Nearly Half Of Mums Don't Know How To Check Their Breasts. Here's How.

In February 2014, one of Gerdi McKenna's friends wrote an email requesting a photoshoot for all her friends as she was diagnosed with breast cancer a few months before... and this what happened

We asked our readers a simple question, and their answer is why this article exists.

“Do you know how to do a breast self-examination?” 3,286 votes

46%: No
29%: Yes
25%: Still learning

And separately: “Mums, have you done a mammogram before?” 756 votes. 77% said no.

Breast cancer is the most common cancer among women in Singapore. Nearly half of the mothers in our community don’t know how to check themselves, and three quarters have never had a mammogram.

This takes five minutes to read and about three minutes a month to act on.

How to check yourself

A self-check isn’t there to diagnose anything. It’s to get familiar enough with what’s normal for you that a change stands out.

When: once a month, about 7 to 10 days after your period starts, when breasts are least tender and least swollen. If your periods have stopped, pick a date you’ll remember: the first of the month works.

Looking

In front of a mirror, arms at your sides, then raised above your head, then hands pressed on your hips. You’re looking for:

A change in size or shape
Dimpling or puckering of the skin, sometimes described as looking like orange peel
A nipple that has become pulled in or changed direction
Redness, a rash, or scaling around the nipple
Any visible swelling

Feeling

Lying down, or in the shower with soapy hands, which many people find easier.

Use the flat pads of your three middle fingers, not the tips
Move in small circles, using light, medium and firm pressure at each spot
Cover the whole breast in a set pattern, up and down in strips, or in a spiral, so you don’t miss an area
Include the armpit and up to the collarbone. Breast tissue extends further than most people realise, and the armpit is where the lymph nodes are
Finally, gently squeeze each nipple to check for discharge

If you find something

See a doctor. Don’t wait to see whether it goes away, and don’t spend a fortnight searching online.

Most breast lumps aren’t cancer. Cysts and benign changes are very common, and breasts are naturally lumpy, more so at some points in the cycle. But the only way to know is to have it looked at, and the difference early detection makes is substantial.

Things worth an appointment: a new lump or thickening, in the breast or armpit; skin dimpling or puckering; a nipple that has turned inward; discharge, especially if bloodstained or from one side only; persistent pain in one spot; or any change that doesn’t settle after one cycle.

Mammograms in Singapore

Self-checks don’t replace screening. A mammogram finds things too small to feel.


Age	Guidance
40–49	Discuss with your doctor first: the benefits, limits and harms differ at this age. If you decide to screen, once a year.
50–69	Once every two years.

Subsidised screening is available to female Singapore citizens and permanent residents aged 40 and above who have no breast symptoms and haven’t screened in the past year (40–49) or two years (50 and above). It runs through Screen For Life and Healthier SG. Medisave can also be used towards a mammogram.

If you have a family history of breast or ovarian cancer, say so. Screening may be recommended earlier and more often than the general guidance.

Why mothers put this off

The reasons are familiar and none of them are stupid. There’s no time. It’s uncomfortable. Everyone else’s appointments come first. And there’s a quiet superstition that looking for something makes it more likely.

But early detection changes outcomes enormously, and three minutes a month is all the self-check takes. If the mammogram is the barrier, book it on a day you’re already taking off for something else.

Frequently asked questions

How do I do a breast self-examination?

Once a month, ideally 7 to 10 days after your period starts. Look in a mirror with arms down, raised, and hands on hips, checking for changes in size or shape, skin dimpling, an inverted nipple, redness or scaling. Then feel, lying down or in the shower, using the flat pads of three fingers in small circles at light, medium and firm pressure, covering the whole breast in a set pattern, and including the armpit and up to the collarbone.

When should I start having mammograms in Singapore?

From 40, after discussing the benefits and limits with your doctor, and yearly if you decide to screen. From 50 to 69, once every two years. Subsidised screening is available to female citizens and PRs aged 40 and above with no breast symptoms who haven’t screened within the past year or two years depending on age, and Medisave can be used towards it.

What should I do if I find a lump?

See a doctor instead of waiting to see whether it goes away. Most breast lumps end up not to be cancer. Cysts and benign changes are common and breasts are naturally lumpy. But the only way to know is to have it examined, and early detection makes a substantial difference.

What changes should I look out for?

A new lump or thickening in the breast or armpit, skin dimpling or puckering, a nipple that has turned inward or changed direction, discharge especially if bloodstained or from one side, redness or scaling around the nipple, persistent pain in one spot, or any change that doesn’t settle after a cycle.

Does a self-check replace a mammogram?

No. A self-check helps you notice change; a mammogram detects things far too small to feel. They do different jobs and you want both once you reach screening age.

What to remember

Nearly half the mothers in our community don’t know how to check themselves, and 77% have never had a mammogram. Both are fixable this month.

Check once a month, 7 to 10 days after your period, and include your armpit. From 40, talk to your doctor about screening. It’s subsidised, and Medisave covers part of it. If you find something, book an appointment, not a search.