Perform a breast self-exam once a month, ideally after your period, supplemented by visual observation and an annual professional check-up to detect any potential abnormalities.

noli's read

The intention of becoming familiar with one's chest and staying attentive to one's body is an excellent pillar of women's wellness. However, the recommendation to perform a systematic, scheduled breast self-exam every month raises strong reservations in scientific research. A large meta-analysis from the Cochrane collaboration, based on randomized controlled trials including nearly 400,000 women, revealed that this rigid monthly method does not reduce mortality, but doubles the risk of anxiety-inducing invasive examinations for abnormalities that ultimately prove to be benign. This is why the Haute Autorité de Santé (HAS) and the Collège National des Gynécologues et Obstétriciens Français (CNGOF) no longer recommend it in a standardized way. These institutions instead favor "self-observation," a more natural and intuitive visual attention to spontaneous changes (skin appearance, general shape), without imposing a strict schedule. On the other hand, Marine's advice to consult a doctor in the event of specific warning signs (discharge, fixed hard lump) or to have one's chest checked every year by a professional are excellent habits validated by experts.

the sources

No named source held this one up — that absence is part of the verdict.