Written by Madison Woods, an undergraduate student at UNCW and a Public Health Intern at Going Beyond the Pink.

Our breasts are changing throughout our life- puberty, pregnancy, breastfeeding,menopause, and more. Our breasts even change throughout the span of our menstrual cycle! So it isn’t out of the ordinary for our breasts to have slight variations, but knowing when certain changes are not normal can actually save your life. In addition to knowing what your normal breast tissue feels like, knowing your family history of breast, ovarian and cervical cancer is another very important thing in keeping yourself healthy. Share any family history of these things with your doctor so they can provide extra screenings or anything you may need.

What is Normal?

It is important to establish a baseline of what your normal is, as no two pairs of breasts look/feel the same. Actually, each individual breast can vary from the other. Surgeons like to joke, “They’re sisters, not twins.” Getting to know your baseline will allow you to know your body better which will allow you to effectively advocate for yourself if you notice something doesn’t seem right. Even within the period of time of a menstrual cycle, the texture of breast tissue can feel different so understanding your body and standard anatomy of breasts will be helpful in being confident and familiar with what your breasts feel and look like.

What is Not Normal?

Once you know what your breasts typically look and feel like, performing a regular self breast check will allow you to feel for changes. It is worth noting that finding a change or lump in your breast isn’t automatically something bad, breasts usually feel different in different places. But if you’re noticing any of these things, and you can’t define why it’s different, it is worth making an appointment with your doctor if you notice:

Changes in how your breasts look or feel, for instance thickened skin, dimples, ridges, sores, rashes, itching
A hard lump or knot around your underarm area
Nipple discharge
Swelling, redness, or pain
A recent change to your nipples, especially if they become inverted or pushed in looking
Changes in skin texture

How to Perform a Self-Breast Exam

Begin by standing in front of a mirror and examine that your breasts are their typical size, shape and color along with they’re evenly shaped/normal shape. You also want to keep an eye out for any signs of fluid or discharge coming from your nipples. While doing this, have your hands on your hips.
Next raise your arms above your head and look for the same types of changes.
This step will be done laying down, start with your left arm above your head and using your right hand take three fingers together and press down with them. Doing this in a lawn mower motion, moving up and down your breast/armpit/chest area making sure to cover the entire breast area. You can also do it in a circular motion, whatever is easiest for you to make sure you feel every area of your breast. It is important to note differences in pressure applied- use a firmer pressure towards the bottom of your breast and lighter as you move up. You want to make sure you’re feeling the tissue at the back of your breasts, right up against your ribcage. Then repeat on the other side.
Finally, feel for lumps while sitting or standing up with the same technique described in the last step. This is common to do in the shower with wet skin.

What Do I Do if I Find a Lump in My Breast?

If you feel a lump in your breast, don’t jump to conclusions and cause yourself to worry. Majority of women have some lumps in their breasts since the tissue feels nodular and varies in consistency. At least 25% of women will experience a benign tumor that doesn’t require treatment of any kind, so it isn’t always the worst case scenario! But if it is a new lump/change to your breast, it is safest to see your doctor for a breast physical exam and ask about screenings like a mammogram to be sure. This is particularly true for changes to your breasts that last for more than a cycle of your period or seem to get more noticeable over that span of time. If you’re able to, try to keep track of some things such as when and how you found the lump, any other changes you’ve noticed, any hormones, medications or supplements you’re taking and definitely your family’s history of cancer in general.