Public Service Announcement: sunscreen and skin checks

[L Stegall]

I haven't been online much the past week or so and I wish it was due to something fun, but it's not. In May, I went for my annual skin check with my dermatologist. Had a mole on my upper back (very near my neckline) that she thought we should remove "as a precaution," which they did on 6/15. Friday, they called with the news that it was a malignant melanoma. Wow, are those words you never want to hear in a conversation about yourself!!!! Tomorrow I go back for more surgery. The very, very good news is that the melanoma was on the epidermis layer, so it had not penetrated the dermis (under the skin). Hopefully, they will get clean margins around it tomorrow and I should make a full recovery.

So please, learn from me (a teenager when baby oil was considered an acceptable sun screen) - get screened regularly! I called my friend who referred me to his doctor about 2 years ago today and thanked him for literally saving my life. I'd gotten lazy about going regularly and his comments made me schedule that first appointment with this new doctor. Why I scheduled another appointment in March (first available appointment was May), I'll never know, but I'm so glad I did.

[Daniel Bates]

Good luck, Lisa!

[L Stegall]

Thanks Daniel. I'll post tomorrow after I'm done with the Dr. I'm taking the WHOLE day off from real work! LOL.

[jagphoto]

Lisa, thank you for this message. I have been saying I was going to do this for about a year now and now I will.

[CaptainTom]

Lisa
Best of luck.
I recently had one removed from my nose. It is not such a terrible thing as it was in the past. The dermatologist removed the MM and the next day the plastic surgeon repaired the damage.
I have since run into a few people who have had several MM's and you can't even tell..

[L Stegall]

Tom, thanks. You are right that It's not so terrible if they catch it in time and that is the key. Once it is in the dermal layers, this stuff is BAD news. But, today confirmed mine was limited to the epidermis. He took wider margins this morning - everything went fine. I'm feeling pretty lucky, since I've had 3 different dermatologists "watch" this mole for several years. Next time someone wants to "watch" one, I'll tell them I'll watch them take it off right then and there!

I guess this ends my career as a back model before it even began [LOL], but I'll take a scar and my life any day!

Jagphoto, please do get screened. Better safe than sorry!

[epoh]

Ack, I keep hearing stories like this but I have yet to go and find a dermatologist yet. I got sunburned every summer until I was about 18. I am covered in freckles and quite a few look suspicious to me. I really need to go.

[L Stegall]

Amy, I hear you on the wasted teenage years and I'm fair skinned and freckled too. Please go get checked. I'm sure I can find you plenty of dermatologists in Ft. Worth, but see who your friends use. I like referrals from happy patients, myself.

[snidow]

Good luck Lisa and thanks for posting a good reminder for us all! Sounds like you caught it early which is one of the major key's to beating cancer! Take care.

[CaptainTom]

couldn't resist....

[L Stegall]

Thanks for the good laugh!!!!