What I think about Breast Self Exams
I’ve seen the news stories lately, about the value of these. My take is: the procedure given out is too complicated and daunting.
I say: get familiar with your breasts, so you will know if anything changes. Feel yourself up often. Don’t worry if you follow the procedure to the letter.
As to being scared of finding something: Believe me, it’s much scarier to find it when you can’t ignore it anymore.
I’m going to suggest something even simpler… you shower, don’t you? (Please say yes. Unless you’re that guy who was on the overbooked plane right next to me–I know you don’t shower.)
Soap and water make checking a whole lot easier. Wash your breasts when you shower, and hopefully you’ll know when something doesn’t feel right. That’s how I found a lump (which was nothing!) about four years ago.
This goes for you guys, too.
Excellent idea. If I soap up and drag my fingers across in various directions, I can definitely tell the difference between this thing and the same area on the other breast, even though it has shrunk down a lot.
On Saturday I showered – in the morning, – a couple hours later after playing on the floor and getting sweaty, with my boyfriend’s nieces (8 months and 3 years), – a few hours later after watching Gymboree and attending a 1 year old’s birthday party, – and after a hot tub in the evening. 4 times in one day. It’s so much easier without hair.