For this Breast Cancer Awareness Month, we rounded five steps to self-check your breasts we found on breastcancer.org.

Step 1:

Look at your breasts in the mirror standing straight and with your arms on your hips. 

• Breasts should be their usual size, shape, and color
• Breasts are evenly shaped with no distortion or swelling

Some things you should look out for:

• Dimpling, puckering, or bulging of the skin
• Nipple changes in position or an inverted nipple
• Redness, soreness, rash or swelling.

Step 2: 

Stretch your arms up and look out for the same distortions as before.

Step 3:

Look for any signs of fluid coming out of one or both nipples (a watery, milky, yellow fluid or blood).

Step 4:

Lay down and use your right hand to feel your left breast and then vice versa. 

• Use a firm, smooth touch with your first few finger pads, keeping the fingers flat and together. Use a circular motion, about the size of a quarter and go around the breast.

Make sure to cover your whole breast. Move your fingers from your collarbone to the top of your abdomen, and from your armpit to your cleavage. 

• You can begin at the nipple, and move in larger circles as you go to the outer edge of your breast. 
• Another options is to move your fingers up and down vertically in rows.

Be sure to feel all the tissue from the front to the back of your breasts: for the skin and tissue just beneath, use light pressure; use medium pressure for tissue in the middle of your breasts; use firm pressure for the deep tissue in the back. When you've reached the deep tissue, you should be able to feel down to your ribcage. 

Step 5:

Feel your breasts while you are standing or sitting and repeat the hand movements described in step 4.

If you feel a lump or something doesn't seem right, don't panic. Make sure to speak to your doctor and let them explain and follow up with any exams if needed.  

Try to make this check-up a habit and part of your monthly routine! 

For this month only, we will be donating a percentage of the sales in our Pink Collection to NBCF (National Breast Cancer Foundation).