When to Perform a Self Breast Exam

Series Summary

Breast Cancer is a cancer in the glandular breast tissue and has become one of the leading cause of death in women and men alike. Because of the breadth of the issue and the increasing devastation the disease causes, breast exams, whether from a doctor, from a friend, or by yourself, have become a routine health check. Spreading awareness and routine breast exams is the best tool to fight against the destructive nature of breast cancer. If caught early, breast cancer is very treatable. The experts at ExpertVillage want to help raise awareness for this growing epidemic.

In this free video series, watch as health specialist Carolyn Waygood teaches how to give a partner self breast exam. Learn the different techniques for self checking your breast for tumors, how to give a male on female breast exam, a female on female breast exam, breast physiology, tools used to give breast exams, and ways to make breast exams fun for couples. It is never too early or too late to start maintaining your health and and do important preventative care.

Video Transcript

"Breast cancer can occur in any living creature that has breast tissue or mammary glands. This includes both men and women. As a matter of fact, breast cancer is also detected in animals such as dogs, cats, and mice. It's important in your fight against breast cancer to detect breast cancer at it's earliest stages. The best way to do that is through a monthly breast self-examination. In order to perform a thorough examination, one must press firmly down and into breast tissue. Therefore, the proper time to do a breast self examination on your wife or spouse is approximately 5-7 days after the end of her menstrual cycle when breast tissue is less tender or sore. You should begin performing breast self-examinations in women as early as 20 years old. Men do no have the same hormonal changes that women do on a monthly basis. However, men do experience changes in hormones. Therefore, a man should choose the same day each month to perform their monthly self-examination. A man needs to be aware of the women's cycle in order to choose a date and a time when it's most convenient and most appropriate for the women. Approximately, 5-7 days after the end of her period is the best time for a self-breast examination. Women who are checking their men for abnormalities or changes in breast tissue should choose again, the same day each month and choose that day on a routine basis. It's important to know that men do get breast cancer too, so please, perform your monthly self exam either on yourself of your partner, because early detection saves lives."