If you’ve been scrolling on social media lately, chances are, you would’ve come across two things this month: 1) lots of pink visuals taking over your feed because it’s breast cancer awareness month, and 2) this very funny video by local influencer Jenn Chia aka So I’m Jenn, which serves as a good (and hilarious) reminder for us to perform the breast self-examination—or in Aunty Siow’s words to her daughter Michelle Siow, the “boob boob check”—at least once a month.
Look & feel for these booby traps
Along with the monthly boob boob check we should perform, there are certain symptoms—or as Aunty Siow calls it, “booby traps”—that we should be looking out for. Typically, the rule of thumb is that, if your ‘girls’ do not look like their usual self, you should be concerned. Not sure what are the exact physical signs to look out for? Here are a few common booby traps to take notice of and if you happen to see and feel any of these changes, it is advisable to seek medical help, stat.
1) Any lumps or thickening of fatty tissue in the breast
2) Changes in skin texture such as dimpling or wrinkling of the skin
3) Changes in size or shape
4) Unusual nipple discharge (even if it might not cause any pain)
5) Unusual pain
6) Rash, redness or crusting near the nipple or around the area
7) Nipple inversion (if it was never inverted before) or a change in nipple direction
8) Light swelling near the armpit or collarbone
How to do the boob boob check
If you’re not sure whether you’re doing the self-examination properly, don’t worry. There’s no right or wrong way; the important thing is to do it regularly every month. That said, if you’re unsure how to monitor and examine yourself, here’s a little handy guide provided by the Breast Cancer Welfare Association of Malaysia (BCWA):
- Get naked and look at yourself in the mirror
Stand in front of the mirror and look at yourself in 4 positions: with your arms relaxed, with your hands on your hips, with your arms raised and while you’re bending forward. Take note of anything that looks different, such as the aforementioned booby traps.
- Lie down (but don’t fall asleep!)
Next, get comfortable by lying down on your back. This position makes it easier to detect any lumps or abnormalities thanks to gravity spreading the breast tissue over the chest wall. Now, place one hand behind your head, and use the other to check the opposite breast all around: from under the collarbone to the bra line, and from the middle of the chest to the armpit. Repeat on the other side.
- Feel your boobies with 3 fingers
Pro tip: Using the flat surface of your 3 fingers (the index finger, middle finger and ring finger), move them in a circular motion to feel for any abnormal textures. Don’t forget to feel the skin at the armpit and under the collarbone too.
Who’s at risk?
According to the Breast Cancer Welfare Association of Malaysia, one in 20 Malaysian women are at risk of getting breast cancer. And while women above the age of 40 are generally more prone to it, in recent years, there has been an increasing number of diagnosis among the younger age group, regardless of gender (yes, even men are at risk!). Here’s a summary of factors that increase your risk of developing breast cancer:
- 1 in 20 women
- Mid-40s to mid-60s age group, or older
- Having a history of breast cancer or ovarian cancer
- Having one or more family member(s) who’s had breast cancer
- If you’ve had an early first period (before 12 years old), late menopause, late first pregnancy, have never breastfed before, or have taken oral contraceptives
- Being exposed to radiation or environmental chemicals
- Those who have had prolonged hormone replacement therapy (HRT)
- A diet that’s rich in fat
Reduce your risk of breast cancer
Thankfully, early detection is one way we can prevent the cancer from even having a chance to spread, which is why performing the self-exam is so important! Here are other easy ways to lower your risk of developing the disease:
- Maintain a healthy body weight. Those who are overweight or obese (especially after menopause) have a higher risk of developing breast cancer.
- Stay active. A healthy lifestyle keeps your weight in check so sweat it out on a weekly basis! Need ideas? Why not try the Watsons TikTok challenge?
- Eat more fruits and vegetables. Getting your five a day helps lower the risk of serious health problems, and that includes breast cancer.
- Quit smoking. Studies have shown a link between smoking and breast cancer risk, so it’s time to call it quits and put the (literal) cancer stick down.
- Reduce alcohol intake. The more you drink, the higher your risk. So limit yourself to less than a glass a day, or even better, stop completely.
- Breast-feed. The more you breast-feed, the more protected you are from the risk of developing breast cancer.
- Most importantly: Early detection and timely medical treatment. That’s the surefire way of preventing breast cancer so remember to do the boob boob check every month!
Show your support for the pink ribbon in #PinkOctober
Come October each year, there are several ways in which you can show your support and channel funds to the research and development towards breast cancer. One easy way to do so is by shopping at Watsons! After all, this year marks Watsons’ third year of collaborating with the BCWA where a portion of the proceeds from the purchase of participating brands will be channelled towards a good cause—like for education and awareness programmes, prosthesis and wigs support, information and rehabilitation materials, training for other support groups in Malaysia and many more.
So, whether it’s time to stock up on shampoo and body wash, skincare and makeup or health supplements, be sure to shop for them at Watsons so your contributions can be made towards the BCWA. Plus, you’ll even get to enjoy extra discounts with RM10 brand vouchers!And with that, here’s the full list of participating brands you can purchase from to show your support for the pink ribbon: Bio-Essence, Biore, Blackmores, Cetaphil, Dettol, Dove, Empro, Flavettes, Herbal Essences, Johnson & Johnson, Loreal, Maybelline, Moist Diane, Detoxlim, Natural By Watsons, Nivea, Nutox, Olay, Oral B, Pantene, Pink by Pure Beauty, Pure Beauty, Rimmel, Safi and Wardah.
