Got Boobs?  Examine them!!

October Is National
Breast Cancer Awareness Month
Support A Cure For Breast Cancer In Our Lifetime.

GET A CLINICAL BREAST EXAM EVERY YEAR
EXAMINE YOUR BREASTS EVERY MONTH
GET A MAMMOGRAM as directed by your physician

DONATE GENEROUSLY

Support Retailers Who Donate To Breast Cancer Research

GOT BOOBS? EXAMINE THEM!
THE BEST PROTECTION IS EARLY DETECTION
BREAST SELF EXAM (BSE)

DOING BREAST SELF- EXAMS (BSE) CAN HELP YOU BECOME FAMILIAR WITH HOW YOUR BREASTS NORMALLY LOOK AND FEEL SO ANY CHANGES CAN BE DETECTED AND REPORTED EARLY.   WOMEN SHOULD BEGIN PRACTICING BSE BY THE AGE OF 20 AND CONTINUE THE PRACTICE THROUGHOUT THEIR LIVES- EVEN DURING PREGNANCY AND AFTER MENOPAUSE. SBE SHOULD BE PERFORMED EVERY MONTH.  IF YOU MENSTRUATE, THE BEST TIME TO DO BSE IS ABOUT ONE WEEK AFTER YOR PERIOD ENDS.  THESE ARE THE DAYS YOUR BREASTS ARE LEAST LIKELY TO BE SORE.  IF YOU NO LONGER MENSTRUATE, PICK A CERTAIN DAY, LIKE THE FIRST DAY OF THE MONTH, TO REMIND YOURSELF TO DO BSE.

HOW TO DO BSE:
IN THE MIRROR CHECK EACH BREAST, NIPPLE AND SURROUNDING AREAS FOR CHANGES IN THE SHAPE, CONTOUR, SIZE, OR SKIN CHANGES. (DIMPLING, SWELLING, PUCKERING, RASH, REDNESS OR SWELLING.) SQUEEZE EACH NIPPLE TO CHECK FOR DISCHARGE. NOW CLASP YOUR HANDS BEHIND YOUR HEAD AND PRESS YOUR HANDS FORWARD. NEXT, PRESS YOUR HANDS FIRMLY ON YOUR HIPS, BEND SLIGHTLY AT THE HIPS TOWARD THE MIRROR AS YOU BRING YOUR SHOULDERS AND ELBOWS FORWARD; ALL THE WHILE LOOKING CLOSELY FOR ANY CHANGES.

LAYING DOWN (LAYING ON YOUR BACK IS THE MOST EFFECTIVE WAY TO FEEL YOUR BREAST TISSUE, THIS POSITION FLATTENS THE BREAST AND MAKES IT EASIER TO CHECK) TO EXAMINE THE RIGHT BREAST PUT A PILLOW UNDER YOUR RIGHT SHOULDER, WITH YOUR RIGHT ARM BEHIND YOUR HEAD.  USE THE FINGER PADS (NOT FINGERTIPS) OF THE MIDDLE FINGERS OF YOUR LEFT HAND TO PRESS FIRMLY ON YOUR RIGHT BREAST. EXAMINE YOUR BREASTS IN THE SAME MANNER EACH TIME, IN EITHER A CIRCLE, UP AND DOWN OR A WEDGE PATTERN. EXAMINE THE ENTIRE BREAST AREA INCLUDING THE ARMPIT AREA. CHECK THE AREA ABOVE THE BREAST, UP TO THE COLLARBONE AND ALL THE WAY OVER TO THE SHOULDER.

IN THE SHOWER SOME WOMEN FIND THAT THE EASIEST WAY TO FEEL THEIR BREASTS IS IN THE SHOWER WHEN THEIR SKIN IS WET AND SLIPPERY. USE THE SAME HAND MOVEMENTS COVERING THE ENTIRE BREAST.

LINES START IN THE UNDERARM AREA AND MOVE YOUR FINGERS DOWNWARD LITTLE BY LITTLE UNTIL THEY ARE BELOW THE BREAST.  THEN MOVE YOUR FINGERS SLIGHTLY TOWARD THE MIDDLE AND SLOWLY MOVE BACK UP. GO UP AND DOWN UNTIL YOU COVER THE WHOLE AREA.

CIRCLES BEGINNING AT THE OUTER EDGE OF YOUR BREAST MOVE YOUR FINGERS SLOWLY AROUND THE WHOLE BREAST IN A CIRCLE. MOVE AROUND THE BREAST IN SMALLER AND SMALLER CIRCLES, GRADUALLY WORKING TOWARD THE NIPPLE.

WEDGES STARTING AT THE OUTER EDGE OF THE BREAST MOVE YOUR FINGERS TOWARD THE NIPPLE AND BACK TO THE EDGE.  CHECK YOUR WHOLE BREAST, COVERING ONE SMALL WEDGE SHAPED SECTION AT A TIME.

THERE IS RESEARCH THAT NOW SUPPORTS THE LINE OR VERTICAL STRIP METHOD SIGNIFICANTLY INCREASES THE CHANCES OF FINDING ANY BREAST MASSES.

REPORT ANY CHANGES OR IRREGULARITIES TO YOUR HEALTH CARE PROFESSIONAL IMMEDIATELY!

Mayo Clinic : Breast Self Exams
National Cancer Institute