Check in on your besties.
How well do you know your besties?
And no, we’re not talking about your ride-or-die besties that you’ve known since the 5th grade who are always down to knuck if you buck or who you live your best life with.
We’re talking about your breasts/ chest.
Breast cancer impacts people of all genders and is the most commonly diagnosed cancer in Black women. We are more likely to be diagnosed with advanced-stage breast cancer and are more likely to develop aggressive forms of breast cancer. A mammogram, which is an X-ray of the breasts, is the best screening tool available for finding breast cancer. Since 2010, the Affordable Care Act requires all private insurance, Medicaid, and Medicare plans to cover breast cancer screening services. This typically includes mammograms, but can also include genetic testing for women who are at a higher risk. Low-cost or free mammograms are available for women without insurance. The medical community differs on their recommendations, but the general consensus is that women age 40 and older should have a mammogram annually.
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You are your first primary care provider.
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Having a monthly practice of checking in on your “besties” aka a self-chest exam helps you to get in tune with your body and learn what is normal for you. We prefer to say “self-chest exam” because it's not just your breast tissue you're examining— you're also examining your nipples, skin, and armpit area. At age 28, Ericka Hart, a Black, queer, non-binary femme found a lump in their breast after doing a self-chest exam in the shower. She was taught how to do self-chest exams at age 13 by her mother who was diagnosed with breast cancer in her early 30s.
Knowing what is normal for your body and family history keeps you informed and helps you to become aware of any changes that you can discuss with your healthcare provider.
So, for the meantime, in between your annual wellness visit and your 40th birthday, check in on your besties. If it’s been a while since you’ve checked in or if you’re new to this, we got you!
Here is your 4-step guide for checking in with your besties.
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1) Check-in with your family.
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If you can, check-in with your grandma/mother/aunty/sister/cousin (on both sides!) about your family history of breast cancer. Use that check-in call to be compassionately curious about your family history of breast cancer. Knowing your family history of breast cancer is important to communicate with your healthcare provider so that they can assess your personal risk of breast cancer.
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2) Make time at least once a month.
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Find a time once a month for your check-in with your besties to do a self-chest exam. You can schedule your check-ins 2-3 days after your period. If you need an accountability partner, set up a monthly reminder in your calendar called “Bestie Check-In”.
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3) Get to know your besties.
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Use a mirror to get familiar with how they look. Some of us have retracted nipples, one breast that is slightly larger than the other or have undergone treatment that involves removal of breast tissue. Know what’s normal for you. You want to look out for anything unusual like:
Lumps, knots and skin dimpling inside the breast or underarm area
Changes in vein pattern or size
Changes in skin color, shape or texture
Nipple deformation, color, changes, or leaks of any fluid
While you’re at it, take a page from the book of sexuality doula Ev’Yan Whitney book and take a sensual mirror selfie. It’s great to include a practice of honoring and celebrating your body during your self-chest exams.
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4) Get to know their feelings.
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It’s best to do a self-chest exam in the shower as it's easiest to feel your breasts when your skin is wet and slippery. You can also do a self-chest exam when you’re not in the shower with one hand raised above your head in a relaxed position while the other hand feels your breasts. If you want, bae can also get to know your besties too as this can be as fun and intimate as you want and included into your foreplay!
Some of us experience discomfort in one/both breasts just before our periods. New pain in one spot that doesn’t go away is something that you want to share with your healthcare provider right away. If you notice any changes in the texture, look and feel of your breasts, contact your healthcare provider right away.
Early detection of breast cancer through intergenerational dialogue, self-chest exams, and collaboration with your healthcare providers is the leading cause of our survival. It might feel strange to think of your breasts/chest as your besties, but getting to know them is a part of fostering a loving and proactive relationship with your body.
Get started on incorporating breast health into your self-care and sexual wellness regimen this month!
This content is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified healthcare provider with any questions you have regarding a medical condition.
Art by Brittany Harris & Fanesha Fabre.