In the shower.

Raise one arm, with fingers flat touch every part of each breast, gently feeling for a lump or thickening, use your right hand to examine your left breast & vice versa.

In front of a mirror.

Stat with your arms at your sides, then raise them above your head, carefully looking for changes in size, shape & contour of each breast. Look for puckering, dimpling or changes in skin texture.
Gently squeeze both nipples & look for a discharge.

Lying down.

Place a towel or pillow under your right shoulder & your right hand behind your head.
Examine your right breast with your left hand.
With fingers flat, press gently in small circles, starting at the outermost top edge of your breast & spiralling in toward the nipple. .
Examine every part of the breast. Repeat with left breast.
With your arm resting on a firm surface, use the same circular motion to examine the under arm area, this is breast tissue too.

Mammogram

What is a mammogram?

A mammogram is an x-ray picture of the breast.

What are the benefits of screening mammograms?

Early detection of breast cancer with screening mammography means that treatment can be started earlier in the course of the disease, possibly before it has spread.

What are the potential harms of screening mammograms?

Mammograms require very small doses of radiation. The risk of harm from this radiation exposure is low, but repeated x-rays have the potential to cause cancer. The benefits, however, nearly always outweigh the risk.

What are the recommendations for screening mammograms?

• Women age 40 and older should have mammograms every 1 to 2 years.
• Women who are at higher than average risk of breast cancer should talk with their health care providers about whether to have mammograms before age 40 and how often to have them.

What is the best method of detecting breast cancer as early as possible?

Getting a high-quality screening mammogram and having a on a regular basis are the most effective ways to detect breast cancer early.
As with any screening test, screening mammograms have both benefits and limitations. For example, some cancers cannot be detected by a screening mammogram but may be found by a clinical breast exam.