You may find it convenient to schedule this exam during your routine physical checkup. If a breast exam is not done during that checkup, you should ask for one. During the exam, the health professional feels the breast and underarm with the fingers, checking for lumps. This is called palpation. The breasts also are checked for other changes such as dimpling, scaling, or puckering of the skin or a discharge from the nipples.
Breasts come in all sizes and shapes, just as women do.
Your own breasts will even change throughout your life. Your monthly menstrual cycle and menopause, childbirth, breastfeeding, age, weight changes, and birth control pills or other hormones may change the shape, size and feel of your breasts. It is important to learn what is normal for you. It is easy to do, and as the name implies, you do it yourself. Women taking charge of their own health are doing BSE regularly.