Basal Cell Carcinoma

B

bestoutwest

Cathlete
I just found out that a suspicious mole/spot on my temple that I had checked is basal cell carcinoma. My doctor is recommending that I see a plastic surgeon for a complete removal. A couple of my friends had these removed with Mohs surgery. I'm lucky that this is on my temple and completely covered by my bangs!

Just wondering if anyone has had any experience with these and how yours was removed. I'm not sure if I need a plastic surgeon to do a deeper excision. I will call my doctor back on Monday, I just got a message today about all this.
 
Edie, I would go for Mohs. With Mohs, as you know they only take as much as they need to. Because as they are doing the procedure they are checking the margins microscopically. So you know when you leave, they have gotten it all and didn't take more than they have to.


Catherine

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Hi
I had a basal cell carcinoma removed from my forehead last spring. I went straight to a plastic surgeon and do not regret that decision. I actually had to have two excisions to remove all the cancer. Having stitches for a week is not fun, but now I have to look very closely to even find where the lesion was. I chose the surgeon because I wanted someone who knew the techniques to lessen scarring. In my experience, I found the surgeon's stitching and bandaging techniques quite different from my dermatologist's.
Good luck and try not to worry. Basal cell carcinoma is easily treated if caught early.
Mattie
 
I have had 3 basal cells so far. I've had MOH's for one of them because it was on my face near the top part of my nose, sorta close to my tear duct. My dermatologist prefers any facial skin cancer to be done with MOH's since it takes the minimal amount of tissue away. The doctor that consulted with me for the MOH's told me he would want me to follow up with plastic surgery because it was facial and it would look the best that way. After MOH's, I had a plastic surgery scheduled later that day. I had a wonderful plastic surgeon and you can barely tell I had anything done. I had another one removed from my lower back and one on my chest near my clavicle. Those were not MOH's, but my dermatologist removed them. I had stitches on the one on my chest and you would never really know it. The one on my back didn't have stitches and just had a bit of a red mark.

I would strongly urge the MOH's for your face and plastic surgery if the physician recommends it. Believe me, I was completely freaked out by the thought of all of this and it was way worse in my mind, than how it actually was when it happened. Be sure and follow your doctor's instructions for after care with regard to taking care of the wound as well as not working out immediately, etc. and it will work out well.

I'm sure you already know this, but wear sunblock everywhere, wear hats, etc. Once you've had one, you are more likely to have more. I don't say this to scare you, but only so that you'll be vigilant and continue seeing your derm on a regular basis.

Any other questions, please ask.
 
Actually, many Mohs surgeons are just as good as plastic surgeons. You just have to find the right one. Or often as in the above post, they work in conjunction with one another. The size of the lesion makes a difference too. Bigger lesions may need more of a plastic surgeon.

Catherine

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I had a basal cell carcinoma removed from my right jaw about 14-1/2 years ago. I have no idea what the procedure was called, but my dermatologist removed it right in his office. He had the "mole" tested and it came back basal cell carcinoma but no further surgery was needed. I had no stitches, so I guess it was caught early, thank God. I have a slight white spot there now that is barely noticeable as far as I'm concerned.
 
Edie, my mom had a mole on her nose that was BCC. I would DEFINITELY recommend using a plastic surgeon because they ended up digging much deeper than they originally thought they would need to. If she had used a regular surgeon, she'd probably have a huge scar. As it is, you can barely tell.

I'm sorry you're going through this, though. Good luck!!!

Marie
 
Thanks to everyone for all the info! Very helpful. I will call my dermatologist next week to discuss all the options.

I am plagued with moles - I have literally hundreds of them. My doctor removed 12 (yes, TWELVE) this summer, including the one on my temple. All of the others were mildly to moderately atypical. I see my dermatologist at least twice a year and let her take off whatever she feels is suspicious. The funny thing about this spot was, it seemed to appear out of nowhere and just looked a little "odd". I showed it to her and she agreed. Glad I got right on it! I do stay out of the sun and use tons of sunscreen, but I'm afraid I'm just one of those people who might end up with "funny" spots, simply because there are so many of them.

My best friend had Mohs surgery a few years ago for a basal cell on her cheek. The doctor did a good job, she said the hole on her face was the size of an M&M! She does have a noticeable scar, though. Sad thing is, she still tans; she is in complete denial that her basal cell tumor was related to the sun!! She said the doctor told her it was just an oil gland gone awry!

I'll keep you all posted as I go forward! Thanks again!
 
I am also very moley, but the three basal cells I have had all came out of nowhere. And, they weren't moles, but just dry patches of skin that were a little pink. I'm so grateful I have a derm that recognized what they were, as I never would have thought they could be anything.

Keep us posted as to how things go!
 
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