Begin by standing in front of a mirror. Look at your breasts with your hands above your head, with your arms down at your side and your chest muscles flexed. Look for any changes in the skin or size of your breasts. Next, feel each breast while standing in the shower. Raise one arm and use soapy fingers of the other hand to feel your breasts. Use your fingertips to feel all of the breast tissue and the areas under your arms (armpits). After your shower, feel each breast while lying down on a bed with a pillow under your shoulder. One arm should be raised over your head, and the other arm should reach across to feel the entire breast.

Finding a change in your breast can be scary, but most breast changes are not cancer. Many women have painful swelling in their breasts at the time of their menstrual periods. It is important to do your breast self-exam a few days after the end of your period when this swelling has gone away.