BLACK WOMEN are not checking their breasts regularly, leaving them at a greater risk of developing breast cancer, figures have shown.

Nearly eight in ten (78%) of women across the UK are not routinely checking their breasts for signs of the deadly disease following research carried out for the Estée Lauder Companies UK & Ireland’s Breast Cancer Campaign.

However, around 76% of black women are the least likely to partake in self-checks. In response to the research, 24% of black women said that they don’t regularly check their breasts due to lack of education from older female relatives and 14% said that they don’t feel comfortable touching their own breasts. 

Leanne Pero, founder of Black Women Rising and an Ambassador to ELC’s campaign, said: “There is a lot of fear amongst Black women around breast cancer and we wrongly believe that it doesn’t affect us. The data clearly shows that we are not feeling represented in awareness campaigns and that needs to change. I want to encourage all women, regardless of their age and ethnicity to prioritise their breast health and act if they suspect something isn’t right. I am living proof that you can survive breast cancer if you act early.”

As The Estée Lauder Companies’ (ELC) Breast Cancer Campaign marks their 30th anniversary this Black History Month, the beauty giant is still pledging to do more after discovering that women who could be at risk of breast cancer are less likely to engage in self-checks due to a lack of representation in campaigns raising awareness about the disease. 

A quarter (27%) of women who responded to the research said they never see anyone who looks like them in campaign material, leading them to believe that breast cancer won’t affect them at some point.

In addition, 26% of women said that they would like to see a year-round focus on the importance of breast cancer and 22% would like to be reminded to check their breasts throughout the year.  

Cultural stigma is also suggested as being a key factor for why self-checking among black women is significantly low. 

However, despite many women not understanding how to practice checks on their breasts, around a quarter (27%) of women think that men should know and understand the different signs of breast cancer. Teaching these crucial lessons throughout school and university was backed by around 30% of respondents to the research. 

Dr Zoe Williams, GP and broadcaster who is also an Ambassador for the ELC’s campaign, said: “I want women to feel empowered to talk about breast health – it should be part of your self-care routine and there should be no shame as breasts are simply just part of our bodies. However, I understand that there are barriers to self-checking amongst many communities and that we need to be speaking directly to these groups so that everybody feels confident to regularly self-check. 

“The research showed that of those women who do check their breasts, nearly a third (30%) are unaware of the signs and symptoms to look out for. It’s not just lumps, there are other signs, such as irritation or dimpling of the skin on the breast or flaky skin in the nipple area. If you notice any unusual changes, it’s important to contact your GP as soon as possible.”