This is REALLY long...sorry.

Okay, so I went to the dermatologist yesterday with every intention of getting a biopsy. I still don't know what I'm going to do. My dermatologist looked really closely at my nose (closer than he looked on Friday) and said he didn't think the spot (small: measures about 2.5 mm) was a skin cancer. He rubbed it with cleaning stuff and then pushed it, rubbed it, and looked at it really closely for a few minutes.

My main dermatologist is kind of a skin cancer expert. He was rated in our Washington, D.C magazine as one of the top derms in the area. He told me he's seen thousands and thousands of cases in the last 10+ years (went to University of Michigan, did 3-year Mohs fellowship at Vanderbilt, and has been practicing for about 11 years now), and nothing has looked just like what I have on my nose.
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(Side Note: I had a steroid shot given to the area by the first doctor last Friday (to see if it would do anything), and now my nose looks all weird. There's even a second spot near the tip of my nose now. It looks different than the first one, but it almost looks like a little area that has been burnt. There are broken blood vessels all over my nose now too, and it just looks kind of irritated. I'm wondering if I was allergic to the shot or something. Also, the first spot on my nose seems flatter now - granted, it was only very slightly raised before - but it also seems very, very slightly larger.)
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Back to the original story....My main dermatologist knows I'm an extremely nervous knelly (sp?), so he sent me to another dermatologist in the same building for a second opinion. He just said to see if I "hear the same thing twice." Luckily, the 2nd doc (also certified to perform Mohs) had time to see me right then, and he agreed with my main doc. He did a lot of pushing on it, and said it seemed vascular to him, because when you push on it, the color goes away - like what's making it red is blood around it or something. The second spot does the same thing.

Of course, both doctors' had to use those "malpractice prevention" phrase: "The only way to know for sure would be to biopsy it."

I chickened out on the biopsy. I just get so afraid of tests like that. What do you guys think? Should I trust the doctors - especially my main one, who sees more skin cancer cases than a lot of docs? He does Mohs surgery every Wednesday in his office.

The mark has been there for 10 months already. I went back to zoom in on digital pics of myself - can't believe I didn't just KNOW it was there before, but I have lots of blemishes and things, so used to looking at imperfections. It has really only changed slightly in that time. Like I said, it's about 2.5 mm now. It was maybe 1-1. mm in August 2--3.

If it's BCC, I'm afraid it has already spread pretty far into my nose, which would result in extensive surgery - and probably cost me most or all of my nose. Do you think that's possible with something as small as 2.5 mm? It's located near the lower bridge of nose, down just a tad on the right side. Do these things spread in a certain direction, like down or something? Or can they spread all around?

Please help!!! Should I trust my doctors and get over it? My husband said that if they really thought it could possibly be BCC, they would have said that they strongly recommend a biopsy. That's how my first doc was about the 3 moles he took off last week.

BTW...I'm 28 with blond hair and brown eyes. I have lots of moles, but have never had a blistering sunburn, and have always tanned. My face has burned some, but only peeled a few times. I never used a 15 SPF, but I tended to use some sort of sunscreen on myself in high school - like a 4 or an 8. Before that, my mom put it all over me all the time.

-C

Hello
If it was me, I'd be trusting the docs & having the biopsy done. If you want to know what it is, that's the only way to find out, as they've said.

I don't know much about BCC but I've had a malignant melanoma. The sooner these things are dealt with the better. If you don't go & find out what it is, my guess is that you'll continue to be "freaking out" for a long time to come.

Please go & have the biopsy done.
Best wishes.

Lidia :)

I too would just have the biopsy. I have a spot on my nose that we are watching. It has been there since Feb. My dr showed me the tool they use for the biopsy and it is a very small chunk they remove. He said I would have one stitch or he would steri strip it really good. My dr said the same thing about my spot-it didn’t look like cancer. It is still sitting on the middle of my nose so when I return in July I will push for a biopsy.

Have you had a basal cell cancer before? I have had 5 now. I am pretty sure I will battle these things forever as my skin was damaged quite a bit under 25 years of age. I am only 32 now. Had my first spot removed around 28 years. It had been growing for 2 years though. Not all basal cells are the same. At least not all of mine. Some itched, some scaled up, some I didn’t even notice!!

Follow your intuition and get it biopsied. I am pretty sure you will not loose your nose if it is basal cell. You may have some scarring but there is a lot they can do for that these days.

I had a similar situation on my nose, and I didn't even think twice about having a biopsy done. Biopsies are incredibly small. You'll have a red *** on your nose for a few weeks, but that's the price to pay in order to know whether it is skin cancer.

