Has Anyone Had Plastic Surgery After Skin-Cancer Surgery? - Cancer: Skin Message Board

Pigeons · 03-17-2004, 08:53 AM

I'm curious how the results were. I have a basal cell on my temple, and I went to get surgery the other day, but the assistant recommended I have a plastic surgeon close it up (which required me to reschedule). This scared me, as it indicates she thought the scar would be huge. So I'm wondering how the results of plastic surgery are.

motherchuck · 03-17-2004, 02:33 PM

Pigeons-my dermatologist is a cosmetic surgeon as well as a mohs surgeon. I do everything with him i/s of being out-sourced. The last spot I had removed was very small (like under 2mm) but when it was completely removed (mohs) the spot looked like the size of a dime!! My dr just showed me the photo yesterday. You can't close a circle up as easy as it appears. I now have two rows across and one down just to close this spot up. Over 30 stitches!! It will heal beautifully I am sure but right now I am still in the red!! It was also very hard to look at until they took the stitches out. Now I hardly notice it at all. He cuts in a way that aesthetically fits my face, around the brow, wrinkle lines etc. I think it is well worth it!!

Pigeons · 03-18-2004, 08:48 AM

Motherchunk, thanks for the reply.

my derm is a cosmetic surgeon as well, but he still recommended I have a plastic surgeon close up the wound. I have no idea why. My basal cell is larger than a pencil eraser (diameter speaking), so I'm realy concerned about how big it is underneath!

Have you looked into using bloodroot? I'm beginning to really think that's a better method, as those I've talked to about it have had much better results than surgery. There's still scarring, but because the bloodroot draws the cancer out, it's much more forgiving than the cuts created by the surgeon's knife.