How to check your breasts

There’s no right or wrong way to check your breasts.

It’s important to know how your breasts normally look and feel. That way, you can spot any changes quickly and report them to your GP. A lump could be an early sign of breast cancer.

Be breast aware

Every woman's breasts are different. Many women have one breast bigger than the other.

Get used to how your breasts feel at different times of the month. This can change during your menstrual cycle. For example, some women have tender and lumpy breasts around the time of their period.

After the menopause, normal breasts feel soft, less firm and not lumpy.

The NHS Breast Screening Programme has produced a five-point plan for being breast aware:

• know what’s normal for you
• look at your breasts and feel them
• know what changes to look for
• report any changes without delay
• attend routine screening if you’re 50 or over

Look at your breasts and feel each breast and armpit. You may find it easiest to do this in the shower or bath, by running a soapy hand over each breast and up under each armpit. You can look at your breasts in the mirror. Moving your arms around will allow you to see your breasts from every angle.

Breast changes to look out for

See your GP if you notice any of the following changes:

• a change in the size, outline or shape of your breast, especially when you move your arm or lift your breast
• a change in the look or feel of your skin, such as puckering or dimpling
• any discomfort or pain in one breast, particularly if it’s a new pain and doesn’t go away
• a new lump, thickening or bumpy area in one breast or armpit that is different from the same area on the other side
• nipple discharge that's not milky
• bleeding from your nipple
• a moist, red area on your nipple that doesn’t heal easily
• any change in nipple position, such as your nipple being pulled in or pointing differently
• a rash on or around your nipple

Always see your GP

Breast changes can happen for many reasons, and most of them aren’t serious. Many women have breast lumps, and 9 out of 10 are not cancerous.

However, if you find changes in your breast that aren’t normal for you, it’s best to see your GP as soon as possible. This is because the sooner breast cancer is diagnosed, the better the chance of successful treatment.

Some tips for BSE:

• Try to get in the habit of doing a breast self-examination once a month to familiarize yourself with how your breasts normally look and feel. Examine yourself several days after your period ends, when your breasts are least likely to be swollen and tender. If you are no longer having periods, choose a day that's easy to remember, such as the first or last day of the month.
• Don’t panic if you think you feel a lump. Most women have some lumps or lumpy areas in their breasts all the time. In the United States, only 20% of women who have a suspicious lump biopsied turn out to have breast cancer.
• Breasts tend to have different “neighborhoods.” The upper, outer area — near your armpit — tends to have the most prominent lumps and bumps. The lower half of your breast can feel like a sandy or pebbly beach. The area under the nipple can feel like a collection of large grains. Another part might feel like a lumpy bowl of oatmeal.

Step 1: Begin by looking at your breasts in the mirror with your shoulders straight and your arms on your hips.

Here's what you should look for:

• Breasts that are their usual size, shape, and color
• Breasts that are evenly shaped without visible distortion or swelling

If you see any of the following changes, bring them to your doctor's attention:

• Dimpling, puckering, or bulging of the skin
• A nipple that has changed position or an inverted nipple (pushed inward instead of sticking out)
• Redness, soreness, rash, or swelling

Step 2: Now, raise your arms and look for the same changes.

Step 3: While you're at the mirror, look for any signs of fluid coming out of one or both nipples (this could be a watery, milky, or yellow fluid or blood).

Step 4: Next, feel your breasts while lying down, using your right hand to feel your left breast and then your left hand to feel your right breast. Use a firm, smooth touch with the first few finger pads of your hand, keeping the fingers flat and together. Use a circular motion, about the size of a quarter.

Cover the entire breast from top to bottom, side to side — from your collarbone to the top of your abdomen, and from your armpit to your cleavage.

Follow a pattern to be sure that you cover the whole breast. You can begin at the nipple, moving in larger and larger circles until you reach the outer edge of the breast. You can also move your fingers up and down vertically, in rows, as if you were mowing a lawn. This up-and-down approach seems to work best for most women. Be sure to feel all the tissue from the front to the back of your breasts: for the skin and tissue just beneath, use light pressure; use medium pressure for tissue in the middle of your breasts; use firm pressure for the deep tissue in the back. When you've reached the deep tissue, you should be able to feel down to your ribcage.

Step 5: Finally, feel your breasts while you are standing or sitting. Many women find that the easiest way to feel their breasts is when their skin is wet and slippery, so they like to do this step in the shower. Cover your entire breast, using the same hand movements described in Step 4.