skin cancers

howdrink · Senior Member

skin cancers

peter and rose · Veteran Member

totally agree with you

I had one on the side of my face which luckily was noticed in time resulted in surgery and 80 stitches. I now get checked every 12 months.

Oh and age has nothing to do with it I was in my early 40s when diagnosed.

It is easily fixed if you get to them EARLY!!!!!!!

jimricho · Guru

Maybe this is a good thread for the health section of the forum?

Wombat 280 · Guru

Had a melanoma removed off my back where I couldn't see it My Dr picked it up in a routine medical. Will reach the 5 Year mark in Oct 2011 then go from six monthly to 12 monthly exam provided it stays clear. Skin Cancers, I have had heaps burnt off and cut out I really don't think Sun exposure helps but isn't the only cause.

stan747 · Veteran Member

Just had my yearly check and got the all clear thank god but they have now started to charge for what has always been a free service.
I wander how many will be put off by the charge and go on to get skin cancers.

bill12 · Guru

I work in the sun, and have quite a few of the lower end cancers on my face and the back of my hands, but thankfully no melanomas. They are itchy and a little painful at times, but are just apart of what I do.I have grown a beard to cover my face ,which makes me look older, and do wear a hat and sunscreen, so I am doing what I can. What can you do , but keep soldiering on.

Beth54 · Guru

I'm rather paranoid about skin cancers. Many years ago, my Dad had half his nose cut off and skin grafts etc, and over his later years, was always at the doctors getting something cut out.

I have the same type of freckly skin, so ALWAYS wear suncreen and hat when outside. Of course, when I was teen, my sister and I would slather ourselves coconut oil and bake in the sun. We didn't know any better.

I've had a BCC (basal cell carcinoma) cut out of my nose, and currently waiting for an appointment at the hospital to get another cut off my nose. It's very close to my eye, so a bit of a worry.

No Melanomas in my immediate family, but some extended family have.

petengail · Guru

I would estimate that I have had at least 50 cut out over the last 20 years. Every time I go to the doctor, which is fairly often he checks me out.

DellieMay · Senior Member

Jimricho... I can't agree with you. Not everyone reads the health section. Everyone reads the general section. I believe howdrink is hoping to reach ALL of us with his warning..not just a few. The forum, I tend to believe, is for general discussion,companionship, support if necessary, friendship etc. I also believe it does have a lot to do with caravaning and travel. We are all like minded people, otherwise, why would we be on this forum?
Cheers Dellie

pricey43 · Guru

Had one cut out of my arm 6 weeks ago. Back tomorrow for a full body check. That's what comes from being a red head with freckles.

HeadnHome · Senior Member

I will have to get a check up soon, sadly a local mother buried today because of a melanoma, she would of
been in her late 30's early 40's.. so sad..

goinsoon · Guru

100% agree luckily I got mine early, tiny spot on my lip, the doctor wouldn't let me leave the surgery (luckily he was a plastic surgeon in South Africa) and he cut it out then and there, the test showed it was a carcinoma.

jandas fun · Guru

Yes. get your self checked out regularly.
Had my first skin cancer cut out on my back over 30 years ago, and now have a check every 6 months or so.
Don't know how many have been cut out over the years (100's burnt/frozen off) but the last one was under my big toe nail.
Treated by my g.p and podiatrist and dematologist as a fungal growth initially, 12 months of hell. Eventually went for day surgery
to have it cut out, and found to be a skin cancer down to the bone.
A curse on my pommie ancestors.

Johnw

howdrink · Senior Member

My goodness by the amount of replys to my post it just goes to show how many of us guys have got skin cancer or has had some burnt off or have had it removed by surgery. I put this on just to say watch your selfs i would rather hear from you guys saying we have had the cancer removed rather than hearing one of you had left it too late and have died we have all had relitives or freinds that have gone that way. Please look out for your selfs

Gerty Dancer · Guru

Thank you for this post Howdrink, very useful reminder.
Most of us have had or know somebody who's had a melanoma/skin cancer, being careful and getting checks regularly should be way of life with us all.

goinsoon · Guru

Howdrink, this is a great post you started "congratulations" we all need reminding about this very important issue.

Another reminder guys dont forget the regular Prostate and bowel check, both all too often ignored.

