Similar story.  I saw my GP September 1st 2023 with a lesion on the left side of my forehead. I have had a few BCC's on my face - both eyelids, hairline and one on the other side of my forehead that had spread down to my ear and for which I had to have a skin graft from my chest, so now have no hair in that area.

I was referred to a GP with a special interest in dermatology, who I had seen before and only offered freezing or cream for BCC's.  He said it was suitable for freezing but, because of the one on the other side of my forehead having spread, I asked to have a biopsy and showed him photos of my previous surgery.  He agreed and I got an appointment months away.  I managed to bring that appointment forward to February this year and as I hadn't got a result by April, I chased this up and was told I was on a waiting list for an appointment to discuss the result of the biopsy!! My friends said this must mean I hadn't got skin cancer. 

A few weeks later, I got a text which said I was waiting for an appointment and if I did not want this appointment then I should not reply to the text. If I didn't reply within 7 days I would be taken off the list and referred back to my GP!  I did reply and said I wanted the appointment.  I was telephoned later by someone who seemed to think it strange I had replied to the text, but said there was an appointment at the end of June!  

I managed to get the appointment brought forward to the end of April and at the appointment I was told it was a BCC by another GP with a special interest in dermatology.  She wanted to send my back to the original GP with a special interes I had seen! for cream or freezing  I said I would like the MOHS surgery that I had had on all my facial BCC's at the hospital in the nearest city.  She said I could go to the local hospital for it and I said I did not know they were now doing MOHS surgerty.  She said yes they were doing plastic surgery!!  She referred me to plastic surgery and luckily for me, the hospital realised the mistake and changed it to Dermatology but I am now waiting for an appointment and the bcc is growing,  My GP has sent a letter to try and bring my appointment forward.  I had far better treatment in the days when you could see consultants and not these GPWSIs

Wondering how you got on. I went private for an excision, got it done early June by a plastic surgeon and my nose has quite a dent. It's on my profile and looks horrible. I've also got a 2nd lesion, which I told the surgeon about but he said deal with primary one. So I've now paid, my nose is a mess, and I still have a lesion. Quite a dent on my profile and now thinking I must be in similar situation as you. Surgeon seems to think it's 'normal', and that it is because my skin is producing more scar tissue than it should 'at my age'. i'm hoping your dent filled out a bit, or that it has somehow overall improved?

Hello whonose and thanks for your post,

I have decided to reply to your post as it is 5 months since dave2024 posted and he may not get back to you.

I am sorry to hear that you are unhappy with your treatment and you are still left with a lesion on your nose.

It is difficult to know what to suggest with out being involved in your care but you could consider talking it through with your GP to see what they advise.

As you went privately for the first excision there is always the option of asking for a second opinion

I can understand that in some cases a lot of tissue has to be removed to get rid of the cancer and some patients do produce more scar tissue then others.

I do hope that as time goes on the scar will become less visible.

I wish you all the best,

Catherine

Thanks Catherine. Yes, I'm awaiting follow up having seen the GP. Was hoping Dave might return (has only been 3 months) and have a positive story. Perhaps his scar improved, might give me hope meanwhile and obviously hope he's doing better too. :)

Hi there,

I'm so sorry for the delay in my reply.  I'm an NHS nurse myself and have not had any days off for ages.

I'm so sorry about your experience with the removal. I'm afraid to say my situation is kind of the same. I had 1.5cm removed on the right side bridge of nose and although everyone says they can't notice anything, I can, especially from my profile.

On my return visit 3 weeks after to the NHS maxilofacial Dr he said I was wrongly diagnosed and there was no cancer present. I needn't have had the tissue removed. If the private company whom the NHS referred me initially had not forgotten about me for months and treated it with cream, whatever the lesion was wouldn't have grown.

They cannot say what it was but I believed for months I had a BCC but the Dermatologist misinterpreted my first biopsy report apparently.

I had been living with the belief that I had skin cancer for months.

The Consultant promised me a proper reconstruction before I agreed to go ahead and on my return he said "oh it's fine, give it time" he did not want to know. I have a follow up in 6 months but no doubt that will be forgotten about unless I chase it. 

I've always struggled with Rosacea and even as a man wear concealer as I am so conscious, this has made it far worse in that area. 

I raised an official complaint with the private company who actually owned up to all their errors. I'm now sueing the NHS through a local solicitor for negligence and he believes I have a good case.

I too asked about other lesions on my face and his reply was "oh just leave them for now, you don't want to get cut into again do you"!!!

I actually despair of healthcare in this country and I've asked for early retirement as cannot cope even working in such a broken system as cannot care for my patients properly and it's soul destroying. I am very hopeful that eventually the new Labour government with piece it back together, that's my only hope.

I do hope yours gets better in time. I guess it's just something we'll have to get used to and manage.

Kindest regards and take much care,

Dave.

Don't apologise for taking your time, people have busy lives and I was just hoping you might see it and reply with a more positive outcome. I'm sorry things haven't gone very well for you. I'm more shocked that they offered you reconstruction then took that back. I hope maybe at your follow up you will get any further treatment you need. 

Funnily enough, I asked the surgeon about my other lesion and the answer was sort of similar - 'old scar tissue and new scar tissue eew'. But what can I do if I have another lesion (which I feel is likely to be bcc since I've been confirmed as having one). I'm still in the system and actually got a derm appointment soon (I phoned and they had a cancellation!). Hopefully that will give me some answers on the way forward. 

You should pursue the reconstruction if you feel strongly about it. I'm really struggling with mine, hard to be amongst people, who I'm sure will notice something is wrong. Even hard to watch TV with people who have normal noses! I really just hope they can do something for it. 

Wish you a positive way forward of some sort and sorry to hear it's not gone well. :( Take care.

It's not cosmetic though if it's reconstruction, which is different and I'm sure you know this really.. Cosmetic is when you are just trying to improve your appearance, this is following surgery, so it's not the same thing. I'm laughing at the nose thing though as I also have a big nose, so perhaps why it makes it worse. I wouldn't dare get a nose job though, I'm not good with medical things so wouldn't been up for cosmetic surgery!! I'm the same with the dent/redness situation. My dent is visible from the front without makeup as it's got a sort of 'dogear' at the top, but makeup definitely lessens it. I've got a 2mm wide 'score' down the centre where it split. This is reasonable to cover with makeup, but don't think it's just a case of me scarring excessively as my stitches were loose and there was a 2mm gap between the skin. 

I'm glad you've not got the worry of the sun so much. I always enjoyed the sunshine but this has made me terrified. Has been quite a different summer for me this year (not that the weather has been great). 

Yes you're right, it's not just cosmetic is it.

I'll do my best.

My nose has developed a whistle too, you couldn't make it up! With it being so big I could actually be in a band. I daren't breathe out loudly when there's silence. Dogs run to me!

I waited 12 months for a camera to go up it and they found the right side has a deviated septum, goodness knows how's that's happened but I'm very clean living, no EastEnders business with me.

I've got an appointment with a surgeon in September!

I too live for the sunshine, I now wear a massive hat and cover up etc. They said the lesion was probably sun related due to my years of sun bed use years ago.

We'll get there, oh to be young again. Youth is wasted on the youth.

Well you might have lost a bit of your nose but you still have your sense of humour!

Alarmingly similar though, I've also felt like I've got a bit of a whistle and blocked at one side (though this was noticed when first doing covid tests). I assumed polyps, but maybe we're nose twins. haha

September won't be long. Please do make your point and maybe leave the humour out in case they think you're joking about it bothering you.