Monthly Breast Self-Exams: What You Need to Know
A health article from Susan Smith, ANP, Bronson Cancer Center - Battle Creek
Though not a replacement for annual breast exams or mammograms, breast self-exams are the most helpful thing you can do at home for your breast health. Most medical providers recommend that you perform routine self-exams as a way to become familiar with how your breasts normally look and feel. This way, you will better be able to identify changes when/if they occur.
Performing a Self-Exam
You should aim to perform a breast self-exam every month.
- Premenopausal women: 2-3 days after your period ends
- Postmenopausal women: Same day each month
There are three methods you can use to perform a breast self-exam. Choose the method that works best for you.
- Follow the same pattern each time you perform a self-exam.
- Perform your self-exam using the pads/flat sides of your three middle fingers.
- Take your time when you perform your self-exam. Don't rush.
Breast Self-Exam in 5 Steps
Step 1: Look in the mirror with your arms by your side.
Look at your breasts in the mirror. Stand straight forward with your shoulders straight and your arms on your hips.
- Breasts should be evenly shaped without visible distortion or swelling.
- Look for unusual size, shape or color.
- Look for dimpling, puckering (like an orange peel) or bulging of the skin.
- Look for a nipple that has changed position or has become inverted (where the nipple has pushed inward instead of outward).
- Look for redness, soreness, rash or swelling.
Step 2: Look in the mirror with your arms above your head.
Raise your arms and look for the same changes as you did with step 1.
Step 3: Look for fluid coming out of either nipple.
You are looking for any fluid that is either watery, milky, yellow or bloody.
Step 4: Lay down and feel your breasts using one of the three methods shown above.
Make sure to cover the entire breast. Check top to bottom and side to side. Make sure you are checking all the way from your collarbone down to the top of your abdomen and from your armpits into your cleavage.
Step 5: Sit or stand and feel your breasts using one of the three methods shown above.
Consider doing this while in the shower. Sometimes it's easier when your skin is wet.
What Happens If I Feel a Lump?
It’s important to note that many lumps in your breast tissue are normal and not necessarily a reason to panic. In fact, 8 out of 10 lumps are not cancerous. With that being said, you should still perform regular self-exams and reach out to your primary care provider if you notice something that doesn’t seem right.
Normal breast tissue feels like consistent fibrous mesh. Lumps have a more solid feeling, like a hard pea. Lumps can range from pea-sized to larger than a golf ball. They may or may not be movable.
In summary, breast self-exams are one of the most helpful things you can do at home for your breast health. I urge you to add them to your regular self-care routine. However, it’s important to remember that self-exams are not a substitute for your annual clinical breast exam or mammogram.
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Exceptional Cancer Care
If you receive a breast cancer diagnosis, trust southwest Michigan’s most preferred healthcare system. Bronson Cancer Center – with locations in Battle Creek and Kalamazoo – is accredited by the Commission on Cancer of the American College of Surgeons as an Integrated Network Cancer Program. This ranks the Bronson Cancer Center among the best cancer programs nationwide. Additionally, with our state-of-the-art technology and the use of scientific evidence in treating patients, Bronson’s Breast Health Center Programs are accredited through The National Accreditation Program for Breast Centers (NAPBC). Learn more about Bronson's regional cancer program.
