How
To Do A Breast Self Examination
Information provided by the American Cancer Society
Why
Do The Breast Self-Exam?
There are many good
reasons for doing a breast self-exam each month. One reason is that it
is easy to do and the more you do it, the better you will get at it. When
you get to know how your breasts normally feel, you will quickly be able
to feel any change, and early detection is the key to
successful treatment and cure.
Remember:
A breast self-exam could save your breast -- and save your life. Most breast
lumps are
found by women themselves, but, in fact, most lumps in the breast are not
cancer. Be safe, be sure.
When
Do Breast Self-Exam
The best time to do
breast self-exam is right after your period, when breasts are not tender
or swollen.
If you do not have regular periods or sometimes skip a month, do it on
the same day every
month.
Now,
How To Do Breast Self Exam
1. Lie down and put a
pillow under your right shoulder. Place your
right arm behind your head.
2. Use the finger
pads of your three middle fingers on your left hand to feel
for lumps or thickening. Your finger pads are the top third of each
finger.
3. Press firmly enough
to know how your breast feels. If you're not sure
how hard to press, ask your health care provider. Or try to copy
the way your health care
provider uses the finger pads during a breast exam.
Learn what your breast feels like most of the time. A firm ridge in the
lower curve of each breast is normal.
4. Move around
the breast in a set way. You can choose either the circle (A), the up and
down line
(B), or the wedge (C). Do it the same way every time. It will help you
to make sure that you've
gone over the entire breast area, and to remember how your breast feels.
For
Added Safety
You should also
check your breasts while standing in front of a mirror right after you
do your
breast self-exam each month. See if there are any changes in the way your
breasts look:
dimpling of the skin, changes in the nipple, or redness or swelling. You
might also want to do a
breast self-exam while you're in the shower. Your soapy hands will glide
over the wet skin
making it easy to check how your breasts feel.
The
American Cancer Society recommends the following plan of action for your
breast health:
If You Are Less
Than 40 Years Old:
-
Do a breast self-exam
each month
-
Have a breast exam by
your doctor or health care professional every three years
If You Are Between 40
and 49 years Old:
-
Do a breast self-exam
each month
-
Have a breast exam by
your doctor or health care professional every year
-
Have a mammogram every
one or two years
If You Are Age 50 and
Over:
-
Do a breast self-exam
each month
-
Have a breast exam by
your doctor or health care professional every year
-
Have a mammogram every
year
For more information,
call the American Cancer Society, toll free, at
1-800-ACS-2345
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