<p>I just had minor surgery for skin cancer (basal cell, nothing serious) and ended up with 5 stiches on my face near my eye. I was warned I might have a black eye, and I do. This is my first time having stitches (other than an episiodomy, do I even remember that?) and they itch like the dickens. I get the stiches out on Friday. Anybody out there have a similar experience? Do you have a scar?</p>
<p>never had this experience, but my daughter has some scars (from stitches) that “mederma” has definitely helped. it’s expensive, but worth it. Be careful not to let the spot get sun. (she used waterproof bandaids whenever she went swimming.)</p>
<p>My grandmother basically had her face reconstructed because they had to remove so much skin cancer but you can’t see any scars now.</p>
<p>I’m basically doomed.</p>
<p>I know 3 people who have had facial surgery for skin cancer, and neither has any noticable scars.</p>
<p>Best of luck!</p>
<p>I have a 1.5 inch scar on my cheek from the removal of a basal cell cancer some fifteen years ago.</p>
<p>I let it go too long before I had it checked and the plastic surgeon had to go deeper than he anticipated. I think I had 11 stiches. I looked like a slasher victim afterwards.</p>
<p>Very few people notice the scar–I usually have to point it out–but there is a fine white line about 1/32" thick. I can’t see it when I look in the mirror so I don’t think about it much. The surgeon told me it was the equivalent of having a mini-face lift on one side of my face but I can’t tell if the other side has sagged more or not.</p>
<p>I had basal cell cancer removed from the top of one forearm, and the back of the other arm. This was done in '99 and you can still see the scars (as they went deeper than I would have liked–I’m another crazy person who let it go too long!) I am just glad they got it–the scars don’t matter!</p>
<p>Hope you have a quick recovery–you absolutely did the right thing!</p>
<p>I had surgery for melanoma, and let me tell you they took a huge silver-dollar sized piece of my arm. It looked like Frankenstein’s stitches when they guy was through. </p>
<p>Now it is barely noticeable, looks a few shades lighter; only about 1/2 inch long. </p>
<p>Luckily I did NOT let it go-- so they got it before I needed chemo, etc.</p>
<p>I had one on my forehead at the hairline several years ago–fortunate place to have it–I never even think about it, but if I look really really closely–which I haven’t done since a couple of weeks since the surgery–maybe there is a really faint memory of a scar. You’ll be fine soon!!</p>
<p>Unfortunately, my incision is right where my cheek meets my nose. As of today, it still itches but not quite so much. Only 4 more days until the stiches come out. I will try the maderma. Thanks!</p>
<p>I’m another Basal Cell victim, but on my lower leg. The scar seemed quite noticeable at first, but has since faded to almost nothing. I’m sure yours will fade, too!</p>
<p>One more day, and the stiches are outta here!</p>
<p>I had a melanoma 30 years ago on my right temple. I had to have a skin graft the size of a quarter and that area is still depigmented. It was the most painful surgery ever because of all the severed nerve endings, and the stitches were no picnic-- but every time I look at it now I feel incredibly grateful. Since that time I have had about 20 moles removed, none malignant, and also have had a few other skin irregularities removed as my history has people nervous. The quality of the scar depends on how good I was about not using the region when the stitches were in place, and on the quality of the surgical repair. I now go to a plastic surgeon for any skin procedure in a readily visible location. </p>
<p>View whatever scar you have as a reflection of your good fortune, and it will seem to fade all too quickly!!</p>
<p>I had a basal cell cancer lesion biopsied from my upper arm two summers ago and had two or three stitches. It hurt like the dickens, which I couldn’t believe because you would not think there would be many nerves on the upper arm. But the biopsy was a “punch” and so was pretty deep, I guess. It was confirmed to be basal cell, but, instead of going back in to remove the remainder of it, the doc prescribed a new cream called Aldara, which killed the remaining cells. I can barely see the white scar from the punch.</p>
<p>My dad had Mohs surgery for skin cancer on his nose. He had both internal and external stitches. Amazingly, the incision scar that ran the entire length of his nose was not even noticable a couple of months after the surgery. He had some daily procedure he had to do to massage the area so the scar would be flexible and not contract. Looks great!</p>
<p>Most important: always wear sunscreen and have a physician check your skin often! If you have a skin cancer once, it is likely to show up again in another spot.</p>
<p>Stitches came out today, now I just have a (flesh-colored, thank God!) butterfly bandage on the incision. I can remove it in 2 weeks if it doesn’t come off itself.</p>
<p>I, too had the MOHS procedure. My Dr. is one of the only ones in a tri-county area (SE PA, DEL, S. NJ) who does the procedure, so there are people from all over in that office!</p>
<p>They tell me that I got the basal cell from sun exposure from when I was a child, so lather up those kiddies, everyone!</p>
<p>I am also a melanoma survivor. I had a modified radical neck dissection 24yrs ago on my left cheek and neck. Nice huge horseshape scar. It has healed nicely and I had scar revision surgery in 1987. Since then, I’ve had so many moles removed I can’t even remember how many. I have also had two other melanomas since then, both caught early. I am not concerned one bit with the thought of a scar. My younger brother died of a melanoma at age 30. My motto when it comes to skin cancer is, "“when in doubt, cut it out.” I rarely let the dermatologist do a shave biopsy. It is always an excision with stiches and a scar. Don’t mess around with melanoma, it is a killer. Scars mean nothing when you consider the alternative! I agree with the OP, lather up those kids and be careful with the sun.</p>
<p>This thread has been a shocker, and a great reminder to me. Coming from a fair skinned family, it is a great reminder. It is also good to hear that melanoma does not need to be the killer it can be.</p>
<p>Thank you all for some great posts. As a health benefit, the mods should consider making this one of the banner topics?</p>
<p>Just one more thing. T-shirts provide little-no effective protection from the sun. I have always put my kids in SPF-100 permeated swim shirts- and when they were younger and would wear them they wore suits that went to their knees. LLBean and others make them. There are tons of companies now, Solumbra and others, that make SPF-100 permeated clothing of all sorts.</p>
<p>I think Lukester and I know how lucky we are to be 20-30 year melanoma survivors. When it is a familial pattern, like Lukester has, it is particularly challenging. My older son has had a bunch of moles removed as well-- and is pretty vigilant-- but I worry for him. One of the interesting, relatively new, pieces of information from the clinic he goes to is that a relatively small percent of melanomas arise out of pre-existing moles. </p>
<p>I am always shocked when I see young children whose parents let them burn in the sun.</p>
<p>My melanoma was from a pre-existing mole.</p>
<p>I want to stress that the only reason I even looked at it was it was itchy. You hear about size, color, border, asymmetry… but I had never heard about itch. Well, pay attention to itch!!! </p>
<p>The mole looked slightly scaly, like peeling skin, so I thought I was having a reaction to some skin lotion or sun block. A week or so later, when I looked again, there was a black spot on the mole.</p>
<p>Also pay attention to sores that don’t heal right. I had what appeared to be a little zit on my shoulder. It hadn’t resolved within a week or so and was still sore. Went in, and it turned out to be squamous cell cancer.</p>
<p>I also agree about swim shirts. So much easier than reapplying sunblock 10 times on a wet body. Furthermore, I am not a fan of most sunblocks. I worry about all those chemicals penetrating transdermally. I recommend the titanium dioxide ‘barrier’ sunblocks.</p>
<p>I go to the skin doc every year, several times a year and have the spots constantly burned off or whatever needs to be done. The sun is not my friend and I stay out of it as much as possible. If I could do it all over again, I would swim in the ocean at sundown and sunrise and stay away from that tan look! Ugh!</p>