Helena · Guru

Don't think that this only happens to fair skinned people I am olive skinned and had numerous ones frozen off and have had to have two cut out unfortunately we didn't know about the ozone layer when we were young and of course laid out on the beach to get that beautiful golden tan. I wonder if we had have known would we have taken any notice as I still see the young ones out on the beach after that aussie look. Helena.

jules47 · The Happy Helper

Had a spot cut out on the top of my hand - the size of a small pinhead - when he did the cut and took it out, the dr put his whole thumb in the cavity, to show me how big it was - 26 stitches - then he must have missed a bit, because he had to do it all over again. Not much flesh on the top of your hand, so very painful, couldn't move hand for 48 hours - had to be kept completely still. Ver nasty - but I have a skin type that can't tolerate 99.9% of sunscreens - and get too hot to cover up - so just keep watching spots etc.
Of course, most damage was done when we young - I can remember mixing coca cola and ollive oil - or using coconut oil - we must have almost fried.

robell · Senior Member

DellieMay wrote:
Jimricho... I can't agree with you. Not everyone reads the health section. Everyone reads the general section. I believe howdrink is hoping to reach ALL of us with his warning..not just a few. The forum, I tend to believe, is for general discussion,companionship, support if necessary, friendship etc. I also believe it does have a lot to do with caravaning and travel. We are all like minded people, otherwise, why would we be on this forum?
Cheers Dellie

Couldn't agree more D M, this is a topic for all.

Cruising Granny · Guru

A timely warning and advice. Obviously the message has hit the target audience.
I have a moley complexion and have been very aware of the big "C" since the word went out. Maybe the fact I hated sunbaking has been my saving grace. I just couldn't lie around or sit still long enough. My tan came from working out in the weather, on prawn boats, car detailing in car yards, gardening, and loving the outdoors.
I've had several suspicious moles removed and some skin scraped, I've come up clean every time, thankfully.
I have friends with a multitude of skin lesions and cancers of various severity.
The annual check up is the best way to monitor our skin. I can't see my back properly so I depend on the skin clinic to check it. I also watch my moles, many of which I've had since birth, but if they change, itch or worry me I get them checked immediately.

tonyd · Guru

A quick back-up to goinsoon's post about prostate checks. All blokes over about 45 should have a PSA (prostate specific antigen blood test) regularly. Mine detected a (fortunately) low-grade, localised and treatable condition which is now monitored closely. At my prostate cancer support group I have met many relatively young (40s,50s) blokes with serious problems, including radical prostatectomies, a serious surgical procedure which causes its own range of problems and is best avoided . . . by early detection. Cheers, Tony

jimricho · Guru

robell wrote:
DellieMay wrote:
Jimricho... I can't agree with you. Not everyone reads the health section. Everyone reads the general section. I believe howdrink is hoping to reach ALL of us with his warning..not just a few. The forum, I tend to believe, is for general discussion,companionship, support if necessary, friendship etc. I also believe it does have a lot to do with caravaning and travel. We are all like minded people, otherwise, why would we be on this forum?
Cheers Dellie
Couldn't agree more D M, this is a topic for all.

It was only a thought and not that important in the grand scheme of things. Since my earlier post the thread has morphed into general discussion on the topic rather than something for future reference so yes, I can see your point.

DellieMay · Senior Member

I think that is one of the good thing about this forum. The topic tends to veer in all directions, but that's what general discussions do, I think. {Not just because I'm a woman either, you lot}.Lol.

pricey43 · Guru

Back from the doc. One frozen off my face and two to be biopsied next week. Can barely even see one of them.

robell · Senior Member

DellieMay wrote:
I think that is one of the good thing about this forum. The topic tends to veer in all directions, but that's what general discussions do, I think. {Not just because I'm a woman either, you lot}.Lol.

Why add the last bit in brackets, DM, who among us would think such a thing as that, [Chuckles loudly] confuse biggrin biggrin biggrin

Cruising Granny · Guru

Boy! My mind is running on overdrive imagining a mob of GN's around the campfire, with beverage of choice in hand, lips a little loose, and the topic discussion flowing thick and fast.
Wouldn't that be fun!

Ma · Guru

Sure would be Gran. Maybe we should try and organise another get together. It's been over a year now since the last one and that was fantastic.

Cruising Granny · Guru

Adelaide perhaps? It seems there's a few over here at the moment as well as we who live here and haven't left to go north yet.

Ma · Guru

Instead if hijacking this thread entirely I will continue it in the get togethers thread