Many women are at risk of developing some form of breast cancer over the course of their lives. Early detection is the best and only way to catch cancer early so that you can still live a reasonably normal life. Therefore, you should carry out a monthly breast exam as part of being a healthy woman as well as your yearly mammograms and gynecological exam.

Here are the basic steps to perform in a breast self-exam:

1. Examine yourself in front of a mirror without your shirt or bra on. Check for any possible changes in the appearance of your skin, shape or texture. This could be in the form of dimpling or puckering.

2. Your nipples should be inspected to ensure that there are no changes in the texture or shape of the skin. You will want to squeeze each one to ensure there is no abnormal discharge.

3. Repeat the first two steps in three additional positions – with your arms at your side, raised over your head and also on your hips.

4. Taking your time, raise one arm and systematically examine the opposite breast (left arm, right breast, etc.) using the pads of your first two fingers. With slight pressure, massage in small circles every inch of your breast feeling for anything abnormal like a bump, lump, thick or fibrous area or even dimpling.

5. Massage under your arm and around the outside of your breast with your fingertips to check for abnormalities.

6. Repeat the systematic examination with the opposite arm and breast.

7. Finally, lay down, placing a pillow under one shoulder, raising that same arm over your head. With the opposite hand, repeat the massage technique to check for lumps and bumps. This gives you a different angle and slightly different search field.

8. Repeat the lie down examination for the opposite side.

When it comes to the breast self-exam, you may use a light lotion to allow your fingers to glide more smoothly around the breast. In addition, choose a particular day of the month in which you do it so that it becomes a long standing habit. Just a note of caution – do not conduct the exam during your period. Instead, wait a few days until after your period when your hormones have had a chance to level out.