BaldAssCat
Elite Member
I'm a little late jumping in here but I've been doing the skin cancer thing for around 20 years now. I lost count of how many I've had taken off of me a long time ago, 4 or 5 a year sometimes. Last year was my first without one since I was 25. Mostly basal but a few squamous. Basal is very slow growing and easy to deal with.
For the ones on my body I'll just get it cut and sent out for biopsy. I'm not worried about the scars my shirt can cover and having to get re-cut for the ones with unclean margins will leave a scar. In fact I've stopped having the ones on my body stitched because it made a second cut easier, it's easier to care for and I never healed right with stitches anyway.
MOHS is the way to go for your face.
I can't remember if I had 3 or 4 off my face but that's because there's nothing left to see. The last one I did sounds similar in size and location to yours and if I didn't point it out you wouldn't know it was there. Your way better off being uncomfortable for a few hours with MOHS than you are taking your chances that they're able to get it all the first try on your face.
My sister had more taken from her face than I have and you wouldn't know from looking at her either.
I didn't see anyone mention sunscreen on the scar as soon as you're able when the stitches are out. I'm sure you're using it on your face every day now but very certain not to forget it after. Sun exposure on the scar before it's completely healed, meaning months down the road, will give it a permanent tan. Keep up the sunscreen and it will stay light colored.
I know it's been said already but regular screenings from now on are your friend. Catching a precancerous patch early can be dealt with much easier than a cancer. Sometimes with liquid nitrogen spray, or a steroid cream or just a small scraping. The earlier you find it the less you have to do to get rid of it.
Good luck with the surgery. It's not to bad to go through and it sounds like your doctors know what they're doing.
For the ones on my body I'll just get it cut and sent out for biopsy. I'm not worried about the scars my shirt can cover and having to get re-cut for the ones with unclean margins will leave a scar. In fact I've stopped having the ones on my body stitched because it made a second cut easier, it's easier to care for and I never healed right with stitches anyway.
MOHS is the way to go for your face.
I can't remember if I had 3 or 4 off my face but that's because there's nothing left to see. The last one I did sounds similar in size and location to yours and if I didn't point it out you wouldn't know it was there. Your way better off being uncomfortable for a few hours with MOHS than you are taking your chances that they're able to get it all the first try on your face.
My sister had more taken from her face than I have and you wouldn't know from looking at her either.
I didn't see anyone mention sunscreen on the scar as soon as you're able when the stitches are out. I'm sure you're using it on your face every day now but very certain not to forget it after. Sun exposure on the scar before it's completely healed, meaning months down the road, will give it a permanent tan. Keep up the sunscreen and it will stay light colored.
I know it's been said already but regular screenings from now on are your friend. Catching a precancerous patch early can be dealt with much easier than a cancer. Sometimes with liquid nitrogen spray, or a steroid cream or just a small scraping. The earlier you find it the less you have to do to get rid of it.
Good luck with the surgery. It's not to bad to go through and it sounds like your doctors know what they're doing.