How to perform a breast self-examination?

Regular self-examination of the mammary glands is an important part of caring for women's health, allowing you to notice any alarming changes in time. It is recommended to perform this procedure annually or monthly, choosing the same day of the menstrual cycle, optimally five to seven days after the end of menstruation, when the breasts become least sensitive and swollen. Women during menopause or with an irregular cycle are better off fixing a specific date of each month for self-checking, for example, the first day of the month.

The first stage involves a visual inspection in front of a large mirror under good lighting, which is performed first with arms lowered along the torso and then raised up. It is necessary to carefully evaluate the symmetry of the mammary glands, their shape, skin color, and the condition of the nipples, paying attention to the appearance of skin dimpling, the orange peel effect, redness, or nipple discharge.

The second stage is palpation, which means probing the tissues of the mammary gland. This is conveniently done standing under the shower or lying on your back with a towel under the shoulder blade on the side of the breast being examined. Using circular motions with the pads of three or four closed fingers from the periphery to the nipple, you should sequentially examine each quadrant of the breast, and also pay attention to the axillary and supraclavicular lymph nodes for enlargement or tenderness.

Self-examination in no way replaces routine medical checkups, but it helps develop cancer awareness and get to know the features of your own body better.