On a Personal Note: What Happened to My Face
This is not an April’s Fools post/joke (I wish!) although the timing is a little funny. Kind of? Ok, not really.
I wanted to step back from food for a minute and talk about something a little more personal today in the hopes that maybe my experience can help even just one person reading this.
I’ve been grateful over the years as my blog following has grown beyond what I ever expected – it’s given me a lot of reason to wonder if I’m really doing good and how I can do more. In addition to sharing delicious, tried-and-true recipes, I hope I can help people in other ways. Maybe today is such a day.
Warning: somewhat gruesome (depending on your tolerance level) pictures follow, not to mention more selfies than I’ve ever taken in my life, so read at your own risk. Also, this is taking a bit of courage to post; I hope I can count on you to be kind with your comments (no unnecessary compliments, not fishing for those, but please no cruelty).
Last fall, I ended up at the dermatologist’s office getting a spot on my back checked out. A deep, elliptical biopsy and 12 stitches later (plus a week or so of waiting) and the good news came back that it was not melanoma like the doctor suspected but instead a dysplastic nevus (precursor to melanoma but very good news, nonetheless).
While I was there for that appointment, I asked the doctor about a tiny spot on my nose that had been there for a couple months and seemed like a scab that wouldn’t heal. I actually felt a little silly for asking about it but figured it wouldn’t hurt since I was already there.
You can see the spot here (as I’m intently whistling – or maybe trash talking – while working on a puzzle over Thanksgiving last year):
After about three seconds of examining the spot, my doctor was 99% sure it was basal cell carcinoma. I went back in a week or so later for a biopsy and sure enough, a few days later, the results came back that the seemingly innocent spot really was basal cell carcinoma.
Basal cell carcinoma is a fairly common type of skin cancer but still taken seriously by my dermatologist. To my credit, I didn’t really freak out (kind of a shocker, really) because it was such a small spot and I figured it would be pretty easy to take care of.
Fast forward several weeks later to December 1 when I was scheduled to have MOHS surgery on that spot. I knew that I would be getting a local anesthetic for the area (needles in the nose – ouch!!!) and the doctor would little by little remove an area of skin including and around the basal cell carcinoma spot, send it to the lab to be inspected under a microscope and come back with results (all while I waited in the room).
That process would continue until the borders were clean – meaning, no cancer. I was certain, positively certain, it would be one small removal and I’d be out of there.
Unfortunately, that very tiny spot on my nose had decided to get naughty underneath the surface and after several cuts (and more dang shots in my nose!), clean borders were finally found. What I was left with was a decent sized (and quite deep) hole in the side of my nose.
{Click here for the super graphic surgery photos – probably not fit for young children or really anyone who gets queasy at the sight of gruesome, bloody pics}
I didn’t feel any pain (thanks to the terrible but blessed little shots) and didn’t feel any panic in that moment (thanks to a very competent doctor). That is, until he showed me the area in a mirror and drew with black marker up along my nose where he would now need to cut in order to pull skin down to cover the crater in my nose (after we ruled out the option of a skin graft since it would be nearly impossible to match the skin color and tone of my nose).
The pictures of that part of the procedure are too gory to share on a nice cooking blog like this, but suffice to say, I started to panic a little. Ok, a lot.
An hour later and I was the new owner of 20+ stitches front and center on my face (with more underneath the skin) and lots of iodine to enhance my natural coloring.
Oh, and the doctor did give me this note also. I’ll give you one guess as to whether or not I obeyed doctor’s orders.
I left the office. And I bawled all the way home (mistake: driving myself to and from the doctor; in hindsight, I was in a lot of shock and am grateful I made it home in one piece – my hands were shaking so bad and I could barely see because I was crying and my contacts were all fogged up).
For a few days I had to keep the bandage on and it didn’t seem so bad, although it hurt like the devil.
But then I took the bandage off. I was still in a lot of pain; it was so tender to the touch, and the bruising and swelling were just getting started. Plus, even though I know it could have been worse, I was struggling a bit with the emotional pain of wondering if my face would ever look “normal” again.
While at the doctor (and even before during the dysplastic nevus episode), I endured a stinging but deserved lecture from my doctor about sunscreen.
