Breast Self Examination

For women of all ages, the breast self-exam is a useful tool that is easily learned.

There are two important ways to check your breasts.

The first is by looking. A mirror should be used to check the breasts for pulls, dents, odd colouring, or lumps. The best positions for inspecting are leaning forward, arms on hips tightly, or standing upright with both arms over your head.

Both breasts should look the same, especially around the nipple.

The second way to check the breasts is by feeling.

There are two ways to do this part of the examination.

One method uses water or oil on the skin to help fingers glide over the skin more easily. The shower can be a good place for this kind of exam.

The second way is to use a thin T-shirt or sheet over the breasts. Feel the breast tissue for any areas that feel different from the rest of the breast. Sometimes a difference will be a ball or lump. Yet other times it will be a thickened band or a deep, hard area that does not move like the rest of the breast.