Hi Dawntreader thanks for thinking of me. I was really nervous about returning to work. Having any kind of surgery leaves you feeling vulnerable coupled with the anxiety I felt about seeing people after the skin graft. It’s in such an exposed area there is absolutely no way of hiding or disguising it. I’m pleased to say everyone has been lovely and genuinely pleased to see me back. It’s been a positive experience. I work in a high school, even the students haven’t mentioned anything.. yet, anyway. It’s almost 4 weeks since surgery and within that time there have been ups and down with the healing process. The downs have all been built around the fear of the unknown. Not knowing why it’s looking a certain way today and yesterday it looked different, not knowing how it’s going to look and feel in a weeks time, not knowing if it’s healing how it should be. It’s almost 4 weeks since surgery and the first stages of the healing process happen very fast. It’s slowed down now but I can still see an improvement every few days.
How are you feeling? Your next appointment must be soon.

Hi Lou, I’m delighted to hear that things are going so well. I know how worried you were ahead of the surgery. Your happiness, courage and positivity are shining out and giving me hope for my own situation. It’s a bit of an eye opener that the healing is so protracted but I guess I’ve seen references to that elsewhere. I really hope it continues to heal beautifully, please post more updates when you have time. 

Thanks for remembering about my biopsies - yes not long, 09.30 Tuesday 9 December. Eyebrow/eyelid is a punch, nose is a scrape. Just hoping the wounds are small and easy to tend, because I babysit my 22 month old granddaughter on Tuesdays and Wednesdays. The baby is going to be curious about any plasters, I need to stop her touching or grabbing!

I’ll be thinking of you on Tuesday 9th. Not long to go now. Each day that goes by brings you a step closer to getting all of this sorted out. 

Hi Lou, thanks -  yes only 3 days now, a bit of eek is setting in but thankfully so busy with the run up to Xmas I haven’t got too much time to worry.

I hope your wound is still healing well and this week at work has been good for you - the kids are all excited about the holiday I suppose, and hopefully still no unwanted comments from them.

Hi Dawntreader yes, so far so good at school. No unwanted comments from a student as yet..  The graft is still healing well but the progress each day is less obvious now. Still got a few stitches which ping out every now and then. The area is still quite raised, I’m hoping over the next few weeks it will start to flatten out. I’m pleased to say that the donor site behind my ear has healed well.

You’ll be so ready for your appointment this week. I know any appointment creates anxiety but after Tuesday you’ll be a step closer to being bcc free! One day this will be behind you, it won’t be the first thing you think about in the morning and the last thing at night. 
Good luck on Tuesday, Let us know how you get on. 

Myself, husband and father have all had BCCs removed, we all spent a lot of time outdoors for work and pleasure, so probably was the cause.

Husband and father have had several BCCs removed, father two last week.

The surgeons are usually very good and try to hide the surgery as much as possible and will use a skin crease if they can.

im sure if you tell your surgeon about your concerns they will do their best to try and minimise the appearance. They also advise about aftercare to minimise the scarring, which is usually very small.

Hope you get sorted out soon

Thanks for your kind reassurance, and for sharing the details of your healing process. I’m glad to hear the donor site has now healed. Re: the graft scar initially being raised, it seems logical there would be local inflammation at first, but it would eventually settle. Have you read/heard whether that’s a typical pattern?

Hi JA60, thanks for sharing your experience. I’m glad it’s worked out well for you and your family. There’s been skin cancer in my family too, like yours probably linked to the sun - I grew up in a sunnier climate than the UK. Have any of you had Mohs surgery? That is potentially what I’m having for at least one of my areas.

Hi Lou, so I had my biopsy this morning and can’t complain about anything - I was the first appointment of the day so I didn’t have to wait. The doctor and the assistant were both kind and put me at ease and it all seemed to go like clockwork. Thanks for your encouragement ahead of time, which was a great help.

The anaesthetic injection on the upper eyelid was ok but the one on the nose stung quite a lot - the doctor said that’s typical for the nose as there’s no spare flesh there. But after that I didn’t feel a thing and it was over quickly - in all I was there under half an hour.

The punch biopsy needed one stitch but the scrape biopsy was tiny so he just cauterised it afterwards. I’ve got a bit of medical tape on both which I’m to leave for 48 hours, then put Vaseline on with a cotton bud every morning for up to two weeks til they fully heal. The stitch will come out on its own and the lab results will take 3-4 weeks.

So I’m happy with things so far. I hope yours continues to heal brilliantly, and the raised area settles, and you have a lovely Xmas.