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

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, thanks as always for your kind encouragement. You’ve been through an emotional ride with bcc but you’ve made it through so I hope I can do the same. When is your follow up appointment with the surgeon, is it soon now? I really hope you come away from the appointment feeling reassured about your scar’s ultimate appearance. Once I get mine done I hope to get more advice from you and Ed about scar massage, creams, etc. You will know what actually works.
Can I ask, what was the ‘type’ of your bcc? The six month wait worries me because my bcc is part infiltrative, which is classed as aggressive in terms of growing long roots. I did ask the nurse about cancellations but she said they don’t really get many. 

1. Hi Dawn, I was never told what type of bcc I had. Out of curiosity I’ll ask next time.
   It’s February this weekend, this year is going pretty fast. I’m sure the surgery date will come round fairly quickly. I do appreciate the level of worry you’re going through whilst waiting for surgery. It’s unbelievable the amount of people with skin cancer. Makes you wonder why that is?
   I’ve just had a follow up appointment with my surgeon. I popped along after work just expecting a chat but instead I had several steroid injections and some laser treatment.  I’m sitting down now at home with a cuppa just getting my head round it all. My surgeon was surprised how lumpy my graft was even though I have been massaging it twice a day. Hopefully today’s treatment will make a difference. It’s put the appearance of the graft back a few weeks though as it’s currently weeping and then it will scab over again. Hopefully it will be worth it in the long run. My next appointment is at the end of March. 
   I have my fingers crossed for you that you get a miracle new appointment in the not so distant future. 

Hi Lou, it sounds like your instinct about your graft was spot on - that it wasn’t quite right. Really hoping it will show meaningful improvement now, once the new scabbing heals. It’s reassuring the surgeon is taking it seriously and I’m sure he’s doing whatever is best. I wouldn’t hesitate to contact him again before March if your instinct tells you to, though. Please let us know how it progresses. 

As for me, I’ve decided to look into maybe going private, to bring the date forward if that’s possible. I have reservations but I’ll see what my options are anyway.

Hi Dawn, although my scar is a bit scabby and very red at the moment, I’ve definitely noticed an improvement with it flattening already. It’s been encouraging to see and just what I needed after a difficult few weeks. 

It’s definitely worth looking in to going private. You’ll have more control over dates and perhaps they can offer other treatments afterwards, if it’s needed like mine has been.
I just want to add though, the NHS are brilliant. They were amazing when I had a mole cut out a few years ago. 
Let me know how you get on.  

I’m so glad you’re seeing improvement already Lou! That’s such good news. Do you use any special cream on it? Thanks for the encouragement about going private, I’ve got an appointment in about two weeks, I’ll let you know how I get on. 

Hi Dawn, just wondering how you’re getting on. 

Hi Lou, thanks for remembering! Yes I saw the surgeon this Wednesday, the one who was assigned to my case on my NHS paperwork, I paid to see him privately to ask if my bcc was safe to leave until my surgery date in July.

He said he thought it was, and not worth going private to bring the date forward. He didn’t think it would spread much before then despite the biopsy classing it as infiltrative. It was pretty reassuring. Worth paying for I think.

How are things going with you, how are you feeling and how is your scar, I hope it’s more level?

Hi Dawn, sounds like the appointment was definitely worth paying for. Those chats with the surgeon pre surgery really help with coming to terms with what’s about to happen. It’s also reassuring to hear of their confidence whilst talking about the surgery you are about to have. We are one of many patients.

3 weeks after steroid injections and laser treatment I have noticed great improvement. One area is still a little bumpy but it’s nothing like it was previously. I’m hoping I might be able to have another round of steroid injections and laser treatment and then I think that’s probably going to be the best it will get. I’m still massaging Bio Oil on the graft twice a day, I’m not sure if it’s helped much or not, but I’m willing to give anything a go. It’s still very red/purple ish and I’ve tried a variety of makeup to cover it but to be honest I think it looks worse. I’ve been told over time the redness will reduce so I just need to be patient.

