Ok, look…
I know what you're thinking…
where's my watch
k, I took it off when I was changing
and--
Oh…
Oh, these?
These are fake breasts.
See last month my mother said to me
"Ay, Stef..."
"you should do a video on self-exams"
"for the breast, ya know?"
and I said, "Ma!"
"Don't ever breasts in front of me again…"
"and stop always being right."
Since then... a friend told me she found a lump in her breast
doing a self-exam in the shower
and then Breast Cancer Awareness Month rolls around
So here I am
flashing the masses
to take you
through a Breast Self-Examination
you can do in the privacy of your own home
and not with thousands of people watching
like I'm about to.
First off:
If you're not familiar with your breasts by now…
Ya gotta be…
However old you are
start getting to know them now.
Otherwise you don't know if somethings new
or if it's been there since birth.
OK, I'm guilty of this too I'm so oblivious sometimes
my doc could be like
"You know you have a full-grown tail dragging behind you?"
and I'd be like...
"What color?"
These are important things to know
Because breast cancer kills more women around the world
than any other cancer out there.
I know people both personally and professionally
that have done an exam like this
and was able to follow up with their healthcare provider
and identify cancer early on, which may have or did
save their life.
So, start being your own hero here
and maybe save your own life.
Be sure to share this with friends, colleagues, loved ones, or anyone
and maybe save theirs…
How awesome is that?
Real quick let's cover some of the day to day things you can do
that are said to help lower your risk
of developing breast cancer.
Number one:
Be active, and eat healthy.
This will help you maintain a good weight.
That is very important.
Number two:
Drinks and stinks!
I mean alcohol and cigarettes ok.
We got a no-no going with those two.
They're toxins.
They're bad for your body.
And we're starting to care about our bodies
and the things we put into it, right?
Try to stay out of polluted areas
and avoid exposure to radiation unless it's necessary.
Then last, but not least…
is breastfeeding.
Go figure!
And not only are they thinking breastfeeding can help
prevent breast cancer…
The longer you breastfeed, the more you're getting out of it.
And on that topic
if you are breastfeeding you absolutely can do self-exams.
Your breasts are gonna be a lot different than before you got pregnant
and you may feel more lumps
that might come and go
that might be normal.
But if a lump is persistent it warrants further evaluation
so, if you have any concern during your self-exam
consult with your healthcare provider.
k so how often are we checking our breasts?
We check our outfits in the mirror every day…
We check the expiration dates on our milk…
Shoot the average American
is checking their phone
every 12 minutes.
Now granted... we do want to look good for our jobs.
We don't want stomach aches from sour milk.
And god-forbid we miss Kelly's Facebook memory
of taking a selfie from five years ago.... k?
I'm just playing Kelly.
It was a good selfie.
Duck-face was in back then, don't let them bring you down.
How often are we checking our breasts
honestly…
So if you're watching this on your phone
Great!
If not--
Put me on your phone
Prop me up against a mirror
so we can go through this together
and you can start doing these periodically
on your own.
Now to be clear
this self-examination is not a substitute for any other
diagnostic study or exam done by a trained professional.
but it's a start…
at the very least…
to get you familiar with your breasts.
Which is what we want to do.
If you're already having breast pain, nipple tenderness or discharge
with no other explanation
or any apparent changes you've noticed in your breasts
you should have an appointment with your healthcare provider scheduled already.
So if you don't
make one happen.
But again, this is a demonstration of a breast self-examination
based on my research from several credible sources
and compiled into a succinct and effective method
Let's begin.
You're gonna start by looking in the mirror with your arms down like so
look at your breasts thoroughly.
what you're looking for is irregularity,
and if you come across any during this exam
descriptively write them down.
This is for your healthcare provider
and for you to keep track of any changes
that might be occurring in the future.
and when I say irregularities
I don't mean you've got one inverted nipple and it's always been that way
what you're looking for is irregularities and inconsistencies
with how your breasts have always been
so when we examine them
we're looking for changes.
any new dimpling anywhere on the breast?
which might look like little dents.
New dimples on your breast?
Not good.