I’ve actually been a stickler about wearing sunscreen and covering up since I’ve had kids and been in my 30’s but before that? Sunscreen was never really that important to me. I never did the tanning bed thing but I spent a lot of time outdoors and I didn’t concern myself with hats and sunscreen as a teenager and in my 20’s, thinking the color on my face and arms and legs would be welcome and pretty, which is kind of laughable because I’m so fair skinned, I usually burn and stay pale.
Combine that with the fact that I grew up in a generation where many mothers didn’t sunscreen their children (yes, my mom feels a lot of guilt which is silly since she was one of millions letting their kids blister in the sun in the 70’s and 80’s) and you have a recipe for basal cell carcinoma.
And honestly, based on the fact that I’ve never been a bikini-wearing, beach bound, sun lover spending hours laying out in the sun, I’m certain that if this can happen to me, it can happen to anyone.
It’s an understatement to say our holiday season was very low key. I didn’t leave my house for several weeks and my 8-year old couldn’t look at me for a long time because he said “I’m not trying to be mean, mom, but your face gives my tummy the jigglies.” I can’t blame him.
I shouldn’t have been self-conscious but I was (and still am a little even though I’ll show you below how amazingly my face has healed in a few short months).
I’ve never worn makeup besides mascara and a little eyeshadow, but all of a sudden, I wondered how on earth I was going to cover this up once it healed a bit? (Spoiler alert: I’m still rocking the no-makeup look because it’s really hard to teach an old dog new tricks.)
That dang swelling decided to settle into the left side of my face and stay awhile. Plus, what do you think about that natural eyeshadow I’ve got going on? Who needs makeup, anyway??
You may or may not have noticed the lack of cooking videos over the last few months, but this basal cell carcinoma “experience” has put projects like that on hold and is also the reason, if you know me in person, I became even more of a homebody recluse from December to February than I already was.
It was such a relief to finally get the stitches out. Can you see how my left eye is pulling slightly in the corner?
That bothered me quite a bit for several months – I couldn’t close my eye all the way and my contact always felt like it was going to fall out (annoyingly, I couldn’t wear my glasses because they sat right there where the stitches ended at the top of my nose and it hurt too badly to wear them for a while).
As the weeks went on, it was amazing to start seeing the progress of healing, helped along, I have no doubt, by many, many prayers, lots of essential oils and Mederma. (Sorry about the death glare on the right; I take selfies very seriously, apparently.)
For the essential oils: I used a combination of rosehips oil, frankincense oil, helichrysum oil, and lavender oil.
As I think about the whole process, I’m beyond grateful I was in the dermatologist’s office back in early fall when I had a suspicious mole on my back.
I never ever ever would have made an appointment for a “silly” spot on my nose but being able to ask the doctor about it at the first appointment was divine intervention. Who knows what would have happened had the cancer had even more time to spread?
This experience has made me think a lot about what I’m going to do going forward when it comes to sun control for me and my kids, but it’s also made me realize that by sharing this with you, all of you, maybe I can bring awareness to how important sunscreen and covering up in the sun really is.
I already have a separate cancer history (from seven years ago) and combined with this latest basal cell carcinoma issue (and the data that shows there’s a high chance it will come back in some form on my body, especially my face), I’m determined to make changes to protect the future of my health even though we have been sticklers about sunscreen and hats for well over a decade now.
I’m throwing away my pride and deciding that even if I’m the only one at the lake and on the boat and at the park and working in the yard and at soccer games this summer wearing a large-brimmed hat and carrying an umbrella and donning sunscreen from head to toe and a long-sleeve swimsuit and even a long skirt at times, it’s ok. It’s really ok. It’s a small price to pay to have healthy skin; I certainly do not want to relive the events of the last few months.
Will you think about your sun exposure and that of your kids if you have them? For me? Think about it and consider ways you can protect you and your family by choosing the right sunscreen, wearing hats when possible, and being smart about sun exposure.
After spending countless hours online (why do I do this to myself?) looking at other stories and cases of basal cell carcinoma and MOHS surgery, I’m immensely grateful that in the end, my cancer spot and removal area really was quite small compared to how it could have turned out (my doctor said he’s spent 15+ hours chasing skin cancer around patient’s faces, and I wanted to kiss his feet that I was only there for a couple hours).
