Skin cancer

I am a 71 year old Irishman that has spent a lot of time in the Florida sun. Result is that I have battled with skin cancer for years. Was concerned about a couple of spots, so went to a new doctor for an exam. He very liberally used the liquid nitrogen treatment on my face and took three biopsies. Immediate result was that my face felt like it was on fire, but that passed with a bit of help of rum. My face looks horrible, all splotchy red and minor pain. Got a call from doctors office today. Two of the biopsies came back positive for cancer, requires surgery. On my nose and back. Am a bit concerned that there will be some disfigurement as a result. He seems to be very capable and professional. A friend of mine had similar surgery years ago and had half his nose removed. Don't want that, but don't want to die from melanoma. I have a week and a half to worry about it, but will be OK. Funny thing, the worst sunburns I got as an adult were from racing weekends. Don't be stupid like I was, use sunblock, guys.

A good friend had part of his nose removed for melanoma. He is in his 40's. He has had some reconstructive surgery, but it is not the same. He now lectures (part-time) on cancer prevention and reversal.

Thanks for the advice and take care of yourself.

My father has battled it for years, including some removals, but nothing disfiguring. His doctor seems to cut on him every time he stops by. Must be making a boat payment.

My Uncle had Squamous Cell for 20+ years, before it move internal and killed him. His came from agent orange during the 50s and 60s and shirtless fishing for 60 years. He had some very major removals, including skin grafts on his head, shoulders, arms and hands. I think I'd rather die than put up with that kind of pain and suffering.

Go to a autocross and I'm the guy with the big floppy hat on and sitting under a tent. I don't want to be in the same boat in 30 years.

Good luck with the removals, we'll be praying/pulling for you.

My dad has stage 4 melanoma, my mom had something cut out of her nose that was not looking good, and I had a 'precancerous' mole removed out of my lower back. Fun 6 months. And that's only the skin cancer fun.

I learned the joys of going to the dermatologist a couple of years ago. I've had one squamous cell and one basil cell carcinoma removed. I've had numerous pre-cancers burned or frozen off. I'm going every 6 months and he seems to several things each visit.

We had a good family friend who had a spot on her foot. She ignored it and it turned out to be melanoma which had metastasized. Last I heard, they think they have gotten it.

My father, a ginger Irishman now bald, had to have the whole top of his head peeled. He described it as making hemorrhoid surgery feel like scratching a mosquito bite. He has never gone back for an exam where they didn't take a potato peeler or some nitrogen to him and he is never in a great mood for a day or so after he comes back.

Milk bottle Irish here, got a freckle that quadruples in size and turns blood red when I fly in a plastic greenhouse (sailplane). I now wear an SPF 100 T-Shirt on all occasions and sun block like it's going out of style. Oh, and the ever popular GRM bucket hat!

Thanks for reminding me to have it checked CWH. Hope it goes well for you.

Dan

Solumbra.

cwh, hope you get a good result from the surgery. We will be thinking of you.

I work in Melanoma treatment research. We have made huge strides in treatment of even stage 4 Melanoma, but nothing beats prevention. I'm very careful with my kids and sunburns.

All the best. Hope the surgery goes well and they get all of it.

They just a couple weeks ago sliced a basal cell thing off my face, now I have a lovely pirate scar. But now that the stitches are out, it's fading already. Don't worry about how you look, more important is seeing to it that a stupid little mark on your skin doesn't end up killing you. Chin up, that Mohs procedure doesn't chop out any more than needed. Cancer sucks.

After years of teenaged sun worshipping in Florida wearing only the super-old-school baby-oil-and-iodine "tanning lotion" (really. It was the '80s), I now make regular contributions to Florida's largest cash crop, a.k.a skin biopsies. Nothing beyond pre so far, but yeah: Kids, wear sunscreen.

Chuck, best of luck. Screw scars or worries about looks--alive is always hotter than dead.

^ ditto Jay_W. Had some basal cell cut out (about the size of a quarter) of my cheek 3 weeks ago via the Mohs procedure. Already clearing up. Seemed like maybe 10-15 folks in there for similar stuff that day. I was probably the youngest by 25 years, plastic surgeon even said "your skin is a lot firmer then most of our patients".

Wear sunscreen. I'll be back to dermatologist once a year now.

Thank you for going to the doc to get checked and don't worry about potential fall out from surgery of any additional treatment. Trust me, living impaired beats not living. The nephew of yours has some rather inspiring songs for when you're feeling down as well, they got me through some of the darkest and most tear filled times.

Melanoma is a killer, especially acral lentiginous. You do the bulk of the damage prior to hitting puberty.

Good luck with the surgery, is it going to be Mohs, or are they just going to wide excise it?

I am very thankful for all the supportive replies. Really. I am not at all worried about scars. I just want this E36 M3 off me. Hey, chicks dig scars, right? Well, my wife is not concerned about it anyway. I will keep all advised about the outcomes. And I really do appreciate the support of my friends here. Wonder if I can take videos of the procedures?

I've had 22 moles removed, starting in the 80s, but nothing has ever been abnormal. I just have a lot of moles (quote from the dermatologist: "damn, you got a lot of moles!".

UPF shirts (note: Hanes are pretty cheap from Amazon), a bucket hat, and shade are my prevention friends. Luckily (at least in this regard) I work inside.

There's an old guy named George Alderman in our club who had a 40+ year career in racing. The top of his left ear is trimmed off flat like you did it with scissors. I had a whole batch of imagined racing incidents that would have lopped it off. Turns out it was melanoma.

Good luck, man. I hope all works out for you.

I sincerely hope everything turns out well. Most skin "disorders" I've heard about with friends and relatives have turned out positively ... even in extremely serious cases. Fingers crossed, I'm 68 and had several nasty sunburns as a kid, but have had no bad consequences yet. My PCP is well educated in spotting skin anomalies, and I get checked out annually. As I said, fingers crossed.

Best of luck to you, Chuck. ( I was on vacation in Ft. Lauderdale a few days ago. We could have met for a coffee or cocktail on Las Olas and I would have wished you good luck in person!)

In reply to Gary: We moved from Lauderdale to Bradenton in October, but would love to have taken you the Southport Raw Bar. Still looking for funky bars up here.