Had Mohs surgery 2 days ago

Thanks Chris!

chris did you have plastic surgery?

 

deb in cincinnati

Reading your story has been very helpful.. I feel like its my own.  I just today had the procedure done for a BCC on the side of my nose and on my shoulder.  My nose is  sore and I'm a little bummed at the large snowball-looking bandage and increased cut size he made for the stitching up.  I'm in Germany, so things are a little different, but he claims its the same type of procedure (MOHs) only they cant immediately test it.  I had to wait a day.  The shot in my nose hurt like crazy to me! (Curious if they did anything to numb it first for you?)  I dreaded having the shot again today, and even more since he had to do a larger area.  I feel like it will be bruised, but hoping it isnt toooo bad by June, for my 20 yr reunion  and hoping that the German precision shows itself by minimal scarring!  Not a fun process, but peace of mind that there's no more bad cells is reassuring..

p.s. Glad I showered and exfoliated beforehand too!

HI

I don't know if you saw my post- about my mohs surgery on my nose done Feb 18th- I went to a plastic surgeon to have it closed- it has been about 6 and a half wks now- and I am due to see my mohs surgeon on April 7th- I wonder how long if ever will it look ok. the plastic Dr.- said it would be great- ( it isn't)- kind of red- the thin vertical line- ok by me( the mohs surgeon told me from day 1 that even w/ plastic surgeon there would be a scar)- but this is more than just the thin line( could handle that)- how are you doing

Would you get back to me ??? Please

 

 

HI

I don't know if you saw my post- about my mohs surgery on my nose done Feb 18th- I went to a plastic surgeon to have it closed- it has been about 6 and a half wks now- and I am due to see my mohs surgeon on April 7th- I wonder how long if ever will it look ok. the plastic Dr.- said it would be great- ( it isn't)- kind of red- the thin vertical line- ok by me( the mohs surgeon told me from day 1 that even w/ plastic surgeon there would be a scar)- but this is more than just the thin line( could handle that)- how are you doing

Would you get back to me ??? Please

 

 

HI

I don't know if you saw my post- about my mohs surgery on my nose done Feb 18th- I went to a plastic surgeon to have it closed- it has been about 6 and a half wks now- and I am due to see my mohs surgeon on April 7th- I wonder how long if ever will it look ok. the plastic Dr.- said it would be great- ( it isn't)- kind of red- the thin vertical line- ok by me( the mohs surgeon told me from day 1 that even w/ plastic surgeon there would be a scar)- but this is more than just the thin line( could handle that)- how are you doing

Would you get back to me ??? Please

 

 

Just a 1 inch thin red line at this point - I can easily hide it with make up if I can be bothered (which I usually can't!) - it's sort of in the crease from nose to mouth where you smile.

 

Did they not close it when you had the cancer taken out? It's been almost 2 months for me now, I might get laser but if I couldn't have it I really wouldn't be bothered. I've been using BioOil and rubbing that in

 

Hope it goes OK for you

 

Hey

 

I'm the original poster. I guess it depends on where it is on your face but assuming it was pretty straightforward then I'm sure you'll heal great.

 

I had a tiny basal one too - also didn't do my homework - and was shocked to come home with 20 something stiches underneath and 20 on top. It's been about 5 weeks now and it is so much better than I thought it would be.

 

Someone in work asked me if one of my cats had scratched me - that's really all it looks like - a sort of 1 inch thin red scratch - and it will fade.

 

Best of luck - I felt pretty bad and shocked for the first week but I'm so happy about how it all worked out. They had originally suggested I see someone in Plastics but I wonder if they would have got it all out?

 

Hope you feel better

thank you so much for sharing, i just found yesterday i am having the mohs done, on april 27th, i did my research and i still feel like its going to be simple cut but after seeing pictures and reading post it sounds like a big deal, did you have pain or a lot of swelling? i am just curious what to expect..thanks again for sharing..

i am having the Mohs done on Tuesday and am beginnig to get rather anxious. I have a bcc that is about an inch in diameter over by my left ear, and might even extend onto my ear lobe.  I can't imagine how much tissue he will take  and the surgeon even said he may have trouble closing it smoothly because it is on the jaw line.  I work with children so have taken the remainder of the week off so they won't be frightened by the bandage or try to pull it off my face!

I appreciate all the differing opinions, but think I had better stop reading now or I will be popping Ativan for the next three days.lol

Good luck with your surgery. I'm glad I didn't read too much prior :-)

 

My scar is almost invisible 7 months later, it's a faint 1 - 1.5 inch line in my nasolabial fold (the lines that run from nose to mouth although I'm early 30's so they're not too wrinkly)

 

Someone else asked the level of discomfort - When I came home I felt kind of crappy, just like my face had been punched maybe? I had a ton of lidocaine shots so it was really swollen. I just took a couple of Tylenol. Ate some thin soup and was kind of dribbly. 

 

Day 2 was fine, I stayed home but only because I was feeling sorry for myself. I was doing laundry, making dinner etc. I went to the cinema in the evening but felt very self conscious with the big bandage on

 

And then someone asked how I found my surgeon - I got TOTALLY lucky. I knew Lahey clinic had a good reputation and they assigned me a MOHS surgeon who was SO nice and obviously very precise and careful as my scar is perfect. 