It’s miraculous and amazing how the body can heal. If you would have told me last December that I’d actually want to look in a mirror come March, I would have laughed (ok, probably cried) in your face. But I am so blessed that I have healed well and am continuing to heal.
Please learn from my experience.
Be smart! And stay safe in the sun, ok?
Love ya.
UPDATE: I cannot even tell you how overwhelmed I’ve been at your response to this post. Your kindness has brought me to tears more than once. More than that, though, have been the stories you’ve shared of your own skin cancer or of your loved ones. Many of you have emailed me personally and commented below that because of this post, you or a family member went in to the doctor and were able to either preempt a skin cancer situation or find out you had skin cancer of your own that desperately needed attention. In all my years of blogging, I’ve never been more impacted by your comments and stories (and again, your kindness). Thank you a million times over.
I found your blog after getting mohs surgery on my nose today that ended up MUCH larger than I expected. I’m getting reconstructive surgery tomorrow, and your pics are helping me feel less terrified. I honestly was not prepared for the size of this hole when it started as a tiny dot. Thank you for being so vulnerable. It’s helping me cope.
I just had this procedure last Wednesday, I’m on day 5 of healing. It was directly below my lip, so I have stitches from the bottom of my chin up through my lip. The swelling is awful! I am thankful for the procedure and glad it’s over. I’ve lost a few pounds since I can’t eat well (bonus). I stayed away from googling until today when I wanted to look up when the swelling would subside. That’s how I came across you! So basically I came here for the basal cell story and will stay for the recipes 🙂 Thanks for sharing your story! And thanks to all those that responded with a similar story.
Thank you so much for sharing, your story brought me to tears. I just had a fine size area on my eyebrow removed in a slow Mohs procedure. I happened to mention the spot to my MD and asked him to look at a spot that appeared over night, rhe size if a dime. Biopsy showed Melanoma in situ LM. Had it reached a depth of 0.7mm (1/32 of an inch) the Dermatologist said it would be a different story. You story gave me hope that my face will recover in time. I am usually a calm and centered person, during the second appointment when the closed the surgical and placed a flap, I was shaking. I am thankful to God my MD listened, looked and made the referral. One rhe sutures are out and people see my face. I will gladly stress the importance of sun protection to help others not go through this. It is nonetheless a blessing that the outcome was not worse indeed. Thank yiu again and God Bless you. My scariokd like a V and a straight line to my hairline. My name is Vickie do the V is kinda of funny.
Thank you for the photos and tagging of the article so I found it. Done the MOHs yesterday and now waiting reconstruction. Your pics give me hope it will turn out ok. Thank you
I know this might sound strange, but you definitely helped me. I’m always looking for quick meal ideas. Through a web search, I stumbled upon one of your pasta recipes. It looked delicious! I browsed the site for a while and then went back to doing something else. For some reason, another web search produced a picture of you with your stitches. I’m guessing it had something to do with my browsing history of your website. I was curious so I decided to come here and read. There has been a strange spot on my arm for a few years but I had someone look at it when it first popped up and they said it was a wart. I didn’t think anything of it but noticed that it was getting darker.. and larger. I kept telling myself not to worry. Then I read this story and thought ok, maybe I am paranoid but it doesn’t hurt to get it looked at again. I made the appointment and sure enough, it came back as a melanoma. I probably would have continued putting it off but when this popped up out of no where, I kinda took it as a sign. Thank you for being brave and sharing!
Hi Mel, I came for the recipes but stayed for the skin cancer story. I’m 34 and had a little chunk of melanoma removed from the back of my upper thigh (which hardly ever sees the light of day!) earlier this year. My sun care history is a lot like yours. Pretty good at covering up once I turned 30, but in my 20’s I was a little careless, and as a child I know I blistered and peeled quite a bit. No family history of skin cancer, and never did tanning beds or intentionally tanned. So scary, but nice to know we’re not alone in this ordeal!
Thank you so much for sharing your story! I had Mohs surgery for 2 lesions on my forehead and left temple. I’m doing pretty well. Cancer free! Waiting the outcome of my incisions. You have know idea how much your post is helping tonite. You’re beautiful, and you had great results post-op. It gives me hope. For reference, I’m 70, and had surgery a week ago.
God Bless you.
