I have been MIA for a bit because I had to take care of some health issues. My other issue will be in a new blog after this one.
I have moles, a lot of moles, and every year I get them checked by a dermatologist. I have had many moles removed and all of them have been cancer free thankfully. I wear my scars proudly because I am being cautious. Unfortunately, my dermatologist said that they stopped removing moles as a way of precaution. But thankfully she saw one mole that I was complaining about on my leg and she removed it for me.
This mole was on the bottom part of my left leg on the left side. Any time I shaved, I’d hit it and it bled. It was a pain having it there and it was in pain constantly from being hit, so I decided that once I could finally see my dermatologist, I would ask for it to get removed. I am so glad she listened to me and removed it.
A week or so after having it removed, and playing phone tag with the office, I finally received the news that the mole had a combination of cells. I don’t remember what they were all called, but long story short, it was skin cancer. I saw was because thankfully my dermatologist was able to remove the entire mole and cancer. But now that I had cancer in my skin, I am more susceptible to getting cancer again.
I know I should have put on sunscreen more often, and I would tell myself that I needed it, but I never did. And now I am paying the price. I now put it on every day on my face and body. I have bought more hats to wear from baseball cap type hats to floppier hats that I actually like and will wear. And I do my best to stay out of the sun as much as possible.
I am also taking meds, putting on a gel at night, and washing my face with a special wash because of my acne rosacea, and that also makes my skin on my face more sensitive to the sun. So that is another reason for the hats and sunscreen, and staying out of the sun as much as possible.
But after this cancer scare, I will be making sure that myself, as well as my family, are better protected against the sun.
A bit of advice for you: If you have moles, go in every year to get them checked. Keep an eye on them and know what they look like. If they seem to change in color or are more scaley to the touch, go in right away to your dermatologist and get them to checked. Don’t wait until it’s too late and you have to deal with skin cancer. I almost did and so thankful that the cancer hadn’t spread to the skin cells around it. We have to keep an eye on the spot even more now, but the mole has been removed along with the skin cancer.
Definitely a stressful time right now between this and my surgery in July. I will talk more about the surgery in my next blog, but I warn you now, it will be graphic and not for those who think talking about periods is gross. So if you do think that, then skip my next blog.
I once worked in a plastic surgery office and the doctors used their specialize skill to remove a lot of different types of skin cancer. Sometimes the cells are precancerous and just evolve that way, so yes, removal of any suspicious moles , and especially those found on palms and the bottom of the feet, are worth doing for sure. My daughter had one removed on her foot and it came back about three years later. So it was removed again, and this time, it was permanently gone. It really is worrisome to have a skin cancer grow fast, that are ruled to be squamous or even melanoma, which can spread. Those are the two major ones that need extreme watching. Some basal cells appear around nose, ears, and eyes and the amount of tissue loss can make a lot of difference in facial appearance. They do have skin grafts to help replace skin, but sometimes looks don’t always mesh like before. I learned a lot in my work as a secretary in those seven years, and I definitely regret being one who went to the lake a lot without sunscreen or a hat. when I was younger. I did learn to use it after working there and wearing long sleeves if I’m out in the garden for a long time. And I definitely take better care of my skin now. I’m sorry you went through that scare on top of other issues going on, but you were diligent to have it checked out and removed and sometimes that’s all we need to be, is vigilant and aware.