Hope all goes well. I have a black spot on

my little finger which appeared 2 months ago. I went to dermatologist wh wanted me to wait for 6 months I have health anxiety so I said I want it removed. He is 98 percent sure it is not malignant. But until pathology report can not say. Has any one experienced this

I ended up with a bcc and melanoma in situ. All removed now with no further treatment.

yes, impossible to tell without a biopsy. However, if your dermatologist isn't worried then it's most likely nothing. My dermatologist said right away it wasn't looking good

Thanks 

Hello to anyone who is worried about BCCs. I've had three (all facial) and one I'm waiting to be removed.

I was apprehensive like most folk until after I had my first one removed. It never came back but I had a second one some years later. I visited my GP as it was bleeding and he arranged removal. Within a week it had gone completely as my family will witness and never reoccured - but then I never received and appoinment as promised. That again was several years ago.

A third one (all in different places on my face) was removed without fuss and as I said I now have yet another one.

Unbelievably, while I'm still waiting for the op (all have been very UNsensational and painless) it has all but disappeared again. From first to last has been many years and I am now without fear of BCCs, though I do understand people's concern. BCCs are very rarely of concern.

I am due to have a bcc removed at 2pm.tomorrow it's on my cheek I'm absolutely petrified about the surgery. I'm worried the local anaesthetic isn't going to work properly. My anxiety is taking over.. any tips on how to stay clean would be greatly appreciated 

Hello Coady.

It's perfectly normal that you're worried but believe me there's nothing to fear. The surgeon will go to lengths to ensure that the anaesthetic has had time to take effect but it won't hurt to make them aware of your fears. The op itself is very short and the minute scars I've had will soon disappear. 

When you mention staying clean I'm assuming you mean washing your face and the area itself. All I've ever done is use soap and water and have never had advice or instructions to do otherwise. The only way you can find out how simple it is, is by going ahead and getting it done. By this time on Thursday you'll wonder why you ever worried

. All the best and stay in touch to let me know. Mac

Hi Treacle.

,I'm not sure whether you're male or female but it really doesn't matter. Almost 20 years ago I was as apprehensive as you are now but my experiences since have given me a clearer picture of the situation.

BCCs are very, very rarely a threat and almost never spread; only the first layer of skin (basal) is affected and from what I understand, until foreign travel and sun beds, farmers were almost exclusively the victims of the phenomena. The late Matron of xxxxx Hospital once told me that the "Rodent Ulcers" as they were known, typically reached the size of an old sixpence before sufferers did anything about them. I'm not suggesting any of us should be so complacent, but it does give some perspective.

I am still awaiting a date for my op, 6 months after my initial diagnosis, so even if you push the matter you're unlikely to make much progress via the NHS it seems, though I'd never try to make decisions for other people. The only way you're likely to really move things along is to have a private consultation, which is an avenue I would never dismiss completely, though for now I'm happy to wait a while longer. Again, if you consider that it would give you peace of mind, I would be that last person to try to push you one way ot another. It's highly unlikely that your Dermatologist would advise waiting for a while longer if there was even the slightest risk of problems.

I hope this helps but stay in touch and contact me any time.

Mac (Retired Heating Engineer, thus MacThe Gas)

I'm also informed that intermittent appearances are a regular occurence and are a symptom of the body's resistance to such occurences.

Hi Mac

Thanks so much for responding to my post.  I am actually a 55 year old lady and I think my age probably plays a part in this because let's be honest my generation never even thought about sun damage - you went red and then hopefully turned brown.  Sun screen? What was that?

TBH if it comes to it I will go private for peace of mind - Google is not my friend!  I'm just obviously worried that it won't come back again for months and what will be happening in that time under the skin?  I always thought time was of the essence?  Plus can I have a biopsy where the spot comes up without it being there (if that makes sense).

Thanks for reading - and good luck with your op.

PS wasn't too sure of your last comment - did you mean that was my body's way of dealing with it because it is cancer? Told you I was Anxious Annie!! 

Hi Anne, or Annie?

No, I was simply referring to the body's immune system. Colds and flu are intermittent for the same reasons... I'm told; I am a long way from being an expert but I've been informed by many who are that BCCs spread only from the basal layer of skin outwards.

"It is extremely rare for basal cell cancer to spread to another area of the body. So people almost never die from this type of cancer." That is a quote from Cancer UK themselves.

For peace of mind though, I think you might be best advised to arrange a private consultation and/or biopsy... or full op. The going price seems to range from less than £200.00 for consultation to just less than a thousand for a full op.  If the NHS doesn't get back to me within a few weeks (which unfortunately seems highly likely) I might well consider it myself. 

Best of luck, though from my experience you have very little to worry about. 

Oh, and I'm late seventies so I did all fast tanning tricks available when the only sun lotions were rated by how quickly they tanned. Bergasol factor 2 was the most popular if you could afford it.

Mac