💪 The Hairy Chin Newsletter #4

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Hello and Happy Monday to you all!

We’ve got another exciting partnership this week with 1440! 🗞️ If you’re a fan of Morning Brew, chances are you’ll enjoy their content too. With over 4 million readers, they send out a daily digest of unbiased, fact-focused news that helps you stay informed. Check out the link above for more info and to subscribe.

This week, we’re working with a bit of a theme - we’re talking about the ta-tas (or the lemons, or whatever you like to call them!) As a certified Breast Health Educator with the Know Your Lemons foundation, I’m here to help women understand their bodies and take preventative steps that matter. 🍋

Here’s what you’ll find in today’s entry:

• Your Advocacy Toolkit: The Power of the Follow-Up

• Body Talk 101: The 12 Signs of Breast Cancer

• Health Truths: Interval Breast Cancer

• Told By Her: Breast Implant Illness

• On The Podcast 4/9: Chin Chats - Breast Cancer Radiation

  (My personal experience and the three things I’d do differently)

• The Supplement Scoop: Iron (Coming 4/18)

Let’s get to work! 💪 🍋 💛

Spencer Moore
Founder, The Hairy Chin
(Listen to The Hairy Chin Podcast here)
(Subscribe to The Hairy Chin Newsletter here)
(Follow us on Instagram here)

We talked about the Power of Preparation a few weeks back. Today, let’s talk about the Power of the Follow-Up, because advocacy doesn’t stop at the doctor’s office.

Following-up can be just as important as the appointment itself. And not just for breast health - but for ALL health. By taking control of the follow-up process, you’re actively participating in your own health journey. And that matters.

How To Follow-Up Effectively:

• Request Lab Reports: Always ask for copies of your imaging and test results.*

• Clarify Next Steps: Ask you doctor to confirm what the plan is and what you should do next. It helps to get this in writing.

• Have A Timeline: If you’re told to “wait and see,” ask: “How long should I wait before following up if nothing improves?”

• Use Patient Portals: If your doctor’s office offers one, use it. It’s a good way to track updates and flag concerns in writing.

• Schedule the Follow Up: Before leaving the office, make the follow-up appointment! The “Don’t call me, I’lll call you” approach doesn’t set you up for success. Get it scheduled and show up.

*And speaking of lab reports, scroll down to the Health Truths section to learn why requesting records after your annual mammogram matters more than you think.

There are more signs to breast cancer than just a lump - actually, there are 12 of them. And below is the viral image from the Know Your Lemons Foundation, viewed by more than 1 billion people of exactly what those signs are. It’s a reminder that breast cancer can show up in many textures, shapes and forms.

Being informed - and staying proactive as your breast change over time - is a key part of breast cancer prevention. (If the image doesn’t load in your email, you can find it here.)

Need a lesson (or refresher) on how to do a Breast Self-Exam? You find step-by-step instructions here, plus a helpful video tutorial (featuring the Mona Lisa herself) on the award-winning Know Your Lemons mobile app, available here for iOS and here for Android.

Up to 26% of annual-screened women are diagnosed with interval breast cancer.

What’s interval breast cancer? It’s breast cancer that develops between routine mammograms. Some are ‘missed’ (visible but overlooked on the previous scan), while others are ‘true’ intervals (cancers that weren’t yet detectable during the last screening).

Here’s the biggest takeaway: 

• Stick to your annual screenings

• Keep a record of your previous mammogram

• Make sure your doctor has access to it - and not just the report, but the imaging!

Why does this matter?

These cancers are more likely to have aggressive characteristics with a higher mortality rate.

Comparing previous mammograms can…

• Track changes. Radiologists look for shifts year to year. No comparison = no context.

• Avoid repeat testing. Prior images can prevent unnecessary biopsies and diagnostics.

• Be required. Diagnostic mammograms need your previous scans to build an accurate, personalized treatment plan.

Following-up and requesting your records is not overkill - it’s ownership. And it can change the outcome.

And while we’re on the topic of breast health - there’s another side of the story that perhaps doesn’t get a ton of attention. It’s not about cancer, but it can seriously affect health and quality of life. We’re talking about breast implants.

They are often sold as safe, routine - even empowering. But thousands of women are now sharing a different story: one filled with brain fog, crushing fatigue, joint pain, autoimmune flares and doctor’s who don’t believe them.

This cluster of symptoms is being called Breast Implant Illness (BII). It’s not officially recognized, but it’s very real to the women experiencing it. Even the FDA has taken notice, now recommending a black box warning (the strongest warning available) on all breast implants due to serious risks for some women.

One woman, Julie Elliot, shared her story with the ICIJ, you can read it here. After getting implants, her health began to spiral. But, once her implants were removed, her symptoms began to improve. She now works at a clinic supporting others through the same experience.

Not all women experiences these symptoms, but some do and their stories matter. Women deserve the full picture before making decisions about their bodies and their health - not after.

This week is the second episode of my new Chin Chats series. On it, I’ll be sharing my personal experience with chest radiation to treat DCIS (Ductal Carcinoma in Situ).

Looking back, there are things I wish I’d known - and choices I’d make differently. In this episode, I walk through the three things I’d do if I were going into radiation again.

If you or someone you love is navigating chest radiation as part of breast cancer treatment, I hope this helps. 💛

🎙️ Catch the episode this Wednesday at 9 AM EST on all major podcast platforms - including Apple, Spotify and iHeart. And don’t forget to subscribe to the podcast to get notified when new episodes release. 🎙️

Last week we took a deep dive into magnesium - remember those nine types?! Next week’s entry doesn’t have quite as many variations - but it’s just as essential.

Coming Up: IRON 💪

It’s critical for the female body, and women are significantly more likely to experience anemia and chronic iron deficiency. And if you’ve ever had low iron or been anemic, you know - it can leave you feeling pretty darn awful.

I’ll break down the basics so you can have informed conversations with your doctor in the next Supplement Scoop, landing in your inbox on Friday, April 18.

Ok my amigas, that’s a wrap. Self-advocacy has never been easier - from To-Do to TA-DA - just like that!

Bravo for being here 💪
Spencer Moore

DISCLAIMER: The information shared here is for informational and educational purposes only. It is not medical advice and should not be treated as such. I am not a doctor or licensed healthcare professional. Always consult with a qualified provider before making any medical decisions, changing your health routine, or starting a new treatment. This content is here to help you learn and advocate for yourself, what you do with it is entirely up to you. 💛