How to do a Breast Self-Examination (BSE)

Stand Or Sit Before A Mirror

Check for these changes: dimpling, puckering, contour change, color change to the breast or nipple, flaky or scaly skin (breast or nipple), lumps, nipple retraction or inversion, and nipple discharge in the following positions: arms at your side, arms raised overhead, and elbows bent with hands on your hips. In this last position, bend forward as you pull your elbows forward. As you are examining yourself in the mirror, rotate slightly from side to side, so you can examine the front and sides of your breasts.

Artwork by Adam Rubenstein

Lie Down On Your Back

Place a pillow or folded towel under the shoulder of the side you will be examining. Lie flat with this pillow under your shoulder, and your hand behind your head. Examine your breast with your opposite hand, using the flat underside/ pads of your fingers. Hold three or four of your fingers together, and examine your breast in small circular motions. You need to use variable pressure at each spot in order to feel things just below the skin, in the middle of the breast tissues, and deep against the chest wall. After you’ve examined one spot, glide your fingers to the next spot, without lifting them off of the breast. (Lotion, powder, or baby oil can make this easier.) The breast can be examined in three different patterns. The first starts at the outside of the breast, and your fingers travel in ever increasingly smaller circles as they approach the nipple. The second pattern is the wedge, (like sections of an orange.) The third pattern, is the most highly recommended by the American Cancer Society, and consists of repeated vertical strips. Remember, no matter what pattern you are most comfortable with, don’t ignore the tissue in your armpit. Finally, gently squeeze the nipple and look for discharge. Also, feel the tissues deep to the nipple, as cancers can be found there.

Stand Or Sit In The Shower

Lather your chest with soap and water—this makes the examination so much easier. Place your hand behind your head. Use the flat part of your fingers on your opposite hand to examine your breast. You can use any of the three patterns we discussed above. Remember to check under the arms.

Click here to view an interview about the Breast Health Center and why you need to get a mammogram!

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