How to Check Your Breasts

Ann Summers x Breast Cancer Now are working together to start the conversation about sex, intimacy and breast cancer.

The first step, get to know your breasts!

It’s as simple as TLC! Touch Look Check

Checking your breasts only takes a few minutes. There's no special technique and you don’t need training to check your breasts.

Check the whole breast area, including your upper chest (collar-bone) and armpits.

Touch your breasts: can you feel anything unusual?

Look for changes: does anything look different?

Check any changes with your GP

Knowing your breasts and checking regularly is the best way to know if something changes. The earlier breast cancer is diagnosed, the better the chance of successful treatment. So it's important to check your breasts regularly and see your GP if you notice a change.

Breast Cancer – Signs and Symptoms

Breast cancer signs and symptoms can include:

A lump or swelling in the breast, upper chest or armpit – you might feel the lump but not see it.

A change to the skin, such as puckering or dimpling.

A change in the colour of the breast – the breast may look red or inflamed.

A nipple change, for example it has become pulled in (inverted).

A rash or crusting around the nipple.

Any unusual liquid (discharge) from either nipple.

Changes in size or shape of the breast

On its own, pain in your breasts is not usually a sign of breast cancer but look out for pain that’s there all or most of the time.

Noticing an unusual change doesn’t necessarily mean you have breast cancer, and most breast changes are not because of cancer. But it’s important to get checked by your GP.

This information was approved & provided by Breast Cancer Now.