My next appointment is at the end of March, I’ll let you know how it goes. 
Hope you have a lovely spring, keep in touch. 

Hi Lou, I’m so pleased to hear your scar has improved, and I really hope and trust another round of laser & steroid will bring more improvement. As for the redness, I’ve seen many people report that their redness took a long time but eventually faded so I’m betting yours will too. 
My next appointment is in early March, a meeting with the plastic surgery department so they can assess if they’ll likely be needed - though the surgeon on Wednesday said he doubted they would be. Time will tell. Please do let us know what happens at your March appointment.

On another subject, I’m going to suggest the Bio Oil to my daughter for her c-section scar, worth a try anyway. No doctor or midwife has given her any advice about it.

Hi Dawn, I hope the Bio Oil helps with your daughter’s c-section scar. What a lovely distraction a new grandchild must be.

Talking of distractions, I don’t think being off work due to half term has worked in my favour. It’s allowed me to linger a little too long looking at my reflection in the mirror. 
Keeping busy has definitely been the best medicine for my mental health. 

Hope to hear from you soon with an update on your next appointment. 

Hi Dawn, I hope the Bio Oil helps with your daughter’s c-section scar. What a lovely distraction a new grandchild must be.

Talking of distractions, I don’t think being off work due to half term has worked in my favour. It’s allowed me to linger a little too long looking at my reflection in the mirror. 
Keeping busy has definitely been the best medicine for my mental health. 

Hope to hear from you soon with an update on your next appointment. 

 Hi Milly163 I noticed you had commented on another post about a recent bcc diagnosis on your nose. I was in the same position as you last summer. Thought it might be useful to read previous posts on this thread. I know that when I was newly diagnosed I was desperate to get any feedback about surgery and how it was going to look afterwards. I’m 5 months post skin graft surgery and it’s been a month since I last posted on here. Within the last month my skin graft has greatly improved and I’m feeling more confident as time goes by. Please feel free to ask any questions. Best wishes 

Hi Lou, I’m so glad to see your post about the improvement in your graft, and your greater confidence. I thought/ hoped that would happen eventually. It’s good you went for the laser treatment I guess!
I’ve got my date in early July, so just waiting. My bcc isn’t growing as far as I can tell. The biopsy kind of took the core of it out, it doesn’t get irritated and scab any more, like it used to occasionally. Well fingers xd anyway.

I’ve got a question for you please … did they tell you to stay home for a few days with your stitches after the surgery, or were you allowed to go out straight away with a bandage over the stitches? I’ve got grandchild babysitting to do that week!

Hi Dawn, nice to hear from you. Yes, I really believe that it’s the steroid injections and laser surgery which greatly improved the skin graft appearance. It’s amazing that I’m still noticing small but positive changes even a month after having the injections and laser surgery. 
I’m pleased to hear you have a surgery date. My surgeon suggested that I would need a week off work but realistically that was not enough time so I took off 3. My face was heavily bandaged with bandages over my nose and behind my ear. If you’re  not having a graft then perhaps you wouldn’t need such heavy (pressure) bandaging and you wouldn’t have a second (donor) site being bandaged either. Are you having one or two bcc removed? 

Thanks Lou! Gosh yes if I need a graft and pressure bandages, babysitting that week would be impractical. From what’s visible on the surface, I wouldn’t likely need one but the bcc may extend further under the surface, being partially infiltrative. We’d best make other plans for the kids, just in case.

Please feel free to ask any questions, especially as you get closer to the surgery date. I’ll be thinking of you. 

Thanks Lou, it’s inspiring to know how well things turned out for you. I’m glad you got the laser and cortisone treatment, just wondering did the doctors offer that or did you have to research it yourself?

It was all under the guidance of my surgeon. He has been amazing and not only thought about removing the skin cancer but how the area will look after surgery. I’ve got a follow up appointment with him next week.