Thank you so very much for sharing with photos!. I have a similar Mohs surgery sized hole in the back of my hand from surgery 5 days ago with no sutures due to the thin skin there and it’s location over large veins.. The prior sample hole for biopsy was dime sized and like you in 90 days healing I could hardly tell where the hole had been. I’m really hoping this surgery heals similarly although I know it will take a lot longer. We are blessed to have such great technology in our lifetime and such good doctors.
Hi mel ,I had a bacil carcinoma removed from my nose quite close to my eye 2 weeks ago and for such a small spot it caused some destruction to my forehead and nose as a skin flap procedure was used .I got an awful shock when my own gp took of my dressing last week, I asked could it stay on for another week but that didn’t happen but I have to say I’m improving every day ,my forehead is still very tender and red but I’m prescribed anti cream so I’m hoping it will heal a bit quicker and that the skin flap on my nose reduces in size as it’s a bit raised. I have to say and I’d say yo will agree that it very scary in the early stage of healing with how disfiguring the face looks. I have to say looking at how good you look now has made myself feel a lot more at ease and thank you for sharing your story
God bless you for sharing your story. I have a very small spot that looks just like your BCC did and in the exact location. My Mohs surgeon believes mine is bigger than it looks and has referred me to a head/neck plastic surgeon so that I can be scheduled for 2 surgeries, one to remove and the other to repair. Your story and photos of your recovery have encouraged me that God willing, everything is going to work out just fine. You look beautiful!!! Thank you!
Thank you for your story. I just had MOHS surgery this week and when I took the bandage off needless to say I felt the same way as you. I couldn’t believe I had this Frankenstein scar on my face!!
My stitches is just like yours. You have made be feel better with your pictures through your healing process. I feel a lot better about my healing outlook.
And YES is hurt! I will be wearing a hat every time I venture outside.
Thank you, Thank You, THANK YOU! Because I had seen this post I did not hesitate to get myself to the dermatologist when my nose began to bleed at church when I just scratched an itch. My MOHS is scheduled for this Tuesday but it is comforting to know that you healed well and I will too. I’m braced for impact, so to speak. Thank you Mel. PS- I’ve bake your whole wheat bread recipe every week for years. You’ve made my life better, lady. Thanks a million. Your family is gorgeous!
It’s so heartbreaking that you had to go through such a terrifying and scary journey with skin cancer 🙁 I wish you healing, recovery and remission now and in the future…I hope you’ll try to locate a naturopath who can treat you with holistic medicine since there could have been potential metastasis to distant regions that may or may not show clear signs in the future…please get treated with intravenous therapies and injections by an integrative doctor so that this does not recur again..once you get this cancer, it’s there forever…
Hi, Mel:
It’s my first time here. I was browsing and saw your post in a search.
I experienced the exact situation as you in regard to skin cancer on my nose. Went to a dermatologist and was referred for surgery. I’m not one to be squeamish about surgeries, small or big. After I was numbed, the surgeon cut for what seemed like a long time on my little nose! He had to keep cutting three more times. I was starting to panic. He then sent in a PA that he referred to as “the stitching guru.” I went home with a bruised and very sore face, covered in gauze. My incision was almost as long as your’s! The initial spot was bigger around than a quarter, with a “tail” that ran down to the bottom of my nose. Like you, I’ve healed beautifully… and I’m much older than you! God’s handiwork creating the human body is almost beyond belief.
The unfortunate part was that I had to attend my mother’s memorial just three days later. ♀️
I join you in encouraging others to be diligent about sunscreen. Thank you for posting!
Phyllis
(I’m going to check out some of your recipes, too!! )
Thank you this post. You look beautiful. I know how har this was to go through. I lost my whole nostril and had to have the flap. I was surrounded by people who love me like my children otherwise I would have crawled under a rock. I needed to see that someone went through this and came out shiny like a diamond. Thank you for posting.