 

Hope that helps. I get little email reminders if someone posts to my original message so that's why I'm checking in. 

MOH's for facial BCC above upper lip---looks like I'll have the surgery very soon.  

Would appreciate comments on:

(1) how you checked out surgeon (if not done by trusted referral)

(2) degree of discomfort afterwords (say, one week)

(3) whether you have/will consider 'reconstructive surgery' later on...

Many thanks!

How did your surgery and healing process go? I am scheduled for MOHS on the upper lip, and am to go straight to plastic surgery the same day. I am very interested to hear about your experience.

I have basal cell on my chin, will have Mohs surgery and plastic surgery.  It seems like a large area, and I am concerned about the results. I will have this done April 5th.

Hi,  I've now had BCC three times and a fourth just popped up -- all on my nose.  My nose wasn't that big to begin with so it is distressing that they keep recurring there.  In any event, I have gone just the MOHS route (which I still think is the way to go for removal) with removal and repair of the damage.  I can say that it is always better to have a situation where your dermatologist has a plastic they work with so they can do the closure and any reconstruction that may be needed.  My last one was done that way and the scar was minimal in comparison to the one before which still horrifies me to this day.  The problem is you never know how big it is going to be until they get in there and while your derm may be certified in MOHS, he or she is not a plastic surgeon by trade.  It's your face! 

 

As for the scarring, you need to get nearly nine months out before you can truly judge.  It truthfully takes about that long. 

 

So, I'll be going in again soon which is a complete bummer.  The only upshot is that the BCC is on the same side of my nose as the botched repair was so I get a second shot at fixing the appearance with a good plastic and have it covered by insurance.  I guess we always have to look at the bright side.

 

Anyway, keep on your block and good luck to all! 

I too kust had  2 passes on the left side of my nose.  Freaked out about the hole and now they want me to see a Plastic surgeon..do you all think this is necessary or just allow to heal. Its so dramatising and not sure if i want to go thru anyhting else..help with advice

Deb

 

Did you end up with a surgical repair or just let it heal?  I just had the surgery 2 days ago and the dermatologist and the plastic surgeon said let it heal on its own and see what happens.  How does yours look now?  Mine is along the left side of my nose where my nose and face meet (or used to meet).  The plastic surgeon said its not bad or too deep and the scaring will blend in the crease of my nose.  If feel like it is huge and very deep (I guess we all feel that way when we are the ones wearing it right?).

yikes - I am researching for Mohs surgery in a couple of weeks - bcc on tip of nose - and my research is not very comforting. Just picked your comment to reply to because I wanted to say to SOMEONE, thanks for sharing your experience; not because it soothing (cause it wasn't) but because you sound brave and we are all in the same boat. I was a crispy critter most of my first 40 years - am now 64 and not very vain but no matter how old you get, you still have people reacting to your face.

Chicken Little---It's going to be okay.  I'm in your age bracket and we Baby Boomers and our parents just didn't know any better.

The MOHS itself doesn't hurt.  The lidocaine injections DO hurt.  My derm and her nurse gave me a soft rubber ball to squeeze during the injections.  If your doc doesn't have one, bring one with you.  I think there were at least 6 shots and each hurt terribly.

When you're finished with the MOHS, you look hideous for awhile, but you're cancer free.

I had to have plastic surgery 2 days after the MOHS.  Cartilege was removed from my ear and then I honestly looked frightening with it stuck on the side of my cheek/nose.  I was in self-imposed isolation for a week, and then would only go out with gauze and bandages covering all the grotesque appearance.  Believe it or not, the ear hurt more during the healing process than the nose did.

I had a second surgery a month later to finish the procedure.  I look okay--not great, but haven't had to cover my face at all.  The scar actually follows my laugh line on the side of my mouth and I'm using a silicone based scar treatment to help.

This whole thing sucks, no getting around that.  However, I am so glad that the cancer is gone and I'd rather deal with foundation to cover a scar than face cancer.

I joke now that as a woman I always sort of hoped for plastic surgery and silicone one day, but I sure didn't expect THIS!  I guess when they say be careful what you wish for....LOL.

You will be fine.  Thank God we have doctors today who can do this work.  Keeping you in my thoughts and prayers.

I had my surgery one week ago.  I, too, thought it would be a small wound with a few stitiches on the side of my nose.  Afterall, I only had one stage.  When the dr. showed me the hole, I cried!  But I cried even more when I took the bandage off and saw stitching from the corner of my eye to the nostril.  My eye on that side of my nose was swollen and purple.  I felt "under the weather" for three days - not really pain, but I think shock, anger and loss.  I have been wearing a bandaid on my face all week because the stitching/scar is just too fresh for the public to look at.  I sure hope it improves.  The plastic surgeon did say it takes 9 months.  Thank you for all the responses on this site.  It helps to know you are not alone with this situation.

Hey - I guess I get updates when someone posts as I was the original poster. Just wanted to say hang in there.

