Raise your arms above your head and observe the skin
Press down on your hips to contract your pectoral muscles.
Gently pinch the skin to check its adhesion
Any new wrinkle requires a medical evaluation.
8. Persistent itching, redness, or irritation.
Itching that lasts for several weeks—especially if accompanied by redness, warmth, or swelling—may not be a simple skin problem.
These symptoms could indicate inflammatory breast cancer, a rare but aggressive form that accounts for about 1 to 5% of cases. It is often mistaken for an infection or dermatitis, leading to dangerous delays.
7. Hard lumps or thickened areas.
A hard, irregular, and fixed lump under the skin is a classic warning sign. Unlike benign cysts, cancerous lumps are often hard, immobile, and painless.
6. Persistent breast or nipple pain
Most breast pain is benign, but persistent, localized pain unrelated to the menstrual cycle deserves special attention.
5. Unexplained swelling of the breast or armpit.
Breast cancer does not always present as a distinct lump. It can sometimes cause diffuse swelling of the breast or enlargement of the lymph nodes under the armpit.
4. Nipple retraction or inversion
A nipple that suddenly retracts when it previously pointed outwards is an important warning sign.
3. Redness, scaling or thickening of the skin of the nipple or areola.
Persistent redness or scaling around the nipple may indicate Paget’s disease of the breast, a rare condition often associated with underlying cancer.