Please quit self-diagnosing yourself. It is simply ridiculous to say something like "I might lose most or all of my nose." If it were urgent the doctors would've said something.

I can certainly understand why you are so upset and anxious over this, but as I've said before, for reader continuity, please try to keep all of your concerns in one thread. It makes it much easier for people to read your situation and to help you. Thanks.

Let's review: Get a biopsy. You are not going to "lose your nose." Let this be a lesson that you should always be wearing sun screen or hats. Get a skin-cancer screening every six months (or more often). Let your doctors practice medicine and diagnose diseases.

Thank you for the replies. I am going to do my best to be brave, and go in for the biopsy. I have seem pictures of so many people who lost their entire nose....it is very terrifying. I'm sorry for being so weird! I am normally not a weird person - really.

I'm just so young - 28 - and the thought of living without a nose for 30-40 years is more than I can handle.

My last question is this - have you heard of people losing their nose because of something that was as tiny as 2.5 mm. How aggressive and wide-reaching can something that small really be? My common sense tells me that it would only affect the side where it is, but the pictures scare the you-know-what out of me.

Also, I've read that they tend to grow downward from where they are on a nose. Anyone else heard that?

Cysutton, there is no need to apologize; you are not being weird. I know the feeling, because I've been there.

To answer your question: No, there is no way in hell you are going to lose your nose from this. The people who lose their entire nose are usually rural dwellers who let it go for decades. (That is what my doctor told me.) If it were that bad, the derms would've immediately done something—but they don't even think it's cancer! Take it from me: Quit pretending you are a doctor and let them handle it. And again, quit searching the Net! You probably have a blood papule in your nose, just like I did. Face it: You're getting older, and you're going to start getting all kinds of weird bumps and spots on your skin.

Get a biopsy, wait that two weeks, and get the good news. It might not be a bad idea to get some therapy too. (I am not being condescending; I needed therapy and was back to normal about a month after my scare.) You are right that the doctors are suggesting a biopsy because they want to avoid malpractice—but they also want to make $$$ by performing the biopsy. There is no doubt in my mind that they would've immediately insisted on a biopsy if they thought you had skin cancer.

Take some deep breaths. You are going to be fine.

I replied in a earlier message to you. I would get the biopsy. They do not hurt just a little sting when they numb it. Do not look up anything on the internet on losing your nose. Those people let it grow for decades. I had severe panic attacks and anxiety attacks when I dx. But then I got dx with malignant melanoma and that was a total different ballgame. Stay off the internet and get that biopsy so you will quit driving yourself crazy. Fear and anxiety can to that to you. Let us know what the biopsy results were.

Lisa malignant melanoma and basal cell

Cysutton:

Please give us an update.

Thank you for checking in. I still don't know anything. One of the moles I had removed at the same time I went to check about the spot on my nose came back moderately atypical. So, my dermatologist says I need to have more of the skin removed from that area of my neck/shoulder.

When I went to see my dermatologist last week to have the biopsy, he said the spot on my nose really does not look or act like skin cancers he has seen in the past. He said he didn't want to give me a biopsy because he doesn't want me to have a scar unnecessarily. He said I can have the plastic surgeon doing my mole surgery to give me a biopsy, if I really want one. He said he doesn't think the place on my nose is malignant, but if I want to do the biopsy so I can calm down and stop freaking out, I can do that.

I see the plastic surgeon tomorrow, so I will ask him about the biospy for my nose.

The spot on my nose has never bled, despite my picking at it almost constantly lately, and when the doctor measured it last week, it was (and is still) 2 mm. He said if it was skin cancer, it would be tender to the touch and bleed when traumatized. It is not at all tender to the touch, and has never bled, as I mentioned before.

He said what's on my nose seems vascular, because if you push on the place, it almost disappears - i.e. all the red goes out of it. As I've mentioned before, it's very, very slightly raised. You have to look very closely to tell it's raised at all.

I feel I am going to a good doctor - he's rated in the top 10 in the Washington, D.C. area, according to a large poll of doctors in the area. Plus, he's one of only a few Mohs surgeons in the D.C. area. So, I have to hope and pray that he is right in his judgement. I will do the biopsy anyway, but I hope so badly that I get good news. This is totally affecting my life.

I am hoping to see a psychologist or counselor soon. I have a few calls out to some.

Do you think I could possibly lose my whole nose over something as tiny as 2 mm?

Thank you for checking in. I still don't know anything. One of the moles I had removed at the same time I went to check about the spot on my nose came back moderately atypical. So, my dermatologist says I need to have more of the skin removed from that area of my neck/shoulder.

