To prevent breast cancer, you should learn to self-examine your breasts

To prevent breast cancer, you should learn to self-examine your breasts. Looking in the mirror can reveal many abnormal changes in the breasts.

First, check the shape of the breasts. Take off your shirt, face the mirror, put your arms on your waist or raise them above your head, repeat several times, and observe whether the breasts are complete and symmetrical, and whether there are any abnormalities. A normal breast has a complete arc shape, and any abnormal changes in this arc should be taken seriously.

The second is the skin of the breast. Pay attention to whether the skin of the breast is smooth, whether the color is normal, whether there is venous dilation and edema, and whether there are pitting depressions (or orange peel changes) and regional depressions (dimple signs) on the skin.

When you have breast cancer, your nipples will also change significantly. Check whether the heights of the nipples on both sides are on the same horizontal line, whether the colors of the nipples and areolas on both sides are the same, whether the skin of the nipples is peeling or eroded, and whether the nipples are elevated or retracted. When the breasts are diseased, the nipples may be inverted, retracted, or elevated. When you squeeze the breasts, the nipples may ooze bloody liquid or brown, dark red, or light yellow liquid. The epidermis of the nipples and areolas may be desquamated, flushed, or eroded, and the size of the breasts on both sides may be inconsistent.

Breast lesions can also be detected through self-examination.

Flatten the palm of your fingers and gently move them over the breasts to check for lumps, nodules, and thickened skin. Then lie flat on your back, place a pillow under your right shoulder blade, put your right arm behind your head, flatten the palm of your left finger and gently press both breasts, moving slowly from the outer circle of the breasts to the inside, and check at least 3 circles. Use the same technique with your right hand to check the left breast. Check the left breast in a counterclockwise direction, and the right breast in a clockwise direction. Pay attention to whether there are lumps or nodules when touching. Then use your thumb and index finger to gently squeeze the nipple to observe whether there is any fluid discharged, and pay attention to the color of the fluid.

Finally, touch the lymph nodes in the armpits and supraclavicular fossa (located between the neck and shoulders) on both sides to check for swollen lymph nodes. If you find breast nodules, fluid outflow, or swollen lymph nodes, you should seek medical attention in time.