In the shower:

During your shower or bath is an opportunity to examine your breasts while it is easier to glide your hands over wet skin.

• Lay your fingers flat and move them gently over every part of each breast.
• Use your right hand to examine your left breast, and your left hand for your right breast.
• Note: You are checking for any lump, hard knot or thickening.

In front of a mirror:

• While looking into the mirror, examine your breasts with your arms at your sides.
• Next, raise your arms high overhead.
• Check breasts to see if there are any changes in the contour of each breast, a swelling, dimpling of skin or changes in the nipple.
• Rest your palms on hips and press down firmly in order to flex your chest muscles. (Don't be worried: left and right breast will not exactly match; few women's breasts do.)

Lying down:

To examine your right breast, put a pillow or folded towel under your right shoulder.

• Place your right hand behind your head-this distributes breast tissue more evenly on the chest.
• With your left hand and fingers flat, press gently in small circular motions around an imaginary clock face.
• Begin at the outermost top of your right breast and move around in complete circles.
• While moving in an inch towards your nipple, continue circling motion on breast to examine every part of your breast, including the nipple.
• Repeat procedure for your left breast with a pillow behind under your left shoulder and your left hand behind your head. Notice how your breast structure feels.
• Finally, squeeze the nipple of each breast gently between thumb and index finger.

  Source: Breast Cancer Early Detection Card, Atlanta, GA: American Cancer Society, 2000

Cervical cancer & Pap tests