When I went to see my dermatologist last week to have the biopsy, he said the spot on my nose really does not look or act like skin cancers he has seen in the past. He said he didn't want to give me a biopsy because he doesn't want me to have a scar unnecessarily. He said I can have the plastic surgeon doing my mole surgery to give me a biopsy, if I really want one. He said he doesn't think the place on my nose is malignant, but if I want to do the biopsy so I can calm down and stop freaking out, I can do that.

I see the plastic surgeon tomorrow, so I will ask him about the biospy for my nose.

The spot on my nose has never bled, despite my picking at it almost constantly lately, and when the doctor measured it last week, it was (and is still) 2 mm. He said if it was skin cancer, it would be tender to the touch and bleed when traumatized. It is not at all tender to the touch, and has never bled, as I mentioned before.

He said what's on my nose seems vascular, because if you push on the place, it almost disappears - i.e. all the red goes out of it. As I've mentioned before, it's very, very slightly raised. You have to look very closely to tell it's raised at all.

I feel I am going to a good doctor - he's rated in the top 10 in the Washington, D.C. area, according to a large poll of doctors in the area. Plus, he's one of only a few Mohs surgeons in the D.C. area. So, I have to hope and pray that he is right in his judgement. I will do the biopsy anyway, but I hope so badly that I get good news. This is totally affecting my life.

I am hoping to see a psychologist or counselor soon. I have a few calls out to some.

Do you think I could possibly lose my whole nose over something as tiny as 2 mm?
I do not think you can lose your nose over this. The people that have lost ears, noses have let the basal grow for decades. Basal is a very slow growing cancer. I had mine for 2 1/2 years and did not know what it was before I had it removed. I had one cut out last tuesday on my chest opposite of the other two and I have a scar about a inch long. They do not cut them out on the face and neck. They use the mohs surgery. I would get the thing biopsied just for a piece of mind. You can not let this take over your life. Life is to short to sit and worry about that spot. When I was dx with basal i freaked out, But then I got worse news I had malignant melanoma stage 2. Let us know if he biopsies the place. Good luck


Lisa

Do you think I could possibly lose my whole nose over something as tiny as 2 mm?

Definitely! You are going to certainly lose your entire nose, half of your face—and the rest of your BRAIN!

Seriously, get a grip. You can ask that question a hundred times, and everyone here will answer you the same: NO. If your doctor doesn't think it's even worth a biopsy, why would Intenet message-board posters contradict him?

Because you're so anxious over this, I recommend you do get a biopsy, as I believe it's the only way you'll put this to rest. You're going to be fine. At least now you know to immediately go to a dermatologist the second you see a dubious spot.

Please keep us posted on your progress.

Trust me, get it biopsied! When my sister was pregnant, she got a growth under her breast. Her OB told her it was a third nipple, but since she is so vain, she went to have it removed and it ended up being melanoma. She has since had it removed and even got into a clinical study at the National Cancer Institute for a vaccine to prevent recurrence. She is completely cancer free and has been since 4/2003. For your own "peace of mind", just get it checked!!

Do The Biopsy!!!! It Might Save Your Nose!!!

Cysutton:

Did you get your biopsy report back yet?

Yes, the biopsy showed a fibrous papule of the nose, a benign condition. My only reservation is that I've been afraid that the steroid shot I was given could have altered the biopsy report in some way, by pushing the tumor further down than a shave biopsy could detect, but I've since gone to 3 dermatologists (yes, three) who have said that wouldn't happen - that biopsy is a biopsy and that I am fine.

Just trying to digest and believe the good news within myself...

It'll sink in a few days from now. I had the SAME thing on my nose, and after about a week, I trusted my derm. The mark from the biopsy is now gone. Your steroid-pushed-the-tumor-deeper theory is laughable.

Congratulations! Go have a beer tonight to celebrate.

I had a bbc right between my eyes and i let it go for about a year. It would scab over then seep little bits of liquid i guess i knew what it was but was scared to do anything about it and i had to take my daughter to the dermatologist so got enough nerve to ask her to look at it sure enough she said it was bbc but she did say if you were going to have skin cancer thats the kind to have because it usually will stay localized. she did a biopsy right there when the results came back i had it removed in fact i had to have it cut on twice and now i cant even tell where the scar is. really don't believe you have to worry about losing your nose. hope this helps ;)

Go and have your biopsy, NOW, like right now, your life could depend on this. I become very frustrated when I hear "I'm scared" you'll be a lot scared if you have made the wrong decision. If not for yourself do it for your family. Putting your head in the sand won't make it go away.
By me making the wright decision to have a biopsy it saved my life. These little marks can be very trickie.
Pick up the phone an make that appointment now, not tomorrow, right now.