These 4 Factors Could Cause False Positives on Cancer Screenings

Receiving a false positive can be stressful and follow-up visits to the doctor can be time-consuming and costly. To avoid them, here are a few unlikely things that can make mammograms more difficult to read—or throw off the results altogether.

1. Breast Implants

Saline or silicone fillers can make it tricky to see certain parts of your breast during imaging. Ask your M.D. to refer you to a clinic with experience reading scans of women with implants.

2. Tattoos 

In rare cases, tattoo ink can look like a cancer that has spread to the lymph nodes. Make sure your doctor and radiologist know if you have skin art anywhere on your body.

RELATED: How Tattoos Are Helping Women Recover from Serious Health Issues 

3. Deodorant 

Some antiperspirants contain substances that can show up on a mammogram as white spots. Skip it the day of your test.

4. Density

Forty percent of women have dense breast tissue, which can mask tumors and make them hard to spot. Ask to add ultrasound to your screening.

To find out at what age you need certain cancer screenings, pick up the October issue of Women’s Health, on newsstands now.