Check Your Boobs! How to conduct a self-examination at home

Checking your boobs is the one act of self-care you should follow regularly. It is vital to protect yourself and to ensure you notice any signs of breast cancer early.

But how exactly do you check for irregularities?

Check out the five step guide below and make sure to follow it once a month and encourage your friends and family to do the same.

1. Start by looking at your boobs in the mirror with your shoulders straight and your arms on your hips. If you notice any of the following, you should consider going for a breast screening: Dimpling, puckering, or bulging of the skin, a nipple that has changed position or an inverted nipple (pushed inward instead of sticking out) or redness, soreness, rash, or swelling. 

2. Now, raise your arms and look for the changes mentioned above.

3. During your self-examination, look for signs of fluid coming out of one or both nipples (this could be a watery, milky, or yellow fluid or blood).

4. The next step is to 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, all the way from your collarbone to the top of your abdomen, and from your armpit to your cleavage.

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, so a good time to do this step is in the shower. Cover your entire breast, using the same hand movements described in step 4.


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For more information, visit Breast Cancer Ireland here.