Mighty Girl
12-05-2006, 06:02 AM
I am very fair skinned, and I was very lax about using sunscreen growing up. And it's now coming back to bite me in the ass.
I've had countless suspicious looking moles removed, every one of them came back benign, until this year. Earlier this year, I asked my doctor about this little bump on my leg. Tiny bump. It literally had no pigment. It looked like I dropped a tiny little drop of super glue on my leg and it dried. Smaller than a zit that hasn't reached the surface, but everytime I shaved my legs, I hit it and would nick myself. Finally, it got on my nerves once too many- and I had her check it out. She removed it, and the tests came back, "Actinic keratosis". Which translates into, precancerous skin damage caused my overexposure to the sun, if left untreated would likely lead to squamous cell carcinoma. Not good would be an understatement. :eek: Excuse me while I pick myself up off the floor.
I made an appointment to come back and have the area excised- have the area as well as a bunch of area around it removed and cauterized. My tiny bump turned into a black mark on my leg a little smaller than a quarter. With that over with, I returned to the normal chaos I call life- which actually seemed quite serene and downright celebratory.
Then, I visited the dr. again about two more moles. At the time she performed the shave biopsy, she said she was a "little concerned" about one of the moles, as it seemed to have a larger blood supply than the average mole. Her concern turned out to be prophetic. Focally Moderate Melanocytic Dysplasia. I have graduated to having to go see a specialist. The word in that heart-stopping phrase that means the most is "moderate". Apparently, if it said "mild", we'd all be having daiquiries. But it said moderate. My appointment is next month, and I'd be lying if I wasn't a little freaked out. I have very sensitive skin, and every little bit of acne, ingrown hair, rough spot, etc. has me on edge.
I promise, right now, to use sunscreen religiously. I already slather my daughter up in it constantly (in the summer months, of course). Now, I'll also take care of myself.
So, sorry so long. USE SUNSCREEN. There is no such thing as developing a "healthy base tan". Go get the sunless tanning spray (btw, Neutrogene and Estee Lauder are the best, IMHO), and get sunscreen and use it.
Last winter, we buried my uncle. He was only in his fifties. He had melanoma, but never knew it until it spread, and he had to have massive surgery. One kidney removed, the possibility of never walking again. You know what that surgery bought him? Two years. One, was pretty good. He had the surgery, recovered and had a good 10 months of good times. Then, it came back. And he spent the last 4 months of his life in a lot of pain. He died in hospice, heavily sedated due to all the pain.
Take care of your skin. Protect it.
Sorry for this being so long.
I've had countless suspicious looking moles removed, every one of them came back benign, until this year. Earlier this year, I asked my doctor about this little bump on my leg. Tiny bump. It literally had no pigment. It looked like I dropped a tiny little drop of super glue on my leg and it dried. Smaller than a zit that hasn't reached the surface, but everytime I shaved my legs, I hit it and would nick myself. Finally, it got on my nerves once too many- and I had her check it out. She removed it, and the tests came back, "Actinic keratosis". Which translates into, precancerous skin damage caused my overexposure to the sun, if left untreated would likely lead to squamous cell carcinoma. Not good would be an understatement. :eek: Excuse me while I pick myself up off the floor.
I made an appointment to come back and have the area excised- have the area as well as a bunch of area around it removed and cauterized. My tiny bump turned into a black mark on my leg a little smaller than a quarter. With that over with, I returned to the normal chaos I call life- which actually seemed quite serene and downright celebratory.
Then, I visited the dr. again about two more moles. At the time she performed the shave biopsy, she said she was a "little concerned" about one of the moles, as it seemed to have a larger blood supply than the average mole. Her concern turned out to be prophetic. Focally Moderate Melanocytic Dysplasia. I have graduated to having to go see a specialist. The word in that heart-stopping phrase that means the most is "moderate". Apparently, if it said "mild", we'd all be having daiquiries. But it said moderate. My appointment is next month, and I'd be lying if I wasn't a little freaked out. I have very sensitive skin, and every little bit of acne, ingrown hair, rough spot, etc. has me on edge.
I promise, right now, to use sunscreen religiously. I already slather my daughter up in it constantly (in the summer months, of course). Now, I'll also take care of myself.
So, sorry so long. USE SUNSCREEN. There is no such thing as developing a "healthy base tan". Go get the sunless tanning spray (btw, Neutrogene and Estee Lauder are the best, IMHO), and get sunscreen and use it.
Last winter, we buried my uncle. He was only in his fifties. He had melanoma, but never knew it until it spread, and he had to have massive surgery. One kidney removed, the possibility of never walking again. You know what that surgery bought him? Two years. One, was pretty good. He had the surgery, recovered and had a good 10 months of good times. Then, it came back. And he spent the last 4 months of his life in a lot of pain. He died in hospice, heavily sedated due to all the pain.
Take care of your skin. Protect it.
Sorry for this being so long.