Routine breast self-exams can help you become familiar with your breasts so you will be more likely to notice any problems early. According to the Mayo Clinic, routine exams were once thought to be essential to early cancer detection; however, there's no evidence supporting this. It now stresses giving yourself a breast exam to help you understand the normal consistency of your breasts.
Instructions
1. Look at your breasts to check for any changes in symmetry, dimpling or size. The Mayo Clinic recommends raising your arms overhead and pressing your palms together to get the best view for any changes. Check your nipples to see if they're turned in or inverted. Finally, lift your breasts to make sure that the ridges along the bottom are symmetrical.
2. Use your hands to examine your breasts. You can do this lying down or standing up. The Mayo Clinic recommends using the pads of your three middle fingers. When you move your fingers along your breast, apply enough pressure to feel through the tissue without causing pain or digging into your ribs. Feel at different depths of your breast as well.
3. Visualize your breast as a piece of pie with several wedge slices. Each wedge should be examined thoroughly. Move clockwise around your breast, from imagined wedge to wedge. Start by moving your fingers from the outside of the breast to the nipple. Your breasts will probably feel different in different places, and sometimes lumps can be normal. Breasts can also vary in the way they feel depending on where you are in your menstrual cycle.
4. Examine your chest and armpit area. Make sure to examine your nipples. Check for discharge from the nipples and completely lift the areolae to look for any problems. Contact your doctor if you have any bloody discharge coming from your nipples.
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