Medically reviewed by Prof. Dr. Aamer Nadeem Chaudhary, M.B.B.S., D.M.R.D., F.C.P.S. (Diagnostic Radiology), Consultant, Al-Nasar Lab & Diagnostic Centre. Updated October 2026.
Quick answer: Check your breasts once a month, a few days after your period ends. You are looking for anything that is new or different for you: a lump, a change in skin or nipple, or discharge from one side. Most lumps are not cancer. But a new lump always needs a doctor, at any age, and a painless lump is not a safe lump.
Need an assessment? Call 0300 0341944. Breast ultrasound and mammography are available at our Johar Town campus.
How to examine your breasts
The aim is simply to know what is normal for you, so that a change stands out. It takes a few minutes.
Looking, in front of a mirror:
- Stand with arms relaxed at your sides and look at both breasts. Note the usual size, shape and outline. Most women have breasts that are slightly different from each other, and that is normal
- Raise both arms above your head and look again, particularly at the skin and the nipples
- Press your hands firmly on your hips to tighten the chest muscles, and look for any dimpling or pulling of the skin that was not there before
Feeling, lying down:
- Lie flat and place a pillow under the shoulder of the side you are checking, with that arm behind your head. This spreads the tissue out and makes it easier to feel
- Use the flat pads of your three middle fingers, not the fingertips
- Move in small circles, using light, then medium, then firm pressure at each spot, so you feel through all the layers down to the ribs
- Cover the whole area in an organised pattern, either up and down in strips or in circles working inward. Pick one method and use it every time
- Include the armpit and the area up to the collarbone, because breast tissue extends further than most people expect and lymph nodes sit there
- Finally, gently squeeze each nipple to check for discharge
Many women find it easiest in the shower, where soapy skin makes the fingers glide.
When should you check?
A few days after your period finishes, when breasts are least swollen and tender. Checking just before a period often finds normal hormonal lumpiness that disappears a week later and causes unnecessary alarm.
After menopause, or if your periods are irregular, pick the same date each month and keep to it.
What changes actually matter?
| Change | What it can mean |
|---|---|
| A new lump that does not go away after a period | The most common presenting sign. Usually benign, always needs checking |
| A lump in the armpit | Enlarged lymph node, which can be infection or something needing assessment |
| Skin dimpling or puckering | Tissue being pulled from underneath |
| Orange peel appearance of the skin | Swelling in the skin, needs prompt assessment |
| A nipple newly turned inward | Significant if it is a change. Lifelong inversion is usually normal |
| Blood stained or clear discharge from one nipple | Single sided and spontaneous discharge needs investigation |
| Persistent scaling or rash on the nipple | Can look like eczema but needs ruling out if it does not settle |
| One breast changing size or shape | Any new asymmetry that develops |
| Redness, warmth and swelling | Often infection, but needs urgent review if not breastfeeding |
What is usually not a worry?
Worth saying clearly, because fear causes as much delay as ignorance.
- Breasts that feel lumpy before a period and settle afterwards. This is normal hormonal change
- Pain in both breasts that comes and goes with your cycle. Cyclical pain is rarely a cancer sign
- A smooth, firm, mobile lump in a young woman, which is often a fibroadenoma. Still needs confirming with a scan, but commonly benign
- Lifelong nipple inversion that has not changed
- Slight differences in size between the two breasts that have always been there
The principle is simple: what matters is change. Something that has been the same for years is far less concerning than something new.
Myths that cause delay in Pakistan
These come up constantly and each one costs time.
- “It does not hurt, so it cannot be cancer.” Most early breast cancers are painless. This is the single most harmful myth
- “I am too young.” It is less common under 40 but it does happen, and in Pakistan it is diagnosed at younger ages than in many countries
- “Nobody in my family had it.” The majority of women diagnosed have no family history
- “A scan will make it worse.” Ultrasound uses no radiation at all, and a mammogram uses a very small dose
- “I will wait and see if it goes away.” Waiting is the one thing that reliably makes the outcome worse
- “Men cannot get breast cancer.” It is uncommon but possible, and a lump under the nipple in a man needs checking
Self examination does not replace screening
An important distinction. Self examination helps you notice change, but you can only feel a lump once it has reached a certain size.
Imaging finds disease earlier. A mammogram can detect microcalcifications that represent a cancer still inside the duct, long before anything can be felt by anyone.
So the two work together: monthly self checks to catch change between visits, and imaging screening on the schedule your doctor sets.
You found something. What now?
- Do not panic. Most lumps are benign
- Do not wait to see if it disappears beyond one menstrual cycle
- See a doctor. They will examine you and decide which imaging you need
- Expect a scan. Usually ultrasound under 40, mammography with ultrasound over 40
- A biopsy, if needed, is not a diagnosis. It is how a definite answer is obtained, and many come back benign
Take someone with you if that helps, and write your questions down beforehand.
Assessment at Al-Nasar Lab
Al-Nasar Lab & Diagnostic Centre has served Lahore since 1996 and holds ISO 15189:2022 accreditation from the Pakistan National Accreditation Council. Breast ultrasound, mammography and image guided biopsy are available at our Johar Town campus, reported by consultant radiologists.
Find your nearest location or contact us to book.
Frequently Asked Questions
How often should I examine my breasts?
Once a month, a few days after your period ends. After menopause, choose the same date each month.
Are most breast lumps cancer?
No. The large majority are benign, such as cysts or fibroadenomas. But every new lump needs a doctor to confirm that.
Can a painless lump still be serious?
Yes. Most early breast cancers cause no pain at all, which is why absence of pain is never a reason to wait.
I have lumpy breasts before every period. Is that normal?
Generally yes, if it settles after your period. A lump that persists through a full cycle should be checked.
Does self examination replace a mammogram?
No. You can only feel a lump once it reaches a certain size, while imaging detects disease far earlier. Both are needed.
This article is for general information and is not a substitute for medical advice. Please see a doctor promptly about any new breast lump or change.
