October comes with plenty of scares, but awareness is not meant to frighten us.
It is meant to help us pay attention with care.
Breast Cancer Awareness Month is a reminder to understand our risks, notice changes, ask questions, and encourage the people we love to do the same. While many of us know the familiar reminders, there are still important breast cancer facts that deserve more attention.
Here are a few worth carrying with you.
Breast cancer does not always begin as a lump
A new lump is one of the most common signs of breast cancer, but it is not the only one. Breast cancer may also show up as swelling, changes in breast size or shape, skin dimpling, pain, discharge, or skin that appears red, dry, flaking, or thickened. Swollen lymph nodes under the arm or near the collarbone can also be a sign, sometimes before a breast lump is large enough to feel.
That is why knowing your normal matters. If something looks different, feels different, or does not go away, it is worth asking about.
Some breast changes can look like irritation
Not every concerning change looks dramatic. Some signs can look like rash-like irritation, flaking, crusting, itching, or changes around the areola or surrounding skin. The National Cancer Institute notes that symptoms may include scaly or swollen skin on the breast, nipple, or areola.
This does not mean every irritation is cancer. It does mean persistent changes deserve attention.
Dense breasts can make screening more complicated
Dense breast tissue is common, but it matters because it can make cancer harder to see on a mammogram. Dense breast tissue is also associated with a higher risk of breast cancer.
No family history does not mean no risk
Family history can matter, but it is not the whole story. Breast cancer risk can also be influenced by age, dense breast tissue, inherited genetic changes, alcohol use, prior radiation to the chest, reproductive history, physical activity, and other factors.
Many people diagnosed with breast cancer do not have a strong family history. That is why awareness and screening still matter, even if breast cancer does not “run in your family.”
Alcohol & breast cancer risk
Alcohol is one of the modifiable risk factors connected to breast cancer. The National Cancer Institute notes that reducing or eliminating alcohol consumption may help reduce breast cancer risk.
Movement matters
Physical activity is also connected to breast cancer risk. The National Cancer Institute states that women who take part in physical exercise have a lower risk of breast cancer.
Movement does not have to look one specific way. Walking, strength training, dancing, stretching, or any regular activity that helps you move your body can be part of a healthier lifestyle.
Breastfeeding may lower risk
Breastfeeding has been associated with a lower risk of breast cancer. The National Cancer Institute lists breastfeeding for at least several months after childbirth as one protective factor that may reduce risk.
This is one piece of a much larger risk conversation, and it should never be used to shame anyone’s feeding choices or reproductive history.
Breast Cancer Collection
Each October, we release our Breast Cancer Collection featuring a selection of pink bath, body, and home products in honor of Breast Cancer Awareness Month.
A portion of the proceeds from this annual collection will be donated to the American Cancer Society and the National Breast Cancer Foundation, two organizations working to support breast cancer education, research, early detection, patient resources, and advocacy.
For us, this collection is a yearly reminder that awareness can be carried into action in various ways. Through products rooted in care, comfort, and intentionality, we’re honored to support work that reaches beyond our own community.
Converting Awareness Into Action
Breast Cancer Awareness Month is about what we do with what we know.
It can look like scheduling a screening, asking about dense breasts, bringing up a change that feels small but persistent, learning your family history, or sharing information with someone you love.
It can also look like supporting organizations that help expand access to education, research, early detection, patient support, and advocacy.
This October, take a moment to check in with yourself. Notice what feels normal. Notice what looks different. And if something keeps asking for your attention, let that be enough reason to ask a question.