Mark it down.
Look at the texture and the pigmentation of the skin all around
turn to each side
anything look different?
now raise your hands over your head like you got two questions for me
ok one: where did I get the fake breasts?
and two: why am I so comfortable wearing them?
and the answers are simply Amazon, and…
I don't know I'm still trying to figure that one out myself…
Alright, if you have large enough breasts where you can't see underneath,
use your other hand to lift the breast up and examine the underside
front and side views
ok dimples, colors, texture
repeat for the opposite breast
now face the mirror again to get hands on
an option to use something like baby oil might help
in both seeing and feeling for irregularities
lots of women perform the self-exams in the shower
ok it's a convenient place
it's private
and that soapy water kind of acts like the oil would
it's also widely recommended to do
the hands-on part of the exam lying on your back
sometimes with a pillow
underneath your shoulder, to prop you up
because it'll make your breast flatter
and easier to feel for irregularities.
for the purpose of this demonstration I'm gonna remain standing…
and without oil!
it's not funny…
it's not--
but the instructions are the same in the shower
in front of the mirror, or lying down.
once again raise your arm above your head
and with the opposite hand
take three fingers together,
for a larger surface area than just one.
use the flat surface at the end of them
to press into the breast
starting at the bend of the arm
Pretty high up right?
well the breast tissue can extend all the way up to the armpit
and what we're gonna do is move up and down the breast
and in each area, use small circular motions
now in terms of pressure it's suggested
not too much... not too little
how vague is that?
we're gonna use a clearer and more thorough approach
first, we're gonna go gently…
then, with moderate pressure…
then finally deeper into the breast.
When we're done with that section we move on…
all the way up to the clavicle,
this bone right here.
now remember you do have a ribcage underneath these breasts
so keep that in mind as you may feel that
however if you feel any lumps or nodules, which can be firm
and feel kind of attached underneath
lots of people say they can feel like a pebble
or a bean, or kernel of corn
write it down
Also remember, the breast tissue
ain't like the silicone stuff I got on here
it's got its own feel which honestly can feel inconsistent
all throughout
so if you're moving along and you're thinking…
"wait a minute..."
"...think I feel something…"
Get into another position
and see if it's still there
A mass or a lump will likely still be palpable
as it was when you first noticed it
also note any swelling
especially in the area under the arm
where you got lymph nodes.
Swelling, hardening, or tenderness
should be reported to your healthcare provider.
Repeat until you've examined the entirety of the breast.
and then we're gonna do a once around the breast,
starting at the armpit, and rounding back underneath.
after that we're gonna press into, and around the nipple from different angles
noting any discharge, lumps, raised areas, or any other changes in the skin
Ok, some of this may be normal
but some of it may not.
So, it's important to clear it with your healthcare provider.
Once covered
repeat this process
on the other side.
and just like that…
baddabing baddaboobs!
We're done!
But, when should you be doing these exams
and how often should you be doing it?
Most sources suggest to check once a month
when you're least sensitive
which I'm told is typically one week out from the start of your menstrual cycle
But everyone's bodies different so I'll leave that up to you to figure out
and if you don't get your periods...
just pick a day every month.
and as far as remembering these self-exams…
ME: "Remind me to do a breast self-examination"
ME: "once every month."
BAE: "Ok"
BAE: "I've created a recurring reminder."
and that's how you're not gonna forget to do it.
But what about us fellas, ok?
We got breasts, too right?
We can even lactate ladies, did ya know that?
We got the tissue, milk ducts, and hormones for it at least.
But breast cancer wise…
A lot less likely than women…
and more than nine out of ten times
it's found at an early stage of breast cancer
It commonly presents as a hard mass
right below the areola
but as always just because you hear the words "less likely"
does not mean you don't have to bother, ok?
Everybody's body is different.
And we're all responsible for our own.
So, I don't care if someone tells you not to bother or worry about it,
advocate for yourself.
Because I wouldn't have some people still in my life,
if they didn't.
That's it for me today!
I'm knocking ou-
Clo-
Clocking out…
...they keep sagging on me.
No comments:
Post a Comment