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Doing a monthly breast self exam is
the best way to stay familiar with
the cyclical changes in your
breasts. You will get to know the
territory better than your health
care team, and will spot changes
easily.
Between puberty and
menopause, your breasts will go
through many changes, which are
affected by hormones, diet, and
exercise. Most of these changes are
natural and healthy!
Teen Years (Puberty):
In the teen years,
with the start of your monthly
cycle, your body enters the maturing
process, and you gain curves and may
notice skin changes (such as acne)
and even hair may change color or
texture.
Breast tissue is
developing during this time too, and
may be dense and firm to begin with,
especially if you are
small-breasted.
Family
Resemblance:
At this stage, it’s
not too early to know your family
health history, so ask your female
relatives (mother, aunts,
grandmother) if they had any
fibrocystic problems with their
breasts, or any regular cysts. If
so, it’s likely that you may
experience those too. Not to worry –
cysts are benign – but you want to
know where they are, and if they
come and go, so they can be
distinguished from other features in
your breasts.'
More Curves and Kids
(Childbearing Years):
After your body is
prepared for motherhood, if you
conceive and bear children, and also
if you breastfeed the children, that
will bring on more changes in your
breasts, as well as in the rest of
your body. Breasts may become larger
and more tender during pregnancy,
and may need more support.
Don’t neglect your
breast exams during this time, stay
familiar with the changes. Remember
that pregnancy and breastfeeding
will help combine to lower your risk
of breast cancer.
Maturity (Menopause):
Menopause also
brings changes in your breasts, as
your estrogen and progesterone
levels drop, your breast tissue may
become less firm and may drape
differently than during your teen
and child-bearing years.
Keep up with your
breast self exams in these years
too, so that the normal changes are
familiar to you. Less dense breast
tissue will seem to have more lumps
and bumps, but remember that 90% of
breast lumps are benign. |
