Your guide to breast self-exams: what to look for

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Spotting the symptoms early on means early treatment, which improves your chances of living a long and healthy life. During your breast checks, look for symptoms like a lump inside the breast, a noticeable change in your skin’s appearance (in the chest area), discharge from the nipple, lumps under the arm, and breast pain.

Mirror check

In front of a mirror, check for any changes in the normal look and feel of your breasts, such as dimpling, size difference, or nipple discharge. Inspect in these ways: arms at sides; arms overhead; firmly pressing hands on hips and bending forward.

Lying down

Lie on your back with a pillow under your right shoulder and your right hand under your head. With the four fingers of your left hand make small circular motions, follow an up and down pattern over the entire breast area, under the arms and up to the shoulder bone, pressing firmly. Repeat using your right hand on the left breast.

While bathing

With your right arm raised, check your right breast with a soapy left hand and fingers flat using the method described under Lying Down. Repeat on the other side.