Anyone had skin cancer before?

[Lyman]

Yep, I have a very fine 3" scar on my left cheek from a 6-hour-long Mohs surgery. It was so deep they had to do inner and outer stitches.
That was 10 years ago. Since then I get checked every six months and get stuff burned off before it gets out of hand.

 

[vavavroom]

In CA, we all live in the sun, shorts, no shirt, lift weights, etc. Blond hair blue eye. Stupid...

Hey, I resent that. I'm not blond!

 

[DuckRyder]

I had sort of a weird freckle on my arm, my dog who never jumps (or never jumped, RIP Shelby) on people jumped up and scratched it right through the middle, then it started looking weirder, went to dermatologist and they biopsied it and called me the next day and were like can you come in tomorrow morning... left with about 10 stitches. Convinced little one did me a solid on that...

It was a stage 0 melanoma which was described to me as not having let the top layer of skin which was good, but had to be watched longer.

Don't wait...

 

[Creekside]

My dad has had multiple spots removed. They were the less critical types of skin cancer although I don't remember the name. Develop a good relationship with your dermatologist because you two are gonna get real familiar. HIs have been essentially outpatient operations. A few days for the bandage to come off and back to normal.

 

[gfh77665]

I'm 67
1.5 yrs ago had 4 spots on my forehead & 1 on my belly burned off liquid nitrogen.
Annual visits to the dermatologist, sooner if needed.
When 55 had a pre-cancer area cut off my chest

I am 61. I have had 50-60 of them burned off with liquid N2, and 4 surgically removed with Mohs. The swelling and black eye was a result of the surgery but soon went away. In the lower pic there are as many internal stitches you can't see as the visible ones the skin surface.

 

[RedSpider]

Had melanoma last year. Have a 4-inch scar on my upper left chest from the two hour surgery and 58 inner and outer stitches it took to remove it all after the initial biopsy. Luckily it only made it 1mm into my dermis and didnt get into the hypodermis. I go to a dermatologist every 90 days because of my history, and my family's history. Killed my aunt... my dad had it, two of my sisters have had it, and my older brother had it. Thats a lot of people in one family to have melanoma. (Ours is a genetic issue, not a sun exposure issue.)

I have so many scars from biopsies (50+) that my chest and back look like the surface of the moon. You couldnt pay me enough money and there isnt enough beer on this planet to make me take my shirt off in public.

Its frightening, but melanoma and other skins cancers are easily treatable if found early. Get set up with a dermatologist you like and go early and often, three months six months yearly whatever, but get up off your butt and GO.

Bob Is Not The Skin Cancer Guy, but hopefully this thread stays open long enough to maybe get through to even a few here to get prompted to get their skin checked.

 

[4WD]

I’m probably on my 6th Mohs surgeon - got one on the 4th …
Almost always SCC …

 

[2005jettatdi]

This is not approved, but I use Black Salve. It is painful, but it works, at least for me.

 

[bobdoo]

I've had it on my ear, and hip.

Both times they just cut it out, and I was fine.

The trick is *early treatment*. Yours looks small, so shouldn't have spread far. That's good.

 

[demarpaint]

On the contrary-sounds like a lot of us have had it! Get it checked out by a professional, and have the biopsy tested-I hope it’s nothing serious.

Essentially I said the same thing as you, only I said wait and see what the dermatologist tells him. He might be lucky, and they freeze it and they're done!

Funny story, maybe not, but a doctor can screw up. Years ago my mother told me to get something checked out on my face, which she noticed. I barked at her, and reluctantly had it checked out, God bless my mother! The dermatologist's exact words were, "it's nothing to worry about tell your mother she worries too much." I said you know what doc take it off it. About two weeks later I get a call that I had basal cell carcinoma. When I went in for the Mohs surgery, which took three cuts and 19 stitches to fix, I asked what would have happened if I didn't ask him to remove it. He said, "I would have had to cut more." I found another dermatologist and get checked every 6 months.

 

[Jimmy_Russells]

Not personally, but my wife had a chunk of her right temple cut out about five or six years ago. She get screened every 6-12 months now. My FIL (her dad) has had something removed like five or six times now.

You'll be ok man.

 

[andrewg]

I’m 30 and no skin cancer. But, every morning I put an SPF30 face moisturizer on when I get out of the shower. And if I’m going to be outside more than 15 minutes, I’ll put sunscreen on my arms and neck too.

And yet you live in one of the sunniest places in the country. Maybe move to Seattle? Just kidding.

 

[Rand]

Wife had a "mole like" spot on her thigh.. was actual skin cancer.
Hers was removed by a plastic surgeon at the same hospital as the dermatologist
has a 9" straight scar... not sure how that was the way to have the least scar but hey I'm not a dr.
It was pretty ugly hanging out the shorts.. used to get people asking her about it.
looks much better few years later..

Just get it taken care of.. and do the checkups. File it under "crap happens".

 

[Dinoburner]

Have had 2 Basel cell carcinoma removed and annual checkups. Also other skin stuff that's heredity.

 

[Dave Hess]

I've had it on my ear, and hip.

Both times they just cut it out, and I was fine.

The trick is *early treatment*. Yours looks small, so shouldn't have spread far. That's good.

Unfortunately lots of people have a spot on their body and ignore it as the condition gets worse.

 

[JeffKeryk]

Unfortunately lots of people have a spot on their body and ignore it as the condition gets worse.

I did. There was a wound on my forearm that I thought was a scratch from a dangerous oil change, or whatever. Then COVID hit and I did not see a Doctor in person. When it did not heal for quite a while (I am a quick wound healer), I sent a pic in and they sent me to a dermatologist and got 'er done.

 

[cptbarkey]

My mom who is 86 loved to sunbathe. She gets minor surgeries every 6 months to clear up trouble spots. She has had a few grafts. If managed, skin cancer can be reduced to an bi annual annoyance.
My father who now passed basically went through similar minor surgeries and was similarly managed.

I'm probably at risk heredity wise, and I enjoy working outdoors all day on weekends but i'm not worried.

 

[Vil_Riker]

My mom who is 86 loved to sunbathe. She gets minor surgeries every 6 months to clear up trouble spots. She has had a few grafts. If managed, skin cancer can be reduced to an bi annual annoyance.
My father who now passed basically went through similar minor surgeries and was similarly managed.

I'm probably at risk heredity wise, and I enjoy working outdoors all day on weekends but i'm not worried.

Basal cell carcinoma from sun exposure is manageable.

Melanoma, which is not from exposure from sun, sucks. Nasty stuff.

 

[Nick1994]

And yet you live in one of the sunniest places in the country. Maybe move to Seattle? Just kidding.

Nah. I’ll just wear sunscreen.

I don’t have fair skin either.

 

[R18Civic]

Thanks for the knowledge everyone. I'm feeling better about it