A breast self-exam, or BSE, involves looking at and feeling your breasts for changes that could indicate the presence of cancer. The emphasis on breast self exams for cancer detection has been displaced by breast awareness - which means knowing your breasts, staying in tune with your body, and being able to spot changes. Eight out of ten breast lumps found during breast self exams are benign, which causes many to feel they're to blame for a lot of unnecessary testing - and anxiety. However, with 70% of cancers found through self exam, some women might not prefer to give them up. If you do conduct a BSE, pick a time when your breasts are not swollen or tender. For menstruating women, that's a few days after your period ends. Postmenopausal women can pick any day of the month to perform their breast self exam. Your monthly exam starts with a visual examination of your breasts. Stand in front of a mirror with your hands on your hips and look for: puckering or dimpling of the skin, changes in breast size or shape, redness or scaling of the nipples, and nipple discharge. Exam your underarms for any hard lumps or swelling, then prepare for the tactile part by lying on your back, which allows your breast tissue to spread evenly over your chest. With your right arm above your head, use the pads of your three middle fingers to examine your right breast. Use an up and down pattern, starting from the underarm and moving across the entire breast to the middle of your chest. Feel for any thickening of the breast, a texture that's different from surrounding tissue, or any notable lumps and repeat the process on the left breast. If you notice anything suspicious, contact your gynecologist. While this information serves as a guideline for conducting breast self exams, it's wise to have your doctor doublecheck your technique!