Who has had spots that you thought were "nothing" turn out to be melanoma?

SuckItCancer
SuckItCancer Member Posts: 24
edited December 2022 in Skin Cancer - Non-Melanoma
When they cut them out, did they leave holes? Are you disfigured from it?

Comments

  • Bengal
    Bengal Member Posts: 518
    edited March 2020
    Depends how deep it has gone. They try to get it all so that may mean going pretty deep. My mother had a non-melanoma malignancy right in the middle of her back. They took the stitches out too soon and the incision opened up. She ended up with a noticeable scar. That was an anomaly though. It all depends on so many factors it's hard to say.
  • GregP_WN
    GregP_WN Member Posts: 742
    edited March 2020
    My father in law was always having another one cut off of his face, neck, hands, arms. He had several over the years.
  • BoiseB
    BoiseB Member Posts: 225
    edited March 2020
    I had a squamous cell skin cancer that grew to the size of a large jelly bean. I thought it was an infected sliver. I had to have MOHs surgery and I do have a two inch scar on my wrist. It doesn't really matter to me though as I scar easily. And I am the most accident prone creature on the planet, so my body is covered with scars from cuts and burns as well as other cancer surgeries. If you care to put the effort and pain into it many scars can be removed by plastic surgery. Come to think about it the scar is not nearly as noticeable as my scar from a brown recluse spider bite which is a little larger than a quarter.
  • Molly72
    Molly72 Member Posts: 227
    edited March 2020
    I had melanoma many years ago & have numerous large scars from it & the skin graft site & the site used to cover the skin graft site!
    The site where the melanoma was is about 4"x3", looks like a shark attack & is on my lower arm.
    Then there's numerous scars all over from basal & squamous skin cancers, including 3 sites from Moh's surgery on my face.

    Please do not say these are "badges of courage" or any such platitudes, that is an insult to me!
  • Bengal
    Bengal Member Posts: 518
    edited March 2020
    I'm with you, Molly 72. All those overused platitudes and tired cliches are not helpful and can be insulting. People fall back on them because they have heard others use them and don't know what else to say. I get so sick of people saying to me, " you are the strongest person I know and you can handle this". First, they have no idea what "this" is and second, they have no idea how much strength and fortitude it takes to face it. Someone who has had the "experience" themself would understand that.
  • Terri
    Terri Member Posts: 36
    I have lots of big dysplastic moles. I was always watching them. My melanoma came from a small light freckle on my neck.

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