Breast Cancer Awareness Month: Breast Self Examination

Visual Check: Standing in Front of a Mirror

• Stand with your hands on your hips and shoulders straight.
• Look at your breasts for any visible changes such as:
  • Size, shape, or symmetry: Are both breasts even in size? Do you notice any unusual swelling?
  • Skin texture: Watch for dimpling, puckering, or bulging of the skin.
  • Color changes: Redness, soreness, rash, or any unusual color on the breast, areola, or nipple.
  • Nipple changes: Check for any nipple inversion (turning inward) or discharge.
• Raise your arms and repeat the check for the same changes in both breasts.

Physical Check: Laying Down or In the Shower

• Position yourself: When lying down, the breast tissue spreads out more evenly. This makes it easier to feel for any lumps.
• Use your opposite hand: Use the pads of your fingers (not the tips) from the opposite hand to examine each breast.
  • Use a systematic pattern:
    • Wedge Pattern: Start from the nipple and move outward in wedges, like slices of a pie.
    • Vertical Strip Pattern: Begin at the top of the breast and feel down in straight lines, moving across the entire breast.
    • Circular Pattern (Clock Pattern): Start at the outer edge of the breast and move in a circular motion toward the nipple.

• Apply different levels of pressure:
  • Use light pressure to feel tissue just beneath the skin, and firm pressure to feel deeper tissue near the chest and ribs.

What to Look For During the Physical Check

• Any lumps or thickened areas that feel different from the surrounding tissue.
• Tender spots, areas that feel painful, or any discharge from the nipple (aside from breastfeeding).

What to Do If You Find Something Unusual

• Don’t panic if you detect any of these symptoms. Most changes in breast tissue are not cancer.
• However, it is essential to see your doctor as soon as possible to have any symptoms examined.

Regular self-exams help you become familiar with your breasts and notice any changes early on.

Click here for a downloadable guide