A simple way to stay proactive when it comes to your health is performing breast self-examinations. Performing a breast self-exam can help you understand what is normal for your body and whether there have been any changes, especially if you find a lump. Most breast lumps are not cancerous, but any noticeable changes should be shared with your doctor.
Here are some tips for how to perform a breast self-exam. With three fingers and a moderate amount of pressure, you can perform the exam in under 5 minutes each month.
Step #1
Stand up straight in front of a mirror and put your arms on your hips. Inspect both of your breasts for:
- Bulging or puckering of the skin
- Changes in the contours of the breasts
- Swelling or dimpling of the skin
- A nipple that has inverted (pushed inward)
- A nipple that has changed position
- Redness, soreness, swelling, or rash
Step #2
Raise your arms above your head to see if any of the same changes occur.
Step #3
Lie down on your back and place a pillow under your left shoulder, and place your left arm behind your head. Then:
- Firmly and smoothly use the pads of your right-hand fingers to inspect your left breast.
- Using a circular motion about the size of a quarter, cover the entire breast, pressing the breast tissue flat against the chest.
- Inspect the collarbone to the top of the abdomen, and from the armpit to the cleavage.
Use light, medium, and firm pressure to inspect all of the breast tissue.
Step #4
Repeat these steps for your right breast, placing your right arm behind your head to inspect the right breast.
These steps can also be performed while standing or sitting, or while you are in the shower, whichever is most comfortable for you.
Know what your breasts feel like
The key is to know what your breasts feel like; everyone has “lumpy” breast tissue. By knowing what your breasts feel like, you are more likely to be able to detect a change or a new finding. If you think you feel a new lump or change in the breast, always remember to check the same area on the other breast. If both breasts feel the same, it is likely okay, but always bring a new finding to your doctor’s attention.
About the Medical Reviewer
Dr. Leone received his MD from Universidad del Salvador, Argentina in 2005. He completed his residency in Internal Medicine at University of Miami Jackson Memorial Hospital in 2011, and went on to complete fellowships in Hematology and Medical Oncology at University of Pittsburgh Medical Center in 2014. He was faculty at University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics from 2014 through 2017. In 2017, he joined the staff of Brigham and Women's Hospital and Dana-Farber, where he is a medical oncologist and clinical investigator in the Breast Oncology Center. His research focuses on brain metastases, male breast cancer and novel therapies in the treatment of breast cancer.