There used to be a lot of detailed instructions about how women should examine their breasts, but research has shown that the most important thing is to just be familiar with how your breasts usually look and feel so that you notice any changes!
We now recommend breast awareness which simply means looking at your breasts in the mirror and feeling them all over (from collarbone to below the bra line & into the armpit).
Things to look out for include:
- Lumps, hard knots or thickening
- Swelling, warmth, redness or darkening
- Change in the size or shape of the breast
- Dimpling or puckering of the skin
- Itchy, scaly sore or rash on the nipple
- Pulling in of your nipple or other parts of the breast
- Nipple discharge that starts suddenly
- New pain in one spot that doesn’t go away
Having any of these symptoms doesn’t mean there’s definitely something seriously wrong. Some changes can be hormonal or due to mild infections, but always a good idea to have a GP take a look for peace of mind!