October is Breast Awareness Month in the UK, and it is the perfect reason to pause and ask a simple question: When did you last check in with your own body? It takes a few minutes, it costs nothing, and it is one of the kindest things you can do for yourself.
Why Checking Matters
According to Breast Cancer Now, 1 in 7 women in the UK will get breast cancer in their lifetime, and finding it early makes treatment much more likely to work. Anyone can get breast cancer, including men, and around 2,300 women under 40 are diagnosed every year. So this is not a conversation to save for later in life.
The point is not to frighten anyone. It is simply to get to know what is normal for you, so you can spot what is not.
How to Check: Touch, Look, Check
The NHS suggests checking your breasts or chest about once a month. There is no special technique and no training needed. Just remember TLC:
- Touch. Feel across your whole breast area, including up towards your collarbone and into your armpit. The shower or bath works well, because wet, soapy hands glide more easily.
- Look. Stand in front of a mirror with your hands on your hips, then raise your arms above your head. Notice the shape, size and skin of each breast.
- Check. If anything feels new or unusual for you, book an appointment with your GP.
Your breasts change naturally with your period, pregnancy, breastfeeding and the menopause, so the goal is changes that are not normal for you.
What to Look For
The main symptoms to keep an eye out for:
- A lump or swelling in your breast, chest or armpit
- Dimpling that looks like orange peel, or redness (which can be harder to see on black or brown skin)
- A change in the size or shape of one or both breasts
- A nipple that turns inwards, or a rash on or around it
- Sores or ulcers on your chest
Pain on its own is not usually a sign of breast cancer, and most lumps and changes turn out not to be cancer. But please get anything unusual looked at. If you are worried, Breast Cancer Now has a free helpline, and CoppaFeel is a brilliant charity for encouraging younger people to check their chests too. If you are invited for breast screening, please go.
Being Gentle Through Treatment
If you or someone you love is going through treatment, comfort matters more than ever. Hair can thin or fall out, skin and scalp can feel tender, and sleep is precious. Here are a few small things we swear by:
- Soft cover that feels like you. A silk Turban is gentle on a sensitive scalp and easy to put on, whether you want something polished for the day or something cosy at home.
- A Fold for easy mornings. Our silk Folds wrap up quickly, so you can look and feel put together without any fuss.
- Swap the cotton. A silk Pillowcase gives your head and skin a smooth, soft place to rest.
- Make rest a ritual. Our silk Clouds help you switch off and wind down at the end of a long day.
This month, check in with yourself, share this with someone you love, and book that appointment if you have been putting it off.
Paradisefold xx
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