One in eight women will receive a breast cancer diagnosis in their lifetime. That is a lot of moms, daughters, sisters, and friends set to face a life-changing diagnosis. Breast cancer is best treated in its earliest stages—the sooner it is found, the more options doctors have for treating the disease and putting it into remission.
There are many tools available for monitoring breast health and spotting signs of breast cancer. Patients can use self-breast exams along with regular physical exams, mammograms, and other recommended screenings to monitor breast health.
Do you know how to perform a breast self-exam? Do you perform them regularly? Ask your doctor for advice on the recommended testing and screenings, including self-breast exams, for your age, family history, and lifestyle.
How to Perform a Breast Self-Exam
If you’ve never performed a self-exam on your breasts or if you’re not sure what to do, ask your doctor for a demonstration. They can teach you how to examine your breasts most effectively.
The breasts change throughout the month. If you’re still menstruating, it is essential to check your breasts at a similar time each month. Many experts recommend choosing a time during your cycle when your breasts are the least tender so you can comfortably check for lumps and changes.
Start your self-exam with a visual inspection. Look at your breasts for rashes, puckering, nipple changes. After a visual inspection, feel your breasts with your hands. This step can be performed laying down or in the shower (soap helps the fingers to glide easily over the skin).
Follow a systematic pattern as you feel your breasts to ensure that you carefully check every area. Vary the pressure you use to feel the whole breast. It is important to check the breast tissue near the skin, within the middle of the breast, and at the base near the ribs. Varying pressure levels helps to check the whole breast.
What Should I Look for During My Breast Self-Exam?
As you perform breast self-exams, you’ll become comfortable with how your body feels. Watch for changes and report them to your doctor if they occur. Make an appointment to see your doctor if you notice:
- New lump in the breast or underarm
- Thickening or swelling in the breast
- Rashes or redness on the breast
- Dimpling of the breast skin
- Nipple discharge (other than breast milk)
- Pain or discomfort in the breast or nipple area
- Inversion (pulling in) of the nipple
- Changes in the size or shape of the breast
- Changes in the way the breast typically looks or feels
If you notice any changes in your breast, schedule an appointment to visit with your ob-gyn or primary care doctor as soon as possible. Most breast changes aren’t cancer, but seeking prompt medical care is imperative, just in case.
I Have Breast Implants. Can I Still Perform a Breast Self-Exam?
If you have received breast augmentation, you may believe that breast exams are not possible, but this is not true. Breast exams may be easier after breast augmentation because the breast tissue is pressed outward by a smooth implant. It may be more obvious to spot some kinds of breast changes.
After you’ve healed from your breast augmentation surgery, start feeling your breasts to become familiar with your new normal.
Breast screening tests like mammograms are still recommended with breast implants. Make sure you tell your medical providers about your implants when scheduling and arriving at your tests.
Breast health matters. If you have any questions about caring for your breasts after breast augmentation, ask your doctor or contact triple board-certified plastic surgeon Dr. Yegiyants by calling (805) 682-1731 today.