With the incidence of breast cancer increasing year by year, it is clear that relying solely on annual hospital or unit checkups is no longer safe. It is necessary for women to master the methods to detect breast lumps or even breast cancer by themselves – after all, you are the first person in charge of your own body and health. I. Frequency of examination Before we understand the specific examination method, we must first understand the frequency of examination. I recommend that healthy women perform breast exams on their own once a month, either in front of a dressing mirror or in the shower. The timing of the examination: As for the timing of the examination, women who are not yet menopausal should choose 7 to 10 days after the end of their menstrual cycle to avoid being disturbed by the enlarged glands and mistaking them for swellings, adding to their troubles. Third, the method of examination: a look: remove the top, see whether the shape of both breasts is symmetrical, whether the bilateral nipples are at the same height, whether the areola has flaking, whether there is nipple overflow, and whether the skin on the surface of the breast has a small depression (we call it the “dimple sign”) or an orange peel-like change (the so-called “orange peel sign”). The “orange peel sign”). If the nipple is lifted, the dimple sign or the orange peel sign, you should be alert to the possibility of breast cancer and go to the hospital for consultation. Second touch: Using the index, middle and ring fingers together, press each part of the breast to check for lumps. Note that it is the pressure, not the grasping or pinching technique, because any normal breast gland, after being grasped and lifted up, can be easily confused with a lump. In addition, the entire breast, nipple, under areola and armpit should be examined in a clockwise or counterclockwise direction to avoid missing a particular area. Breast tumors that require further diagnosis and treatment are characterized by masses and nodules on palpation, the border may be unclear, the surface may not be smooth, and most of them do not have pressure pain. In addition, as the director of the breast department of Beijing Friendship Hospital, Qu Xiang, often mentions, breast cancer patients can often palpate a “hard core” of the mass. In contrast, hyperplastic glands that do not require special treatment are tough, do not have a “hard core”, are lamellar in shape, have clear borders, and can be painful to the touch, and often have similar “swellings” in both breasts symmetrically, which worsen before and during menstruation. Finally, two points need to be emphasized: 1, the “abnormalities” found by self-examination need to be screened by a professional breast surgeon; 2, even if no abnormalities are found after several self-examinations, women over 40 years old should go to the hospital for professional screening every year.