Hi, I just came across your story as I was looking for before and after pics of mohs surgery. It’s only been a couple of days but I can’t even stand looking at my stitches it looks so bad 🙁 Your story is just about identical to mine as of probably many thinking how can such a small spot turn into half our nose cut out :(. I have to go to work next week and wondering how I’m going to ever cover my face now :(. I feel like wearing a bandage until it completely fades away but I know that’s not going to be for a long time. I’m even googling make up to cover scars etc but I know it’s going to be so noticeable! Worse thing is I’m a twin and I know what everyone is going to say now, oh she’s the one with the big scar on her face 🙁 It has been nice that so many people have gone thru the same thing, but at the time it’s a horrible thing for an individual to go thru. Also understand it could of been worse and feel for people that do have bigger ones 🙁
Btw I hope my scar heals as good as yours xx
I just got Mohs Surgery yesterday–red bump on side of the nose but they took so much skin off it–and a plastic surgeon stitched the wound all the way from the bottom to the top of my nose. It’s red. I look like Frankenstein’s Bride. Even my dog is a bit shocked when he looks at me. I hope it goes away soon. Thank you for your very real, uplifting post!
OMG. This is me! Had my surgery July 26. Was telling everyone my nose now looked like a football complete with the grip right down the middle. Totally underestimated what the reconstruction surgery would be like. Kudos to Mel for her incredible post. Based on the responses it’s really obvious we’re all looking for some sort of hope that we’re on the right track. Healing thoughts and love to all going through this.
Thank you so much for sharing your story. I had Moh’s surgery 6 days ago and feeling very sorry for myself. I have been vigilant about sunscreen for many years but the first 20 years does a lot of damage and had no sunscreen then. You look fabulous and I know life isn’t all about looks, but I hope to be able to look in the mirror soon and see a nose that somewhat resembles my own! I can’t see that right now! Teresa x
Hi Mel. i have been trying to post to you on your site but I never see my written comments to you with everyone else’s. Would you please let me know if you receive this?
Thanks so much!!
Corinne
Hi Corinne, yes I’m receiving your comments!
OMG!!! I had mohs done yesterday for a spot on my nose identical to yours! Wouldnt heal but got smaller after the biopsy. Ended up with “too many stitches go count” along the entire side of my nose. Havent taken off initial bandage yet. Now worried how to care for it with least amount of scarring. Guess thats a lost cause. Hopefully I will heal as well as you did. Tx for sharing your story and pics! Gave me a little hope.
I Cried after reading your story about the mohs surgery because I think my nose looks horrible but you have been through more hell then me!
My plastic surgeon botched my nose first with stitches ,,then with laser!Now my nose looks even worse!
I,m 79 years old and having a hard enough time
dealing with wrinkles and old age,my nose was just fine,now I look like a witch with a big wart on it! I,m so angry! He keeps saying “I,ll FIX IT”
I DONT TRUST HIM NOW!
SO WHERE DO I TURN?
GOD BLESS YOU,you are a very brave young lady!
Thank you for sharing your story with pics. I am awaiting path results which are certain to come back BCC based on several factors. I was shocked to see how small (like mine) your initial spot was, and how big the excision had to be. I’m bracing myself for this and am encouraged by your “final”pics in which you look beautiful with no scarring apparent. Also, like you, I am online reading way too much and absolutely looking at way too many pics…but am glad I stumbled across your story. I hope you have remained BCC-free since your successful surgery. Thank you for bravely sharing your pics.
Can you please message me on Facebook messenger. Was wondering how many slices they took to pathology from that area?
FB is Lynn and Leslie Hopper
Also have Insta of shegon_racing77
Thank you for sharing your photos. I had surgery this week and thought I had picked the wrong doctor. My incision looks much like yours only my nose is more swollen than yours initially. I now have hope that one day I will look normal. Thank you!
Can you message me or tell me how many slices they took from your nose. Thank you
479-659-2758
pinkiehopper@gmail.com
I just found your blog when looking at your recipe for slow cooker tender beef and clicked on the “more about me”. Was really happy to see that you had the courage to write about your skin cancer experience. You have a wonderful platform to get the word out and I’m sure you will help many readers. I will be 69 next month and have had 7 Mohs surgeries (face, legs, hands – you name it). Unfortunately as a young red head growing up in Southern California, I burned every single summer trying to get that evasive tan everyone else had. I didn’t stop as a young woman either and it wasn’t until I was 34 and a co-worker told me my hands looked like an 80 year old’s, that I finally went to a dermatologist. 35 years later I still see the doctor every 3 months and more often than not, the appointment involves biopsies, most of which are squamous cell. One was so bad, that Mohs would not help, so I endured radiation for 5 weeks, which was absolutely no fun. I am a big fan of Coolibar clothing and sunscreen is automatic 365 days a year. Thanks again for sharing your journey with so many.
