Going Beyond Exams for Life-Long Breast Health

There are some key essentials to caring for your breasts. Yearly clinical breast exams with a trained health care professional are a must. You also have to know the texture of your breast tissue - smooth, bubbly or bumpy like a bag of frozen peas. The best way to know this is by doing monthly self-breast exams.

Between yearly clinical exams, doing monthly self-exams helps you check for lumps that are unusual for you or for changes in the skin or nipple. If you detect changes, see your doctor for further examination. Most breast changes are benign (not cancerous). In addition, women age 40 and older should have annual mammograms for a better view of the breast tissue and ducts.

For more information about breast health at Virtua, call 1-888-847-8823.

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