You will be love 

I was recently diagnosed with a melanoma in situ and am due for a WLE in the next few weeks. The mole was on my thigh and the excision biopsy was fine. A little tight to begin with but it wasn't really painful even after the local wore off.

I've been wondering what the next op will be like. I know they go 0.5cm all around, but will this be around the whole scar, which is much larger than the mole was. And will they go 0.5cm deep?

It seems from the posts above as though this will be a bigger op than I've been expecting. Wondering if, since it's on my thigh and not near my knee whether it will be as bad as it has been for some of you.

Please can anyone share their experience as to what to expect? I thought I'd be back in work the next day.

Feel releived its in situ so only really worrying at this stage about the op itself.

Hi,

I have linked a leaflet from the hospital at Birmingham which explains about a Wide Local Excision. In your case they will remove 0.5cm from around the centre of the scar & also in depth so your scar will be bigger and deeper. You will have probably noticed that your scar is long rather then round? This is called elliptical surgery where they cut in a line rather than in a circle because it's easier to pull the skin together and stitch a 'line'. So your scar will be a little tighter than the previous one but the skin layers will start to improve it's elasticity as healing continues. When you have your follow up appintment after the op ask the nurse/consultant when you can start massaging the wound to improve elasticity - use either Bio Oil or E45 lotion to do this & it will help the stretching & healing process. Good luck. www.uhb.nhs.uk/.../wide-local-excision-dermatology-pi.pdf

Angie

Thanks Angie that leaflet's very helpful.

My excision biopsy wasn't done as elliptical as doctor said my mole was only small so it wasn't necessary. I'm now left with a scar with redness around that extends to 2cm by 1cm which is 2cm horizontally on my thigh. Do you think they'll need to go 0.5cm beyond that to get a vertical elliptical this time as then I'm thinking it will need a long scar and be very tight afterwards until everything strectes out.

I can't really say I'm afraid. They will explain it to you before the procedure & I know that my WLE was done vertically, following the vertical scar from the initial biopsy, but I don't know if every surgeon does the same (mine was on my shin).

I can't really say I'm afraid. They will explain it to you before the procedure & I know that my WLE was done vertically, following the vertical scar from the initial biopsy, but I don't know if every surgeon does the same (mine was on my shin).

Hi 

Im due have a WLE next week as well as a lymph biopsy in my groin. I'm just wondering what to expect after the operation? 

Hi Cuba,

This link may help explain what happens during & what to expect after these procedures www.guysandstthomas.nhs.uk/.../sentinel-lymph-node-biopsy-for-malignant-melanoma.pdf

Depending on the size & location of the WLE and SLNB the rate of recovery will vary & the risk of any side effects. The things to watch out for are infection (redness & heat) which will require antibiotics, swelling which may be caused by lymphoedema - this doesn't happen often but the risk increases depending on how many nodes have been removed.

Good luck, I hope the results come back clear,

Angie

Hi Angie 

Thank you for your reply. Fingers crossed everything comes back clear