What type of sunblock do you use? i wish you good health & healing.
Hi, Thank for writing about your skin cancer. I had mohs under my left eye. Only been a month but I’ve very upset too. I’m a 68 yr old guy but I guess prettyvain. I was an actor so my face got me jobs. I’m sick from this scar. I hope it improves. Looks like zoro but a z on my cheek.
I have another one right where yours wad. I’m not doing it. I know that’s dumb. I just can’t face another mohs surgery. TRying to burn it off!
ANYWAya, glad you’re on the mend. E
Thank you for doing this. I’m
In week one of nose reconstruction. A flap from my laugh line and cartilage from my ear is being used. I honestly look like a monster under the bandages. Praying I can look as good as you after. How many months before you looked like this? Mine begin as a tiny pimple.
Thank you for sharing! You give me hope!
Thanks for sharing “on a personal note”…I had a similar experience last week. Its nice to know there is light at end of tunnel. Thanks again.
Thank you for sharing this with photos. I was told today that a small spot on my nose is likely to be a BCC and I’m awaiting a referral to a dermatologist. It’s been there a year! I’m terrified after looking at photos of people with masses of stitches all over their faces for such small spots, so seeing your photos of how you look now has helped me to feel a lot better. I’m astounded too at reading how it’s caused by sun exposure when I’m the queen of factor 50… still in denial here
Thank you so much for sharing your story and the photos as well. Can you please tell when what you used to help the scar heal and when you were allowed to start putting anything on it. I had open heart surgery and have a long scar down the middle of my chest.
Hi Marilyn – good luck with your recovery!! I kept my scar super moisturized to the point of being greasy. I used aquaphor and mederma but also used essential oils. I used coconut oil and rose hips oil and used frankincense, helichrysum and lavender.
Be careful with lavender oil when it comes to sun, it is photsensitive, so it can increase the danger of UV light! I think it is not a HUGE concern, but better safe than sorry!
This was after the stitches were removed?
I have been there having all four of the worst ones but I have had many more Basal, Squomis cell TCell pre melanoma and Melanoma
I was never a sun worshiper but stayed outside a lot riding horses, bikes, playing ball my mother thought you needed to be outside to be healthy but not so much we found out years later. A MOES surgeon did two places on my right arm one about four inches long and very deep BCC the Melanoma was a small place on the back of my right arm it was never a sore place no itching nothing but went to see about another place and the tech saw it looked suspicious. So she called the doctor in and biopsies both sent off and called to tell me I would need to see a MOES surgeon about fifty miles from where I live he did my surgery my melanoma was in the first to second stage and completely taken out got labs to be sure nothing in my blood. If that young lady had not noticed and the places were not bothering me it could have been too late. Now I am checked every three months to be sure none of my other moles are not changing or new places come up after a while every six months. So if you have any places go let someone check them because all of them do not bother you or
look like anything I thought would be a problem. Don’t wait these places can be benign but not always a
tiny place under your nails or bottom of your foot can be very dangerous. My dermatologist has removed
all of the other places but the two on my arm were very bad long place up the back of my arm for six inches
so never say it is nothing when it’s just a small mole or as one BC was a small red spot I had had a long time.
Glad you are doing well your nose did amazing my husband had the same thing on his nose and you would never know he had surgery a friend told him after healed to massage it often and it healed so well. Get checked often for any places you have on your skin, better safe than sorry.
Hey dear.I am grateful for all of your story. You are a brave mum. Currently waiting myself to go to dermatologist to check out one spot on my nose which appeared around 6 mth ago… I was stupid enough to send phone taken pictures to dermatologist who just said ah looks like spider angioma.. But keep in mind it could be close to basal cell carcinoma.. If you do think it is smth that could be go and see your dermatologist.. Yeah, thanks dude.. Have the check up on Tuesday and dreading it! So anyone reading this comment, make sure you guys NEVER do the online consultation with some derm who is not even in your country.. Better off going to the one you trust.!
