A woman performing a breast self-exam is likely to feel both lumps and ridges, and it’s not likely that one breast is just like the other. Within the tissue of the breast, certain lumps and ridges are normal and not a cause for alarm. All women should feel a ridge of tissue at the lower part of the breast, which is the breast tissue that is closest to the ribcage. This is connective tissue, and feels firm yet spongy to the touch. The connective tissue that’s felt (the ridges) are almost rope-like beneath the fingertips. During a breast self-exam, light pressure is applied through the fingertips in an attempt to feel the tissue just beneath the skin (such as around the nipple); medium pressure is used to feel more deeply in the same areas, and strong pressure is applied when feeling around the base of the breast. This is because the area at the breast’s base contains the ridge-like tissue, and it’s possible that in order to feel something unusual within that area, firm pressure is needed.