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How to Perform a Breast Self-Exam: Step-by-Step Guide

Regular breast self-exams help you become familiar with your breasts and notice any changes early. While they don’t replace routine screenings like mammograms, knowing what’s normal for you is an important part of breast health

Step 1: Choose the Right Time

  • Menstruating women: 3–5 days after your period starts, when breasts are least tender or swollen

  • Postmenopausal women: pick the same day each month for consistency

Step 2: Look at Your Breasts in the Mirror

Stand in front of a mirror with shoulders straight and arms on your hips:

  • Check for changes in size, shape, or symmetry

  • Look for dimpling, puckering, or bulging of the skin

  • Notice changes in the nipple, such as inversion (if it wasn’t previously inverted) or discharge

Then, raise your arms overhead and look for the same signs

Tip: Take a photo reference (optional) to track changes over time, but only keep it private and secure

Image demonstrating the vertical strip motion when completing a breast self exam

Step 3: Examine While Lying Down

  1. Lie on your back with a pillow under your right shoulder

  2. Place your right hand behind your head

  3. Use the pads of your left hand to feel your right breast

  4. Use small circular motions with varying pressure:

    • Light pressure for skin and tissue just beneath

    • Medium pressure for tissue in the middle of the breast

    • Firm pressure for deep tissue near the chest and ribs

  5. Follow a pattern: circular motions, vertical strips, or wedge shapes from the nipple outward

  6. Repeat on the left breast using your right hand

Step 4: Examine While Standing or Sitting

  • Many people find it easiest in the shower

  • Use the same circular or vertical strip technique to feel for lumps or thickened areas

Tip: Be consistent with your method so you can detect any new changes accurately

Step 5: Know What’s Normal

Breasts naturally feel lumpy or uneven, especially before your period. Look for new or unusual changes, such as:

  • A hard lump or thickened area

  • Swelling, warmth, or redness

  • Skin changes (dimpling, puckering, rash)

  • Nipple changes (discharge, inversion, pain)

Step 6: Report Changes

  • If you notice anything new, persistent, or unusual, contact your healthcare provider promptly

  • Most changes are not cancer, but early evaluation is key to peace of mind and safety

Key Takeaways

  • Perform a self-exam monthly

  • Pair with routine clinical breast exams and mammograms as recommended by your doctor

  • Knowing your normal breast texture and appearance is the most important tool in early detection

Early detection saves lives. Schedule regular screenings and consult your healthcare provider if you notice any unusual changes

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