I love my loofah. The feeling of gentle exfoliation and moisturizing suds cascading down my skin is a self-care pleasure. And yet, my loofah could be an unwilling accomplice to murder (does that make it guilty of manslaughter?).
Your hands and fingers are the most effective and reliable tools for detecting breast cancer. It’s necessary to become familiar with your “lumpy, bumpy breasts,” as Dr. Laura Esserman shared on the Healthy Longevity podcast with Dr. Florence Comite and me on March 18, 2025. In the iSpy trial of women with Stage 2 and 3 breast cancer, Dr. Esserman shared that 80% of the women detected their own tumors.
My loofah doesn’t know what I feel like.
My loofah doesn’t detect if something has changed.
Let’s create a smart loofah
Hey, biohackers – please create a breast lump-detecting, waterproof, mold-resistant, utterly delightful loofah that will monitor changes to your breasts. While we are at it, it should monitor your skin for changes to moles. We may as well detect and prevent melanoma while we are dreaming. Perhaps it could detect testicular cancer, too. These three cancers can be self-detected. Why not an intelligent loofah? Who wouldn’t pay for that in their shower? We could include a subscription monitoring service that alerts your Apple Watch, Garmin, and Polar that the loofah noticed something.
Cancer is often bi-modal. Mode one is cancers like mine that are caught early, responsive to treatment, and appear to be obliteratable. Mode two cancers are invisible until advanced and potentially spread throughout the body (metastatic cancers). These advanced cancers ask their hosts to endure the most brutal chemotherapies, radiation therapies, and surgeries, often in the pursuit of more time instead of obliteration.
The most common cancers are within cells that frequently reproduce, like breast, skin, prostate, and testicular. Prostate cancer has a blood screen. Annual breast or skin screening isn’t frequent enough—especially for aggressive tumors and younger people who aren’t entitled to screening yet. Maybe someday, our skin will have a smart loofah. Until then, enjoy the exfoliation and the suds, but then put that loofah down, run your hands across your body, and be your best first line of detection.
How to do a breast self-exam in the shower
Position Your Arm: Place your left arm behind your head. This helps to spread the breast tissue evenly, making it easier to examine
Use Your Fingers: On your right hand, use the pads of your three middle fingers. These are the most sensitive parts for detecting changes under the skin
Apply Pressure: Feel your breast using three levels of pressure:
Light pressure to examine tissue near the surface.
Medium pressure for tissue in the middle.
Firm pressure to feel deeper tissue near the chest wall
Follow a Pattern: Choose one of these methods to ensure you cover the entire breast:
Circular: Move in small circles starting at the nipple and gradually expand outward.
Vertical: Move your fingers up and down in rows across the breast.
Wedge: Start at the outer edge and move toward the nipple in wedge-shaped sections
Check Surrounding Areas: Include the armpit area and from your collarbone down to below your breast, as these are part of the breast tissue.
Repeat on Other Breast: Switch arms and repeat the same procedure on your other breast.
Do this every month
How to do a testicular self-exam in the shower
Choose the Right Time: Perform the exam during or after a warm shower. The heat relaxes the scrotum, making it easier to feel the testicles
Examine Each Testicle:
Use both hands. Place your index and middle fingers under the testicle and your thumbs on top
Gently roll the testicle between your fingers and thumbs, feeling for any lumps, bumps, or unusual changes in size, shape, or texture
Understand Normal Anatomy:
Don’t worry if one testicle is slightly larger or hangs lower than the other; this is normal
Familiarize yourself with the epididymis—a soft, rope-like structure on the back of each testicle—so you don’t mistake it for a lump
Check Surrounding Areas: Look for swelling or changes in the scrotal skin and note any feelings of heaviness or dull soreness
Repeat on the Other Testicle: Switch sides and perform the same process on the other testicle
Perform this self-exam monthly to detect early signs of testicular cancer. Consult your healthcare provider immediately if you find any unusual lumps or changes.
How to do a skin self-examination
Tools You'll Need:
Full-length mirror
Hand-held mirror
Bright lighting
A comb or blow-dryer (optional, for scalp examination)
Steps to Perform the Exam:
Examine Your Face and Neck:
Start with your face, paying close attention to your nose, lips, mouth, and ears (front and back).
Look at your neck and the front of your chest.
Inspect Your Scalp:
Use a comb or blow-dryer to part your hair in sections.
Use a hand-held mirror or ask someone to help check hard-to-see areas.
Check Your Hands and Arms:
Look at the tops and palms of your hands, between your fingers, and under your fingernails.
Examine your wrists, forearms (front and back), elbows, and upper arms, including underarms.
Scan Your Torso:
Standing in front of the full-length mirror, check your chest, abdomen, and sides.
Women should lift their breasts to examine the skin underneath.
Examine Your Back:
Use a hand-held mirror to inspect the back of your neck, shoulders, upper back, lower back, and buttocks.
Inspect Your Legs and Feet:
While sitting, check the front of your thighs, shins, tops of feet, toenails, soles of feet, and between toes.
Use a hand-held mirror to view the backs of your legs.
Check Genital Area:
Use the hand-held mirror to examine the groin area for any unusual changes.
What to Look For:
New moles or spots
Changes in size, shape, color, or texture of existing moles
Moles with irregular borders or uneven coloring
Sores that don’t heal or bleed persistently
The "ugly duckling" sign: a mole that looks different from others around it
Frequency:
Perform this exam monthly to monitor changes in your skin. If you notice anything unusual or concerning, consult a dermatologist promptly.
You are your own first line of detection. Know your body. And share anything you (or your future smart loofah) notice as a change.