Guest commentary: Self-breast exams offer peace of mind, self-awareness
When it comes to health, it’s important to be in tune with your body.
It should be a standard process, but sometimes self-examinations can slip to the back of your mind. From preventative skin checks to self-breast exams, there are a variety of at-home assessments that take a handful of minutes to do but are essential tools for proactively checking up on your health.
Self-breast exams are a simple way for women to get familiar with their bodies. By cataloging how your breasts look and feel on an ordinary day, you’re likely to be more cognizant of potential changes — like lumps or redness.
It’s important to note that breast cancer is not the sole cause of breast changes — many shifts occur due to hormones and benign conditions in women of all ages. While not all breast changes are cause for alarm, being aware of the changes and discussing them with your provider are essential in reducing the possibility of a health issue going undetected.
Women should do a monthly self-breast exam the week after their menstrual cycle, while post-menopausal women should do it on the same day each month. To perform a self-breast exam, follow the guide below.
START VISUALLY
– Shirtless and braless, face a mirror — sitting or standing — with your arms at your sides.
– Look for changes in breast shape, like size or symmetry, and nipple changes, like inversions or position changes. Check for breast swelling, dimpling or puckering.
– Repeat the process with your hands on your hips, then with your hands reaching overhead, palms pressed together.
– On the underside of your breasts, check to see if the ridges are symmetrical.
GET HANDS-ON
– Either lying down or standing, perform a manual exam. Lying down spreads out breast tissue, which can make feeling the tissue easier.
– With the pads of your index, middle and ring fingers, take your time to thoroughly examine your breast tissue, moving from the outermost edge of your breast and inward toward your nipple. Apply a mix of light, medium and firm pressure. Consult your provider for additional guidance on best practices for applying pressure.
If you notice any breast changes or concerns during your self-exam, make an appointment to discuss them with your healthcare provider.
While self-breast exams are a great at-home tool for self-awareness, they are not a replacement for clinical breast exams and mammograms. Self-exams produce awareness, not diagnosis, and women should ensure that they stay on top of their annual screenings.
Women should begin getting annual mammograms at 40 years old, and women with a direct family history — such as a mother, sister, or grandmother with breast cancer — should begin their screenings 10 years prior to their relative’s age at diagnosis. For example, if your mother was diagnosed at 41, you should get your first screening at 31.
The importance of annual screenings cannot be overstated. However, mammograms are not always accessible, and as a result, uninsured women are 2.6 times more likely to face late-stage breast cancer. Partners for Breast Cancer Care, a Southwest Florida nonprofit, strives to ensure that limited-income, uninsured women in Southwest Florida can receive their necessary mammograms. To learn if you qualify for the organization’s services, visit PFBCC.org/Contact.
Early detection saves lives, and having a baseline understanding of your body and maintaining regular screenings are crucial first steps in identifying a potential issue.
Janet Darnell is executive director of Partners for Breast Cancer Care. The Fort Myers-based nonprofit provides life-saving breast care services to uninsured, limited-income women and men in Southwest Florida. For more information, visit PFBCC.org.