Shit, I have a basal cell carcinoma on my face

[JCMach1]

Someone (besides the Doc) tell me I'll be fine...

It's about half the size of a fingernail and very clearly a basal cell (although they will do biopsy anyway). I get to have it cut off on Thursday. :(

[Phillycat]

1. I work in the field - you'll be fine.

BCC is the most common form of skin cancer - it almost never evolves into something more serious, and is easily removed. You will have a tiny scar as long as the doctor is competent. No worries - this is about as serious as having a mole removed. :hug:

[Connonym]

4. dermatologists will differ from plastic surgeons

A dermatologist isn't going to care about the scar because they're going to want to make sure to take wide margins and don't necessarily have the skills at repairing them. On the other hand, a plastic surgeon will carefully design a way to take it out that causes the least scarring and you'll probably end up with a better cosmetic result. The disadvantage being that they aren't necessarily as aggressive about wide margins and stuff. I've had stuff removed by my family doctor, a plastic surgeon and a dermatologist (probably 8 or more removed, only one precancerous). The dermatology scars are by far the most noticeable. If it's on your body I'd say go for the dermatologist but on your face you may want to consider how much a scar you're willing to have.

Good luck. In my experience the worst part is when they inject the area with local to anesthetize it before removal. After that you don't feel a thing.

[Phillycat]

5. Disagree.

A competent dermatologist will most certainly consider that the lesion is on the face, "care about the scar", and work accordingly. But then, I work in one of the top 5 dermatology departments in academic institutions in the world, so maybe my docs are better. :D

Also, as you probably know, a slightly wider and deeper biopsy to begin with is going to look a lot better, scar-wise, than if they need to take an elliptical excision down the road because they didn't get it all.

[Connonym]

11. yeah it could very well be that my derm was just lousy

She's definitely flaky and her personality is sort of off putting. I've been trying to find a new derm in the area who is covered by my insurance. I'm supposed to have annual head to toe skin exams because of the precancerous one they removed. I wish I could go back in time and wear loads of sunscreen and not try to tan on all my vacations. I ever could tan worth a shit anyway and all it's done is damage my skin. Frustrating because you see young girls doing it and you want to tell them "stop!!" but they think they're immortal, just as we did at their age. God I feel old.

[Phillycat]

13. Aw...

Here, have a hug :hug:

We're all getting old.

[JCMach1]

6. Just hate the C word... also facial skin cancer runs in my family

Father and bother grandfathers have had good and bad kinds...

My mom's father lost a nose and facial muscle because of it...

[Phillycat]

8. That's only if you let it go for a long time.

Now that you've been diagnosed once, you'll come in at least once a year to have a mole check and follow up. They will catch anything early. In the meantime, I hope to goodness you are wearing sunscreen every single day and staying out of the sun!

[JCMach1]

15. I have a prescription for 100SPF now

:(

[grasswire]

28. in a thread like this....

...it's probably useful to post photos of what basal cell carcinoma looks like so that others may be enlightened about something they ought to check out. Do you have access to any good pics?

[Phillycat]

29. I do, but they are part of patient's records.

So of course I can't post them here. I also hesitate to post specific pictures because people's BCC's can look very different and posting a picture may mean someone doesn't go to the dr and get checked because theirs doesn't look like what I posted. Best thing to do is get checked by a dermatologist.

[miss_american_pie]

2. You will be fine

How about the Skin Cancer Foundation telling you?

http://www.skincancer.org/basal/index.php

(aside from that, do not google)

:hug:

[LisaM]

32. Thank you for posting that.

It's always useful to have images, symptoms, etc., of things that you're being warned about!

[xchrom]

3. basal cell won't get you --

squamish can -- and melanoma certainly -- but not basal.

you'll be fine.

[Phillycat]

7. "Squamous".

[xchrom]

18. yeah that's it -- i've had them all. nt

[JCMach1]

9. Thanks everyone... I just know I am at risk

with my family history and growing up as a kid in sunny Florida.

[Lydia Leftcoast]

23. Not to mention living in the sunny Middle East

:shrug:

But hang in there. I'm sure you'll be fine.

[brook]

10. No one likes to hear the word

'carcinoma' from their doctor, but you should be fine. My doctor removed one from my hand last year. I felt like I think you do right now - scared and wondering if it really was so 'simple'. It was and the scar reminds me to be more careful about sunscreen and annual dermatologist visits. Good vibes sent your way.

[Redbear]

12. You will be fine

and good as new soon.

[Maraya1969]

14. Both of my parents have been treated for skin cancer. My father had

it all over the top of his head, (he was bald) and he put this salve on it for a while and it turned into big scabs and then they just fell off.

You will certainly be fine. Because it is on your nose I bet you got it from too much sun, (I'm not a doctor)

Anyway.....:grouphug: :hug:

[Deep13]

16. You will be fine. It is highly treatable. nt

[LynneSin]

17. Take a deep breath - you will be fine

Keeping my fingers crossed and saying a lil prayer just to help you out!

[Tommy_Carcetti]

19. Oh no!

Thoughts, prayers and good wishes go out to you.

Fortunately that type is very treatable and you caught it early. So I would put good stock into what your doctor told you.

[livetohike]

20. Fair skinned red head here

:hi: It will be fine. Been there and done that. I have to be careful, but at 55 years old, all the damage is done :-(.

[hedgehog]

24. That's the one good thing about having migraine - it kept me in the shade

and/or under a broad brimmed hat my entire life!

[livetohike]

25. I have migraines too

Imitrex is my friend :hi:.

[alfredo]

33. Good stuff. Since I started going to the VA I'm using Zomig. It works.

[CaliforniaPeggy]

21. My dear JCMach1...

I know hearing the word "carcinoma" is scary, but as everyone has said, you will be fine!

If you have to get a cancer, this is the kind to get...

They are shallow, slow-growing and very non-aggressive...

I've had several, and in fact, I'm going in today to get a bunch of them removed...

They run in my family too...

:hug:

[hunter]

22. I hate having stuff like this cut off of me.

I hate it, I hate it, I hate it, I hate it, I hate it, I hate it...

Stupid pale Northern European skin, growing up in Southern California, back in the days when you tried to tan so you wouldn't burn...

:grr:

[CBHagman]

26. I have had one as well.

As far as I understand it, this is the most basic kind of skin cancer and means simply that you must -- must, must, must -- use 30 SPF sunblock regularly and also visit a dermatologist once a year to do a full skin check. It's also worth watching your own skin for changes.

You're doing the right thing by getting it seen to now. The follow-up matters, but be assured this type of drill -- i.e., noticing the problem, getting it checked out, and then doing follow-up -- is extremely common.

Talk to your dermatologist. I wish you the best. :hi:

[Maestro]

27. I'm sure you will be fine.

Getting now and early is a good sign. Cancer is also a bad word but in this case it is one of the more treatable forms.

[applegrove]

30. My mom has had a few treatments along those lines and she is fine

10 years later.

[KatyaR]

31. My mom had one behind one of her ears--

we thought it was ezcema or something and kept forgetting to ask the doctor about it. When we finally remembered to say something, the very first thing he said was "I'm pretty sure that's basal cell." We had a plastic surgeon take it off, and that was it.

As long as they can get clean margins, you should be fine. You'll need to be a little cautious about exposing the surgery site to the sun, but that's pretty easy to do.

Good luck to you--I hope things go well.