[Clough]

Hi, All!

Okay, some of you know that I recently had skin cancer removed from my nose. I waited too long and it had grown to a fairly large size.

I promise that I won't wait too long again! The shots and surgery weren't really all that bad! I just was being "chicken", thinking things might go away and that maybe I could handle things on my own.

WRONG!

Never would really heal... It was all basil cell carcinoma.

Surgeon took things down to the bone. At least three pathology reports to wait for while I was on the operating table. In the end though, everything came back "clear".

Now have a skin graft over the area. Skin was taken off my left collar bone to cover the area from where the cancer was excised.

Questions...

Will I ever have feeling in that area again?

It looks like a piece of "meat" that has been softened with a meat tenderizing mallet. Are those my pores that I'm seeing? I know that there weren't sutures put throughout the whole thing.

Will the same hair that was on my collar bone be growing out of the skin graft?

Will the skin graft blend in with the other skin on my face?

That's just a start here...

If you've had a skin graft or experience with others having a skin graft, I would really appreciate hearing from you!

Thanks!

[Gemini54]

Hi Clough, sorry to hear about your cancerous experience.

... I hope that it doesn't look too bad- it can be pretty awful (my husband had one removed from the top of his head last year!

Anyway, we're from Australia, the skin cancer capital of the world, and I know heaps of people that have had skin grafts. Too many unfortunately, and I expect I may be one of them one day - having been the 'sun queen' at one stage.

My brief answers to your questions (but your doctor may be able to answer them better than I)...

Will I ever have feeling in that area again?

Probably not - since everything has been removed to the bone, so have all the nerve endings.

It looks like a piece of "meat" that has been softened with a meat tenderizing mallet. Are those my pores that I'm seeing? I know that there weren't sutures put throughout the whole thing.

I'm not sure, if it's all been removed down to the bone, I don't think they would be pores you'd be looking at. Could they be stitches?

Will the same hair that was on my collar bone be growing out of the skin graft?

Yes, it may. (You have hair on your collar bone? ) In OZ they usually take the graft from below the armpit.

Will the skin graft blend in with the other skin on my face?

Eventually yes, although it will look like a patchwork quilt for a while.

I hope you heal quickly, and with minimal discomfort!

[Clough]

Well, I'm trying here!

At least the cancer is gone!

Believe it or not, the surgeon has retired and I was one of his last patients. Now, I need to work with his nurse for taking off the scabs.

There wasn't much hair in the area from where he took the skin graft.

I don't think that they're stiches that I'm seeing. I'm think that they might be pores.

Well again, at least the cancer is gone!

I'm just looking for some future expectations here!

Thanks!

[J_9]

It's really not pores Clough. It's actually how they "shave" off the skin for the skin graft. All skin grafts look like that at the beginning.

[Clough]

So, what are the holes, please?

Thanks!

[J_9]

I don't know what they are called, but it has to do with increasing the blood flow and oxygenation to the tissues.

[Clough]

Well, my retired nurse friend said that things would smooth out eventually.

Is that true?

[J_9]

It should. She knows much more about it than I do though. Now, if you are having a baby... :p;)

[Clough]

The skin graft has a bunch of scabs on it. It also looks very dry and has a very thin layer of dried skin that is flaking off.

Are those things that are also normal occurrences?

I've also decided to have a baby, J_9! I just wanted to let you know that! :p

[J_9]

Very normal Clough!

You're having a baby? Wow, what great news! Can I be your nurse? I've always wanted to make the news. Never had a pregnant man before!

[Gemini54]

The skin graft has a bunch of scabs on it. It also looks very dry and has a very thin layer of dried skin that is flaking off.

Are those things that are also normal occurrences?

I've also decided to have a baby, J_9! I just wanted to let you know that! :p

Sometimes having a baby is easier that submitting to horrible procedures like skin grafts!

A friend of mine had mastectomy and they grafted some skin from near the pubic area to recreate the nipple. Anyway, they went too far down and grafted a piece of skin that had pubic hair on it - so guess what? She started growing hair from her nipple. Needless to say, they had to do it all over again, which was just awful for her.

Anyway, I hope it all goes well for you Clough! :)

[Clough]

Very normal Clough!

You're having a baby? Wow, what great news! Can I be your nurse? I've always wanted to make the news. Never had a pregnant man before!

Should be any day now! Water has already started to break... We're going to have to call the Guinness Book of World Records! Sure, I'd love to have you as my nurse.

Get ready for fame and fortune! :p

Thanks!

[Clough]

Sometimes having a baby is easier that submitting to horrible procedures like skin grafts!

A friend of mine had mastectomy and they grafted some skin from near the pubic area to recreate the nipple. Anyway, they went too far down and grafted a piece of skin that had pubic hair on it - so guess what? She started growing hair from her nipple. Needless to say, they had to do it all over again, which was just awful for her.

Anyway, I hope it all goes well for you Clough! :)

It's so dry and looks like crap right now! I'm sorry about your friend!

I'm hoping that I don't have to shave my nose!

[Wondergirl]

One of my library volunteers (age 70ish) had skin cancer on her nose, had it cored out, got a skin graft, wore a bandage then a band-aid for quite a while, then walked around with a brownish place on her nose that, within two years, filled in and now looks like a normal nose.

[Clough]

Well, I'm hoping that it will look normal eventually, Wondergirl! I spoke with a woman at one of the churches that I attend. She evidently had a large portion of her nose removed because of skin cancer.

You wouldn't know it now though.

Thanks for your encouraging words!

I'm glad that I finally had it done! I shouldn't have waited so long!

[summer7]

Hey Clough,
I'm glad you are OK... Very brave to have that procedure done. I bet you are relieved it's all behind you.

[Clough]

Hey Clough,
I'm glad you are OK...Very brave to have that procedure done. I bet you are relieved it's all behind you.

Yes. It's behind me now summer7. I am relieved!

Thanks! :)

[Clough]

Well, scabs are to be removed this coming week.

I wonder what will be involved with that? Every day, it looks a little worse. I know that it's healing, but I'm having to explain to customers of mine what's happening with my nose.

Thanks!

[KBC]

Well, scabs are to be removed this coming week.

I wonder what will be involved with that? Every day, it looks a little worse. I know that it's healing, but I'm having to explain to customers of mine what's happening with my nose.

Thanks!

You could always say that one customer wouldn't pay up, and he got the worst of it,, lol

[J_9]

Sometimes having a baby is easier that submitting to horrible procedures like skin grafts!

A friend of mine had mastectomy and they grafted some skin from near the pubic area to recreate the nipple. Anyway, they went too far down and grafted a piece of skin that had pubic hair on it - so guess what? She started growing hair from her nipple. Needless to say, they had to do it all over again, which was just awful for her.

Anyway, I hope it all goes well for you Clough! :)

I've had 4 babies AND a mastectomy with the same procedures as your friend. I'd rather have a baby. The pain associated with having a baby is over as soon as the baby pops out. The pain I had with my mastectomy lasted over 12 weeks! :eek: