Tips on How to Perform a Self Breast Exam from Babeland

The fact that one in eight women will be diagnosed with some stage of breast cancer in their life is unbelievably tragic. Even with so many people committed to fighting breast cancer and who are donating either money or their time to help fund breast cancer research and spread the word about the disease and raise awareness, there is still a great deal of work to do. Luckily, there is a lot that you can do to detect breast cancer early, in its earliest stages and one of the biggest and life-saving things you can do for yourself is to do a self breast exam.

Babeland has posted an article containing all the information you need on how to effectively perform a self breast exam, but remember not to just pay attention to your breasts and love your body in October, during breast cancer awareness month. Breast cancer is a serious disease and it’s time to get serious about loving your body and making sure it is as healthy as it can possibly be. A self exam only takes about 10 to 15 minutes and it is important to consistently pay attention to your breasts throughout different points in the month; this way, you’ll get to know your breasts and can detect when something may be wrong a lot sooner.

Here’s how a self breast exam works:

• Lay down and place a pillow under your right shoulder, and your right arm under your head.
• Using the three middle fingers of your left hand, massage your right breast with the pads of your fingers. Check the entire breast for any lumps or abnormalities. You can move in a circular motion, or up and down–just make sure you use the same motion every month.
• Continue the motion, extending to the outside of the breast, and to your underarm.
• Repeat on left side.
• Next, repeat exam standing up, with one arm behind your shoulder as you examine each breast. Standing or sitting up allows you to feel the outside of the breast more accurately.
• For added precaution, stand in front of a mirror and squeeze each nipple. Look for any discharge.
• Take note of any dimpling, redness or swelling.
• If you notice anything unusual, contact your doctor as soon as possible; it may be nothing to worry about, but it’s far better to know than to wonder.

Tips:

• You can do a portion of the exam in the shower. Incorporating it into a normal activity can make it easier to do, and less of a time constraint. Remember to mark your calendar every month as a reminder.
• Do the self breast exam every month at the same time. Menstruating women should perform it a few days after their period. Women taking oral contraceptives should do the exam on the first day of starting a new pack of pills.
• Report any change to your physician, even if you feel it is minor.
• Remind your friends and family members to do their self-exams, too!

Thanks to Babeland for these great tips!

For breast cancer awareness month Babeland is also pitching in to help fund mammograms for women in need. When you buy any Pink October toy, Babeland will donate 20% of its sale to fighting breast cancer.

Pink October is co-sponsored by California Exotics, Empowered, Fun Factory, Jimmyjane and Lover’s Choice.