Good Breast Health » Breast Self-Examination

Breast Self-Examination

Completing a breast self-exam is an integral part of a woman’s health, which should become a monthly routine beginning as a teenager. Dr. Thomas Frazier, director of the Breast Cancer Center at Bryn Mawr Hospital, recommends that every woman’s exam contain three steps: visual, physical, and mental.

Visual Component: The first step is to visually examine your breasts. In this step you are to get in touch with your body and how your breasts look. First, stand in front of a mirror with your arms at your side. Next, raise your arms above your head. Then, place your hands on your hips and press inward. In each position (arms at side, above your head, and on your hips), look for changes in dimpling, color, or size and shape as well as for any nipple discharge.
Physical Component: The second step is the physical step. This is a hands-on examination to familiarize yourself with how your breasts actually feel. During this component feel for lumps, swelling, and tenderness. Several methods can be used to examine the breast, such as:
- Spiral (or circle): Move your fingers in a spiral starting at the outside edge of the breast and working your way inward with each circle until you have covered the entire breast.
- Waves (or lines): Beginning under your arm, feel in vertical lines moving across the breast with each wave.
Dr. Frazier recommends examining your breasts using the following clock method:
- While either standing or sitting, raise one arm and use the pads of the fingers on the opposite hand to examine the breast manually as if it is a clock. Starting at 12 go through each time zone gently palpating the breast from the outside toward the nipple until the entire breast has been felt. Repeat this process on the opposite breast. Then, lie down on your back with your arm up, causing the pectoral muscles to be thrown forward, and repeat the physical exam of each breast.The clock method is shown in detail in Dr. Frazier’s educational video.
  When completing the physical exam, regardless of your preferred method, be sure to gently pinch the nipple to check for discharge and to also examine into the armpits and across the upper chest as these areas also contain breast tissue.

Mental Component: The third and final step is the mental step. In this step you need to make a mental image of this breast self-exam. This will allow you to compare how your breasts look and feel this month versus next month versus the next month. It is recommended that you get into a monthly routine and try to complete the breast self-exam at the same time each month. Any changes that appear should be promptly reported to your physician even if you’ve had a recent mammogram or breast exam. You are the best judge of changes within your own breasts, and any changes of any kind should be promptly reported to your physician.

Finally, to get a better idea of these breast self-exam steps please view the video.