When should I start mammograms?

For women at average risk, the answer is 40: the US Preventive Services Task Force recommends a mammogram every 2 years from age 40 to 74, per the CDC's breast-screening guidance. That recommendation changed in 2024 - for years the starting age was 50, and the shift to 40 reflects rising breast-cancer rates in younger women and evidence that earlier screening saves more lives. Average risk is the load-bearing phrase: it means no personal history of breast cancer, no strong family history (a mother, sister, or daughter with it - especially young), no known BRCA mutation, and no chest radiation in youth. If any of those apply, the schedule is individualized: earlier mammograms, annual rather than biennial, sometimes adding MRI - a conversation to have with your doctor at 30, not 40. What the appointment is actually like: about twenty minutes, compression that is uncomfortable for seconds rather than painful, results within days - and a callback for extra imaging is common and usually resolves to nothing, so do not let callback fear skip the test. Men get breast cancer too, rarely - a lump in anyone deserves checking. Pymander is a free AI doctor, 24/7 by text, that can help you weigh your risk factors.