Skin Cancer Support Group
If you or a loved one has skin cancer, this is the community to discuss your experience, find support, and meet others going through the same. Skin cancer is a malignant growth on the skin, which can have many causes, including repeated severe sunburns or long-term exposure to the sun. Skin cancer generally develops in the outermost layer of skin so a tumor is usually...
Hi, I'm new here and hoping I can get some advice. In April I had 2 types of Basal Cell removed from the right side of my nose.When I took the bandage off the next day, I was horrified. No one told me there would be 27 stitches or that it would look like I had been in a bad accident. When I went for my follow up, the doc stated the one cancer was deeper then he thought and he wasn't able to get it all. He wants to 'keep an eye' on it because it would be major surgery and if it doesn't come back within a year, I 'should' be okay. I went to an Oncologist who said it should be redone now, because as I get older my face loses elasticity. I told the doc this and he said I can go to another surgeon if I want because his protocol is to wait and see. My concern is what if it comes back even 5 years from now because he didn't get it all? I'm 48 years old now, I don't know if I could handle this at a later date. Wouldn't it be better to have it redone now? I honestly don't know what to do, any suggestions?
One needs a follow up,I see the dermo onco every 3 months, I was told for 5 years.
Also scars can be "fixed" by the same surgeon or a plastic one that works with the one that does Mohs.
The smaller the lesion less tissue to take out, the thing is many times one is misdiagnosed .
You should speak to a plastic surgeon also and ask them exactly what they expect your nose to look like.
They are currently performing tests on drugs that kill skin cancer. My MOHS surgeon told me that "she would be out of a job in 10 years." I wish she had told me that before she removed half of my nose
I recommend that you talk to other doctors but make sure you understand what the potential cosmetic results could be from more surgery and/or what the results are from waiting.
I just wanted to add that I am someone who wish I had a doctor who told me to "wait and see."
Find a doctor that you like and trust and who is upfront. It a tough decision you have to make. Best of luck.
And how that would be different from how you MIGHT look versus how you would definitely look after surgery. That is, they know what will you will look like after plastic surgery.
Skin cancer doesn't kill you. People's opinion's vary on what they find acceptable to look like.
Finding a doctor who will be honest about the outcomes and who discusses it with you fully is the best way to make a decision.