Introduction

Examining your own breasts sounds a little weird right? But believe it or not it can be life saving habit. If you examine your breasts regularly you can find out in the right time if some changes are happening and can inform the doctor. While it may seem odd in the start its important you make this part of your daily routine – remember – prevention is far better than cure.

While all cancers can’t be prevented but you can get it diagnosed in time. So, here are a few simple steps to follow so that you can do the breast self-examination on your own.

Breast Self-Examination Directions

Breast Self-Examination is something you can do on your own in the comfort of your home, and this can be a useful tool for early detections of Breast Cancer. If you are a woman over twenty you should probably start now.

Breasts undergo a lot of changes in shape, sizes and composition with onset of puberty until menopause. So, don’t be worried about your body changing -  it is completely natural.

3 Step Techniques

1. Examining in a mirror
2. Stand nude in front of well illuminated mirror with arms on your hips. Look for shape and size of both breasts.
3. Look for any:

• Redness and dimpling surrounding the nipples,
• Rash
• Scaling
• Enlarged pores.

3. Then place both hands on your hips and push them down and see whether chest muscles contract the same on both sides and whether skin shows any dimpling.
4. Press your palms together and raise them above your head. Look if skin gets dimpled.
5. Squeeze both nipples gently between your forefinger and thumb and look for any discharge. Some discharge from the nipple is considered normal after the birth of a baby.

1. Examining your breasts while lying down
2. Lie down with a pillow under your shoulders and one hand raised behind the head.
3. Feel your left breast with your right hand and then left hand to feel your right breast. Fingers should be kept flat and together for a firm touch.
4. Go from the collar bone around the entire breasts, around the nipple till the chest and all the way under the arms.
5. The repeat the same with the other breast.

1. Examining your breasts while sitting or standing
2. You can do this while taking a shower as the soap makes the movement of hands over the breasts easier.
3. For right breast, raise your right arm, and place your right hand behind your head, then use your left hand to examine the breast.
4. Move your fingers in a circular and spiral motion from outside to inside of the circle reaching the nipple. Look for any abnormal growth or lump.
5. Use different levels of pressure to feel various layers of tissue in the breast.
6. Then, examine the left breast in a similar fashion changes to look for

• Lump in the breast
• Redness of skin
• Orange peel appearance or dimpling around nipple.
• Change in shape or size of breasts
• Discharge from the nipple
• Inverted or retracted nipple

All these changes can help in early detection of breast cancer and hence survival rates.