So enjoyed reading all the comments as well as your description of the MOHS procedure. I’m visiting my surgeon today, 2 months after procedure almost in same area as yours. I have a skin graft that he needs to check today. I think all is well but will be glad to hear his opinion and tell me how to continue to treat the area. Thank you again!
Mel, thank you for sharing this difficult experience. I’m 30 and was diagnosed with a BCC just above my upper right lip the beginning of March. I was a sun worshiper in my teens and early 20s and even foolishly laid in the tanning for several years – boy,, am I kicking myself for that! The BCC ended up being much more invasive than anticipated, but by the grace of God my dermatologist was excellent! I’m now 7 weeks post-Moh’s and it’s healing wonderfully – dealing with a bit of “snarl” effect that I’m massaging down daily – but I can reiterate other comments about the mental and emotional turmoil experienced during the immediate recovery process. I too don’t consider myself a vain person, I just wanted to know I could look like “me” again. I wanted to not live in fear of it returning. I want to enjoy my life! Your pictures bring me such comfort, I’m confident the Lord led me to your page for this purpose. I would recommend Jeremiah 30:17 to everyone: “For I will restore health to you, and I will heal your wounds, says the Lord.” Again, thank you for sharing your story!
Kind Regards,
Jordan
Hello! My story is very similar, I had the surgery in the same spot 8 months ago. My question for you is.. do you still have one side of your nose swell or hurt? I have had cortisone shots to try to help and am scheduled for laser but nervous about that. My scar looks fine but the swelling tends to bother me. Just curious if anyone else has experienced this.
Your post has literally saved me today, I’m 2 days post surgery and so traumatised it’s horrendous, you have given me hope that someday I will leave the house again or look in a mirror.at 36 nobody wants to go trough this. Thank you for sharing X
How are you now?
Hey , i just had surgery on my nose in Jan , how did you get your scar to heal so well ?? what do you put on it ?
Thank you very much for sharing, god bless you and your family. You look great , wishing you all the best
I can’t believe you’re the same Mel from Thin and Crispy Oatmeal Cookies. They have been my go to cookies for years now. I like to add Heath Toffee Bites to them for a little extra something. My favorite part is that my name is Mel (Melanie) so when I print it out for people it looks like the recipe is my own – but of course I tell them no, I am not the Mel from Mel’s Kitchen Cafe…. And now I am faced with Mohs surgery next week on my left temple and of course I ‘m doing lots of research on it. Scared but hopeful at the same time. Thanks for sharing your story with all of us ! I give this recipe five stars !
Thank you for sharing your story. I am one week since having Mohs on my forehead and so needed to hear a positive outcome with such a long journey of recovery ahead of me.
This is a great story with a happy ending, however please see a plastic surgeon, forthe procedure as dermatologists do not do surgery. They diagnose not repair
Mohs surgery left me with a nickel size hole in my nose! Plastic surgeon did flap reconstruction…I’m two weeks past surgery and the 27 sutures are out…I’m hiding my nose with steri strip bandages because it’s way too soon for makeup. You are all life savers! I was so depressed; I’m sorry there are so many of us; but it’s nice to know I’m not alone.
Hi Susan I too had the flap surgery. I was trying to see how people handle this huge difference in my face by searching the internet. They had to cut my nostril off and reconstruct it. It’s hard to tell u less your super close to my face. I get depressed sometimes. How are you handling it.
Thankyou so much ! This really helped me I just had a Basel call removed under my eye Tuesday and so it wouldn’t pull my eye down he did a skin flap by cutting the side of my nose
Hi Sherry ! I just had the same thing 2 weeks ago…Amazing how common this is! So traumatic…The basal cell left a nickel size hole in my nose. Had a plastic surgeon do the reconstruction..I”m very depressed but reading all these posts makes me feel like I”m not alone. I’m wearing steri stip bandages because it’s much too soon to wear makeup and they do a decent job of camouflaging the area
Thankyou Susan for the info . The plastic surgeon was onsite thankfully when o had mine done . The stitches I have are dissolving stitches . My whole eye/ right side of my face was bruised and swollen but thankfully it’s starting to go down . I finally showered today ! Yay ! Felt good . I Came back on here to see what the name of the scar cream was . I hope you’re doing well !!
