Breast cancer: what it is, how it affects my intimate health and how I can reduce the risk

Breast cancer is a disease in which breast cells multiply uncontrollably, and this type of cancer is the most common among women, becoming the second cause of death, but this is just the tip of the iceberg, because What you didn't know is how and how much it can affect your intimate health.

Breast cancer occurs when cancer cells form a tumor that can be seen through medical tests or felt with your own hand as a mass or lump; it usually occurs exclusively in women, however, men can also suffer from it.

Before you start to get alarmed, most of the lumps we notice in our breasts are usually benign and not cancerous or malignant. These lumps, although they are abnormal growths, usually do not spread outside the breasts and are not life threatening. Hence the importance of paying attention and examining these changes through self-examination and visiting a medical professional to define if it is benign or malignant.

How and when should I do the self-exam?

The best time to do a monthly self-exam is around the third to fifth day after the start of your menstrual period. At this stage of your cycle, your breasts are not as tender or lumpy; and if you have reached menopause, perform the self-exam on the same day every month like this:

• Start by lying on your back to examine all of your breast tissue more easily and more accurately.
• Place one of your hands behind your head and with the middle fingers of the other press gently but firmly making small movements to recognize the entire breast. Repeat with the other arm, always making circular movements around the nipple and moving from top to bottom in vertical movements.
• Sit or stand up and feel your armpit as the breast tissue extends there. Repeat it on the other side.
• Gently press your nipples making sure there is no discharge.
• Standing in front of the mirror with your arms at your sides, observe the shape and contour of each breast, check if any of the nipples are sunken, look for changes in skin texture such as dimples, wrinkles, dents, or orange peel skin. .

 

When should I see a doctor?

Consult your doctor if you notice any of these changes in the appearance of your skin, nodules or lumps that persist regardless of the day of the cycle in which you are, discharge from the nipple or bumps in the armpit or clavicle area. Taking these symptoms into account, your doctor will order some tests for a more accurate diagnosis, generally consisting of a mammogram or ultrasound depending on your case.

Remember, also, that you regularly perform routine exams such as mammography, women between 50 and 74 years of age, every 1 or 2 years; women between 40 and 49 years old should define with their doctor when they should start doing it and how often; and for ages below these ranges, who have an average risk of breast cancer, a breast ultrasound can be performed instead of mammography.

 

How can breast cancer affect my intimate health?

Although breast cancer is not directly associated with other diseases, it can influence our intimate area, leaving consequences such as: changes in tissues, alteration of intimacy during the process, depression, lack of sexual desire and dryness, which tend to to get a little more complicated when we face menopause at the same time, because both one and the other usually appear after the age of 50. This is known as urogenital atrophy syndrome , which consists of the thinning of the tissue that covers the genital area, both internal and external, as well as the tissue that covers the urinary tract. For what is this? In the absence of estrogenic hormones, which regardless of age or cause (although in this case the intake of certain medications or procedures such as chemotherapy has a considerable influence), restricts the production of these from the ovaries, causing them to fall asleep and stop sleeping. release eggs. This in turn causes us to enter a sudden and premature menopause. What are your main symptoms?

• Less retention, vascularity and elasticity.
• The tissue breaks easily, bleeds easily, and turns pale.
• Pain or bleeding during sexual intercourse due to lack of lubrication.
• More frequent urinary and vaginal infections.
• Burning when urinating.
• Decreased libido.
• Itching, irritation or discomfort with underwear.

Sofía Herrera , a gynecologist, an expert in intimate health, female sexuality and co-creator of Zenzsual, was also in the position of a patient with breast cancer and the first thing she tells us is that after receiving this diagnosis your thoughts cloud over, the only thing that visit your mind are doubts about what will happen to you and you completely forget about sex. Yes, her privacy was also affected initially due to that stress and uncertainty of not knowing what would come from that momentous announcement and the fact that she was beginning to enter the perimenopause stage (time during which the body makes its transition natural to menopause ending the reproductive stage).

Unlike other women, Dr. Sofía did not enter into a crisis with these changes that we mentioned, since she has always been very consistent and careful with her intimate health, and she has also paid a lot of attention to her sexuality and eroticism. Do you want to know how he did it? Zenzsual can accompany you during this process like this:

• Using the Intimate Gel with Hyaluronic Acid . Dryness and pain during sexual intercourse can be a real torment, and if you are going through a medical condition like this you should pay even more attention, since depending on the process that each woman goes through, chemotherapy and/or radiotherapy that alter the appearance and texture of the skin as well as the mucous membranes, making vaginal dryness more evident, surgery, in addition we cannot forget that these symptoms are also accompanied by stress, anxiety and uncertainty, that is why the Intimate Gel with Hyaluronic Acid by Zenzsual is ideal before, during and after treatment, it is made from water, it does not contain any oily products, it does not contain hormones or perfumes, it does not contain parabens, it is not tested on animals (none of our formulations contain ingredients of animal origin ) and most importantly, it has the right pH for your V zone, a very special pH. The gel is not only a solution to lubrication, it also rehydrates, regenerates and rejuvenates your intimate area.

• Strengthening your pelvic floor with VagiYoga and Kegel exercises. VagiYoga is a pelvic floor rehabilitator but also an excellent source of sexual pleasure. How can you use it? Lie down, relax and enjoy while you strengthen the area, prevent urinary incontinence and improve your mood. The results will be noticeable inside and out. This is an excellent tool if you are undergoing chemotherapy or radiotherapy treatment, since it will maintain circulation at the level of the area and prevent your vagina from atrophying as a result of these procedures that affect both the hormonal part. Likewise, using it frequently will be a way to reconnect with yourself and your sexuality.

• And added to this, controlling the symptoms of perimenopause and menopause with Bye Bye Menopause, a nutritional supplement that will provide your body with the necessary elements to achieve it, best of all, without hormones and through a 100% vegan estrogen-free formula. and soy. Our product will take care of regulating your hormonal function and will surprise you with all its benefits. Also, did you know that even if you are not of menopausal age, you can suffer from it as a result of breast cancer? Yes, some of the procedures to prevent hormones from promoting cancer reproduction consist of the removal of the ovaries or what is known as chemical or surgical castration, or also when a treatment to suppress hormones is used as a complement to the initial treatment. . Although our product has the ideal formula so that any woman can use it, it is important that you always consult your treating doctor so that he can give it the go-ahead as a complementary treatment.

In the month of breast cancer awareness, from Zenzsual we want to highlight the importance of recovering your intimate health after going through this disease, reducing the side effects of medications as much as possible and reinforcing your self-esteem. Patients with breast cancer can resume their sexual life during the treatment process or after going through this experience, moments of intimacy and with a partner are fundamental and can become a stimulus to relax, reconnect and recover your energy, because you You will realize that although this process can also affect your self-esteem, your breasts can become the least important thing in your relationship if communication becomes your priority.

Become aware of breast cancer and take care of yourself from the inside out with our Kit to fight against breast cancer that includes Intimate Gel with hyaluronic acid + Bye Bye Menopause + Vagiyoga with a 25% discount + free shipping, in addition we give you a travel Kit composed of cleansing foam and intimate gel with hyaluronic acid.