Monthly Breast Self Exam

By Riya Agarwal on August 1, 2020

BREAST SELF-EXAM : 20 minutes. Once a month.

That’s all it takes to do a breast self exam. The best time to examine your breasts is 3-5 days after your period starts. For women in menopause, it is recommended to do a self exam on the same day every month.

Worried about how to do it? Butt-Chique is here to help! We list 5 simple steps to conduct a breast self exam at home.

Step 1: 

Stand in front of a mirror and observe your breasts. Can you see any skin discolouration, dimpling, scaliness, puckering or the ‘orange peel’ effect? After this, fold your hands behind your head and carefully see if there has been any change in the shape of your breasts. Gently squeeze your nipples and check for any discharge.

Step 2:

Lie down on your back with your left arm over your head and your left hand under your head. Keep a towel or pillow beneath your left shoulder. Using the finger pads of the three middle fingers (i.e., index finger, middle finger and ring finger) to touch your left breast in a gentle and firm manner.

Step 3:

While touching your breasts, use any of these 3 movements:

Vertical movements: Move your finger pads up and down-from your collarbone to just below the line of your bra, until you reach your nipple.

Horizontal movements: Starting at the outer edges of your breast, move your finger pads from the outer edge towards the nipple and then back again.

Circular movements: Move your fingers in a circular motion on your breasts. Make the circles starting from the outside to the inside, until you cover your entire breast.

Step 4:

While doing Step 3, apply pressure as well. Pressure should be of three kinds:

Light pressure: Helps to examine breast tissue that is closest to the skin.

Medium pressure: Helps to examine the deeper breast tissue.

Firm pressure: Helps to examine the breast tissue that is close to the chest wall.

Step 5: 

Repeat these steps to self examine your right breast. Rest your arms on a firm surface and examine the area between your breast and underarms (both right and left). Follow the same method that you used to examine your breasts. You can also conduct a self exam in the shower since the water makes it easy for you to glide your fingers on your breasts.

Follow these simple steps to conduct a breast self exam at home, once every month. Not only will this ensure your health and wellbeing, but it will also keep your boobs in boobastic shape!