Skin Cancer. My photos.

[buddha]

In the Head Shaving section ("I'm an idiot") I posted a link to some pics of some skin cancer I had removed. I'm starting a new thread here coming from the skin cancer angle because I think it's something we all should be aware of. The skin cancer I had removed is called basal cell carcinoma. It is non-malignant (benign) but the fact that I had it mandates that I have periodic checks by my dermatologist. It is not a fatal type of cancer, it doesn't move around and invade other areas of the body like melanoma, but it is a pain in the a$$.
Click on this link:
http://www.msnusers.com/BuddhasBigC
to view my pics. These were taken by the dermatologist before, during, and after the procedure. The procedure was done with local anasthesia in his office in Rhinelander, WI.
Since this happened I have become careful about using sunblock and wearing my old boonie when I'm gonna be outside for more than a trip to the mailbox.

[warhawk]

buddha:  good topic   as a fellow chrome domer i never leave the house without any sunscreen.  we should never leave the house without protecting our domes even if its not sunny.  i hope that everyone here protects keeps their dome safe.

WARHAWK

[joergHH]

Thank you, Buddha for sharing your story and your pics!

That's a problem which is now important and will be more important with the progressive reduction of the ozon layer in the athmosphere.

Keep your dome - your skin in general - protected!!!!!!!!!!!!!

J

[PigPen]

All I can say is ouch, glad you're still here to tell the story

[Mikekoz13]

Whoa Buddha!!! Glad everything went well and all is good.

[herronm]

Wow!  We all hear about that but it doesn't hit home until you see it.  Thanks for sharing. 

[schro]

WOW. Pic #2 was a bit of a shocker.
Glad you're here to talk about it and great topic!!!
We can all learn from it.

[PianoMan]

Good topic Buddha.  I too had a spot (basal cell carcinoma) removed from my back about 2 years ago.  It was the biggest scare of my life.  My dermatologist siad it was probably from damage done while I was a kid, and it's probably true.  I grew up on a farm, also had a pool, and never wore sunscreen.  To the parents out there, I cannot stress enough the use of sunscreen.  I'm very careful now, but the damage that's done cannot be reversed. 

Sunscreen...it's our friend!

[D.A.L.U.I.]

Buddha:
Looks like you had Moh's Surgery.  I have had 6 skin cancers, 5 basal, 1 squamous cell.  Three were removed w/ Moh's.  Two of the basal babies were on my scalp but they were removed by a scraping process, leaving a weird white spot on the back of my head and a little dimple in the front. 
I hope the brothers remember that if you have any "freckle" mole or other mark on your skin that changes color, starts getting irregular boundaries, bleeds easily, etc. call a dematologist today.  When you get them early, no problemo, and if it's a melanoma, even those gotten early are almost 100% curable.
SFP--it should be your middle name, and almost all the dome toppers come w/ a SFP factor today--no excuse.  I get checked out, full body, every year by my dermo guy, I wonder what I'll feel like if his lady partner does me next year--she's young a good looking--maybe it will be a test for "ED!"

[Marz]

Buddha,

Thanks for the wake up call.

Sunscreen is not just for sunny days.

Glad you got it taken care of.

[marty22]

Thanks for the info. on this key subject. Personally, had one on my back. It wasn't pleasant and came back as a keloid. That meant 6 cortisone injections to reduce it over 2 years. Had a few pre-stuff on my scalp; had them removed. Guys out there: check your skin for anything that looks abnormal and watch your scalp in the Summer.

[Sgt. Pate]

YE-OUCH! 

[Nick912]

Wow thanks for sharing sir! That looks very serious and isnt something that should be taken lightly. I have not wore SPF before on my head and face but I will now! Thank You

[mojim]

Wow, that is really a kick in the but wake up reminder on using sunblock!!!!\Thanks for sharing...

[oldiebutgoodie]

I just joined today, and the first topic that caught my eye was this! I had Mohs sugery the 23 of Nov, 2007, I had Basil Cell Cancer as well, Mine was on the right side of my nose, mine did not bleed, it was a big lump. I have pictures of me and will post them later, pretty graphic, they cut off most of my right nose, they then cut my head from the top of my scalp, pulled the skin down and left it attached between the eyebrows, they then sewed this skin to my nose from the forehead and left it there for 3 weeks to let the blood flow and the skin to attach to the nose, they also cut at the back of my right ear and took a piece of cartliage and sewed it to the bridge of my nose. The skin was attached to this as well. After 3 weeks they cut off the skin and removed the part from between my eyebrows.Below is what the flap looks like on this lady:

http://www.mobleymd.com/gfx/Forehead-flap-intermediate.jpg


 I have to have 3 more surgerys on the nose and I need the dimple that flars out on your nose. They then will polish off the incision where the stiches were and tone down the pores on the forehead skin. Below is a link to this surgery. If you get offened easliy down look at this.  Thanks for this post Budda, My Mohs surgery was done at The (U of M) University of Michigan. They cut all of this off in one day and you went back the next to have to flap done! I would have rather went thru 3 back surgerys then do this agin! It really sucked! 

http://www.mobleymd.com/index.php?s=content&p=faq_forehead_flap_nasal_reconstruction