 

It will be exactly 5 months next week since my surgery (3 passes on the side of my nose, 30 plus shots of lidocaine, a bunch of sutures under the skin and a bunch on top, face swollen like a football and puckered looking scar when sutures were removed) and now people can't believe what I had done when I tell them. Seriously - they're not being polite.

 

I have the faintest scar about 1 3/4 inches long -  from about half way down the side of my noise to about halfway between my nose and mouth. I'll admit I was lucky because they could hide it in my nasolabial fold (the sort of natural line you have from your noise to the outer corner of your mouth).

 

My dermatologist told me I could go back for laser or dermabrasion and I'm not racing in. I might at some point as there is still a little redness around that area (esp if I have a glass of wine!) and I think the laser could help with the tiny broken blood vessels but I am SO happy with my result.

 

I've been COVERING myself in sunscreen, loving the cooling neutrogena sprays and I will be going back for regular follow ups.

 

So just want to say "good luck" to anyone undergoing this at the moment. Realistically I know there is a good chance I'll get another (I'm super-fair skinned, had a couple of sunburns as a child, I'm only 33) and I would have MOHS in a heartbeat. I know it's not 100% (what is?) but I would take the reassurance of 99% clear over a better scar.

Thank you so much for updating us on your progress.  It is wonderful to hear of your satisfaction with your results.  I am now about 5 weeks past surgery and feeling better about my results as well.  I still shudder when I think of what has happened and I don't know if I'd rush into another surgery, but my result is getting better with each week, so I have hope that I'll look as good as you say yours is.  Did your dr. tell you to massage the scar for 15 min each day?  That's what my dr. said to do to increase blood circulation and decrease adhesions.  Thanks again.  Let me know how it looks at the 9 month mark.  That's when my dr. says the final result can really be seen.

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WOW! after reading all the posts regarding BCC and the likes, I wanted to add my two cents in hopes that my suggestions might  prepare the next person faced with any type of skin cancer removal.

Really, I can't express enough the need for someone who might be about to go under the knife to ask a LOT of questions. Take from these posts and  develop a series of questions that would address issues of  concern; How and why did this cancer come about?, types of skin cancers, types of surgical procedures, post-opt procedures, scaring, medications for healing of suture lines, etc. You can do your home work online and derive an incredible amount of knowledge from these sources but you are paying this doctor (s) a considerable amount of money to perform an invasive procedure. And while they can't tell the future, they should be able and willing to take the time to educate you about what is coming.

 Make sure your doctors are accredited in MOHS surgeries. I also think it would be helpful to have a Derm Doc and a plastic surgeon that work in tandem, maybe from the same office.

 Consider the advice of the first poster; if you are scheduled to have a MOHS procedure, please take someone with you who is capable of driving you home. In my case, I was not informed of how invasive it could/would be. Even though I did my "online" due diligent , I was NOT prepared. I also had a bit of a reaction to the anesthetic that they shot up and around my nose. So much that it drained down the back of my throat and into the stomach. Very unpleasant.

The MOHS procedure is the finest for removal of BCC cancers. A micrographically controlled technique, it was developed to minimize the amount of tissue the derm has to take.  Taking just the cancerous cell and sparing  healthy tissue present. With that understanding, you can see why we say it is a very invasive procedure none the less.

To end this post, I would like to greatly emphasize how important it is to see a dermatologist regularly. Especially those who like the great outdoors. While sunscreen is a good, necessary protective application, you can't beat once a year checks by a trained eye.  No different from well baby care, mammograms and yearly dental  exams and cleanings.  Better safe than sorry! God Bless

I am in the Mohs lineup for surgery next week..I guess I like everyone am nervous as all get out..but more concerned about going to work...what do you folk think...I went to work after the biopsy with this bandaid almost covering my eye...should I plan on being out more than one day (the day of surgery)????  I have a high pressure job in a one girl office...thanks for all the write ups it certainly helps to understand what is going to happen...think I will also bring my ipod

I am in the Mohs lineup for surgery next week..I guess I like everyone am nervous as all get out..but more concerned about going to work...what do you folk think...I went to work after the biopsy with this bandaid almost covering my eye...should I plan on being out more than one day (the day of surgery)????  I have a high pressure job in a one girl office...thanks for all the write ups it certainly helps to understand what is going to happen...think I will also bring my ipod

 I was able to resume normal activity the next day. My husband cut the bandaid down for me so that it just barely covered the cut! He made it an hourglass shape.   I bought two different brands of bandaids ahead of time - and compared them to my skin tone. I think I would suggest taking the tylenol or pain medication immediately after the surgery and before the numbing wears off.  Mine felt like a rug burn.  It really isn't anywhere near as bad as your imagination tells you it will be!  Good luck!

Glad to hear that everything went well with your follow-up.  I also want to thank you for starting this post.

 

I just had a biopsy performed on my nose on Tuesday and am awaiting the results to find out if it is BCC.  I really hope it isn't; however, I won't be surprised if it is.  Although, I'm not fair skinned, I completely abused the sun and tanning beds when I was younger.  I also can't imagine that my dermatologist would do a biopsy on my face unless she felt pretty confident that it's BCC.  I should know for sure in about another week.