As it is Breast Cancer Awareness Month and we at Esteem love nothing more than nice, healthy breasts, we wanted to take a moment to give you some tips on how to keep them happy. As such, we want to take a moment to share some information with you so you can know your body better. Proactive prevention begins with you!
How to give yourself a breast examination
Getting to know your body begins with a visual examination. Stand with your shoulders back and arms on your hip in front of the mirror. Just by looking at your boobs, you might sometimes be able to tell if they are the usual size, shape and colour – if something is amiss, these factors will look different than normal. Be wary of bulges under the skin, discharge (when you’re not pregnant), a nipple that has changed shape, tenderness, rashes and swelling. Next, you’ll want to look for the same symptoms again, but this time with your arms raised above your head.
Now you’re ready to do a physical exam. Lay face up on your bed and using a firm touch, create a circular motion over your entire breast, top to bottom and side to side. Here, you’ll want to be feeling for any lumps or bumps. Carry this motion from your breast, all the way up to your armpit as well.
Make no mistake though, a self-examination should not be in replace of a professional mammogram.
What if you’ve had a breast augmentation?
If you’ve had a breast augmentation before, you might be a little nervous that your implants are obstructing you from a proper feel. This is not the case though! Implants are made to push your breast tissue forward, so you might be able to better detect any oddities. That said, you can conduct your self-examination as instructed above.
If you feel even the slightest bit off, immediately set up an appointment with your doctor.
Don’t panic if you find a lump – they can be normal and not harmful occasionally. However, you should get all and any lumps checked out to make sure there is nothing abnormal, so set up an appointment with your doctor. Of course, mammograms are the best way to detect cancer, so this should be a regular appointment for all women. Esteem is also available to support you.
For women who have undergone a mastectomy and would like to recreate the breast(s) they once had, we say we are here for you! Schedule a visit with us to discuss your options today.
