattern can be used while examining breasts. Make sure to examine the underarms and squeeze the nipple gently to check for any secretion.
- Inspect while lying down: Lying down spreads the breast tissue more evenly and therefore a good position to feel for any changes. Lie down and place a pillow under your right shoulder. Place your right arm behind your head. Now repeat the above-mentioned manual technique with your left hand and feel for any changes in the breast and the armpit area. Now swap the pillow to the other side and check the opposite breast in a similar manner. Finally, squeeze the nipple gently to check for any secretion.
References Breast Self-Exam. Cleveland Clinic. https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/diagnostics/3990-breast-self-exam
How is self-breast examination done?