I’ve just had 2 small BCC’s found on my nose & I’m absolutely sh!tting myself about getting them cut off/out next week. I thought I’d see what I was in for & I’m glad I was able to find & read about your experience as I am kind of feeling alone. It’s scary! Thanks so much for sharing.
Annette , I’ve read your comment. I will be praying for you. I just had mine removed Tuesday.
Thank you so much for sharing this. I had an identical experience 3 weeks ago. My MOHS is the same area, eye pulling, similar scaring, everything. It’s kinda creepy how much your story sounds like mine! Even how you ended up there in the first place for something different.
I’ve been very scared, in pain, and still only 3 weeks out- finding myself asking “Dr Goggle” about healing and pictures. My eye is still pulling, as is my forehead and cheek. It just feels tight all the time. I get sharp pains, nerve pains I think. And it itches. I think all this is probably normal- but still makes feel so much better every time I read your story. (Which is 3xs since my surgery 3 weeks ago lol)
Thank you for sharing and give me hope and patience in this journey.
Wow I am 3 weeks post surgery and feeling very sorry for myself which is not normally my character but I am being reassured by all these comments and the face in the mirror gradually returning to my new normal. I didn’t think it would be such a big deal but I was wrong. Hope you all are healing well.
Thank you, thank you, thank you!! I have needed to go to the dermatologist because back in October all of a sudden I had this odd little bump come up on my nose and it’s never gone away. And for some reason I have never had breakouts or pimples and now in my early 60s my nose has four red spots besides the other raised one. After reading your article when I am finish with this post, I will call my dermatologist. Unlike you, I was a sun worshiper until 45 years old. Thank you God bless you
Hi Mel,
I’ve just had squamous cell carcinoma removed from my lower eyelid. My eye is stitched closed for another 3 weeks. I lost 60 percent of my lower eyelid.Reading your experience has made me feel that I’m not alone in this. I have always worn sunglasses etc so I wasn’t really expecting this to happen. I tell all my family to wear sunscreen etc and get checked regularly. Thank you for telling your story.
Hi Mel!! I’ve followed your blog for many years. You are my go to for my house. Thank you again. I remember when you came out with this blog post. Fast forward to now, I just had BCC removed from my nose today. I’ve cried at how ugly it looks wondering if I’ll ever look normal again. Your post gives me hope. Thank you again. Prayers, healing, and blessings to everyone who finds this post in the future.
I too just went through the same procedure Friday and look like I’m right out of a horror movie. You give me hope that it will be better and a plastic surgeon did mine.
Hi Mel-I ran across your story while searching for reconstructive surgeons to fix my eye pulling from a recent basal cell removal from the side of my nose next to the corner of my right eye. My stitches (six in total) are due to come out in 6 days and your story has given me hope that I may not need a second surgery to relieve this pulling. Thank you for sharing your story. How soon did you begin to use the Mederma after stitch removal? By the way you look great!
I just had this surgery 3 days ago. I’m in the swollen, black and blue stage. I was put to sleep for mine cause the dr was planning on a skin graft from my cheek. He didn’t need to after all, but he took cartilage from my ear. Your post and pictures give me hope that in a few months I’ll look so much better and back to myself. Thank you for your post. You are beautiful.
Thanks for sharing your story – it almost could have been my own! About 3 months ago, I had moh’s surgery for squamous cell cancer on my nose, and ended up with 25 stitches. (Mine were between my eyes, too, so I understand about the glasses thing. And with covid, not being able to wear a mask for awhile was difficult.) You are very beautiful and brave for sharing your story and posting the pictures of the stitches and bruising. (I have similar pictures of myself but not quite ready to share yet) It is so encouraging to see how well it healed. I am hoping mine continues to heal as well. You mentioned essential oils for your scar and I am interested in the types of essential oils you’re using. I am so thankful for the doctors who can perform these surgeries to remove our cancers and fix us up so well! Although I am hoping, as I’m sure you are, that I don’t need to go through it again.
HI Cindy
I JUST had this surgery 2 weeks ago–nose flap reconstruction and 27 stitches by a plastic surgeon. Sutures are out and my nose is in Steri strip bandages which I will be in for a couple of months I think.. I live in NYC. How have you healed?? Susan email: susan@quidprovideo.com
Was your Mohs and plastic surgery the same day?