You can perform a self-breast exam either standing or lying down with your shirt and bra off. When standing, use the pads of your fingers to feel for lumps or changes in breast tissue, moving in a circular motion from the outer breast toward the nipple. When lying down, put one arm behind your head and use the pads of your fingers on your free arm to feel the tissue covering your entire breast and armpit area, then repeat on the other side. It’s best to do this once a month, ideally a few days after your menstrual cycle ends.