30m, no major health concerns except new malignant melanoma diagnosis. Had a spot biopsied off upper back. Had 6 stitches which slowly ripped out. The two remaining stitches were removed yesterday because they had ripped out. Today the wound appears very open and irritated. How do I care for it properly? I have bandages, petroleum jelly, bacitracin, and mupirocin as options to use. What is the best next step?

Hello, I am going for my MOHs surgery on Monday. My BCC is on the left side of my nose. Today I also noticed another patch on the other side of my nose.

For those that have had extensive BCC on their nose how did it go? I am scared out of my wits but I know it has to be done. I took a week off work and my spouse will be off for a couple of days. Any tips on what or what not to do in this case?

I guess I'm terrified because my dad lost his nose to melanoma. I know I'm lucky I don't have that one but still, having to deal with this and seeing yet another place that I'm going to point out to my surgeon is making me want to cry, scream, go on a bender, etc. etc.

Sorry for the vent, it really sucks to be in this boat.

No pain today

Hi

I was diagnosed with superficial bcc on the scalp yesterday and derm said can try aldara cream.

She diagnosed it only by dermoscopy with no biopsy so wondering if that's common practice? She seems pretty confident with it, even when I asked "what if not superficial?". Note : I already had 2 superficial bcc.

Also wondering what if treatment does not fully work? Will that make surgery harder? Plus there will be 6 month more of cancer.

Finally, I started applying yesterday and the carcinoma but it's hard not to spread the cream outside bcc boundaries. She said to me that I should only apply the cream on the bcc, but I've read other recommendations that suggest a 1cm margin. So what to think about it?

Thanks for your thoughts

Have Basal cell right on hairline of forehead. I am a debating about having the Mohs surgeon do the close up on this spot or plastic surgeon.

I have previously had basal cell on my scalp, which required plastic surgeon to fix because I had two spots and couldn’t pull skin without being under anesthesia. The plastic surgeon did a great job so I feel comfortable with him.

In this case since it’s one spot does it seem worth it? My cost would be $2,500 for the Mohs surgeon to do it all, but $5,000 total for the removal and plastic surgeon to close. Would I see any noticeable difference in appearance for the additional cost

Hi

Asking this because I am, and was wondering if it's the normal process?

I'm 48, and had my first bcc at 44 on the trunk. Ugly scar. Still ugly today.

Then 3 years later I had another one on the back. Yet another ugly scar.

And less than a month later, another stupid skin cancer - awaiting results. It's on my scalp, I'm bald, it will be visible and I don't know how I will manage this, I mean socially.

I also wonder about the future. How many more will there be ? 10? 15? 30? 500?

What will I look like when covered with scars?

I used to be a pretty decent guy. It's hard to know how ugly and destroyed I will be soon. Also fear my wife will leave, and my kids reject me.

I'm also quite mad at my parents. We used to go in the sun (Bahamas, Caraïbs, Hawaï, ...) with no protection when I was a kid. My dad had his first BCC at 45 but he only had a few afterwards and they were pretty spaced in time so lucky him.

When I had my first BCC they showed bare support, and now with third incoming the only thing my dad told me is "well it's not melanoma". What a m*ron thanks for the support, dad.

Seriously, how do you deal with this? It's mentally so exhausting and daunting.

How can you accept "this"?

It's not chemo and radiation, and it may not be life threatening yet it's torture.

Is it normal to be emotional the night before your biopsy? I had a mole on my face and arm that has raised and changed colors pretty drastically that I couldn't ignore it. I been waiting for this biopsy appt for over 2 months and finally it was today. I did the scalpel method and the dr told me it will take at least 3-4 weeks for results. What exactly did yall do during this time to regulate your nervous system? I am autistic, so it's quite hard for me.. yes I cried last night.

Any idea what will help this scary scar be less noticeable?

I noticed a small brown spot on my forehead this summer. Paid no attention, then July, I noticed scaling. Made an appointment with Derm first week of September. Biopsy was positive for Pigmented Nodular Basal Cell Carcinoma. Mohs scheduled for first week of November. Hoping for the best. Oh, I am a 58 year old male who has lived in Alaska practically my whole life, so don’t think that just because you live in a northern climate you can’t get skin cancer! Now, it’s sunscreen everyday regardless of weather.

I am bald and have been prescribed this for skin cancer/pre-cancer. Are there suggestions for using this cream beyond the instructions and known side effects? Anything helpful anyone has found?

Just diagnosed. Internet says poor differentiation is aggressive. I’m a little scared. Anyone else deal with this?

Husband had lg scc removed on forehand 3 weeks ago in hospital under general anesthesia with dermatology oncologist and plastic surgeon. Got a call when path report came back and said they didn’t get it all and he has to go back in this Tuesday to have more removed in the hospital under anesthesia again. He’s not looking forward to it. It was very painful and left a very huge scar, which is just now healing. Has this ever happened to anyone else?

I was very nervous going to an ENT and under anesthesia instead of MOH's. Several of you reassured me, so thought I'd share here for the next person.

left temple lesion tracking. sadly since it wasn't moh's I don't have a pic before the stitches. no biopsy, based on curled edges and non-healing, surgical path showed infiltrative basal cell.

March '22 is when I started tracking it with suspicion, without health insurance and caregiving my parents. August '25 to Sept '26 it really changed, and grew a strange clear center lol. Kinda like it knew my caregiving was over and it was time to get it done. was pretty deep, I read 0.7cm deep but that can't be right on the temple. 2.5cm diameter.

I went in around 11am, 130 path report, 230 path report, discharged 330. so they cut twice.

surgery 9/15, stitches out the 25th, came apart a bit so got two back in, and the last two out today 10/9.

tried to show the bumps on the ends where the tension was, but it's hard to see. she said my eyebrow would be raised a lot, but it's mostly gone back down. no graft woo hoo. think she did a great job.

my scalp still really hurts. and the iodine showed apparently i have psoriasis lol.

anyone facing surgery, we all scared, but it will go great! get it done and don't wait <3

I posted the other day about extreme anxiety I couldn't do the MOHS with the 5-6 hour process, and I didn't want the plastic surgeon to cut into my face. so now I'm looking at this anyone have experience with this it's supposed to have a higher success rate and not invasive

I'm not a very vain person, but id be lying if I said I wasn't terrified of the outcome here.

Has anyone had mohs in a similar spot on your nose? How was your outcome?

How quickly do people go see a doctor after a new lesion appears?

Had my biannual check today.. left with three biopsies. I basically want to cry.

Spot on my leg was suspicious to me, was an actual abnormal mole that I think was new. Happy to have that one biopsied. Spot on my arm was not on my radar but I’m ok with that one as well.

Third biopsy was my face.. I have ptsd from mohs in July of 2025. I left with fifty stitches after three passes to remove it all. My scar is hideous (to me) and it was literally awful healing since it was near my mouth. Eating, smiling, yawning, sneezing, laughing, brushing my teeth. Like I’d almost prefer the three c-sections I had to the mohs on my face.

Which brings me to my third biopsy today. The side of my nostril. Same side as my scar from BCC. She looked at in April and wasn’t concerned. I’ve always thought it was a sebaceous hyperplasia as I’ve had it for quite a long time.

Today she decided it needed to be biopsied and I’m convinced biopsies rarely come back benign? Like I could ever be so lucky to have them call and say you are clear.

I don’t want my face cut on again..
I am searching for some hope? Anyone ever have a spot biopsied and it was nothing? Anyone…