According the the American Cancer Society, it is a good idea for women in their 20s to start doing breast self exams. You can do them regularly (e.g., after every period) or as the mood strikes, but doing it helps increase your familiarity with what is normal for your breasts and alert you to any changes you should bring to your doctor’s attention.
1. Start by taking your shirt off, putting your hands on your hips, and taking a look at your breasts in the mirror. This will give you a baseline for how they normally look, and you can see if there is anything problematic that stands out (nipple problems, visible lumps, skin variations, etc.).
2. Next, put your arms over your head and look again. Look at your nipples to make sure there aren’t any dimples, bumps, or retraction. Look at your armpits for swelling in the lymph node areas.
3. Put your left arm over your head. With the fingers on your right hand, gently feel your left breast. You are looking for any unusual bumps, thickening, or changes in texture, color, or size. Some say this is best done in the shower, because wet skin makes it easier to tell these things. You can do it up and down or in a circular motion, just make sure you check the whole breast.
4. Switch sides and repeat on your right breast.
5. Repeat this process lying down on the bed.
6. With the aid of the mirror again, squeeze your nipples to check for discharge. Unless you are breastfeeding, there should not be any. Discharge such as blood or a milky or yellow fluid means you should call your doctor.
If you notice any dimpling, puckering or bulging of the skin, change in the nipple or its position (e.g., it’s now sticking inward instead of outward); redness, soreness, rash or swelling; or new/unusual lumps, contact your doctor.
For a a more detailed description on how to do your breast self-exam, check out this instructional video by Susan G. Komen For the Cure.
Sources: Susan G. Komen for the Cure, About.com, the American Cancer Society, and HealthiNation.
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