Beauty Sleuth #15: What happens when you get skin cancer?

May is Skin Cancer Awareness month! Did you know that skin cancer is the most common form of cancer in the United States? Fortunately, its also one of the most preventable forms of cancer and highly treatable when detected early.

I was just treated for skin cancer last month. I had sort of a pink growth/reddish area on my back. At first, I thought it was acne, because I do suffer from acne on my back if I don’t keep up with my UNBLEMISH skin care. But it just wouldn’t heal/get better. I kept an eye on it, and it seemed to be getting bigger. So I made an appointment with my dermatologist. I was due for an annual “mole check” anyway. She said she thought it was not something to be concerned about but she did do a biopsy. A few days later, she called me back to say, “Yep, you were right. It’s basal cell carcinoma (BCC) and we need to take it out.”

BCC is the most frequently occurring form of all cancers. More than one out of every three new cancers is a skin cancer, and the vast majority are BCCs. However, it almost never spreads (metastasizes) beyond the original tumor site. Only in exceedingly rare cases can it spread to other parts of the body and become life-threatening. It shouldn’t be taken lightly, though: it can be disfiguring if not treated promptly. (From the Skin Cancer Foundation website.)

This wasn’t my first bout with BCC. I had another one on my face a while back. When it’s on your face, typically the treatment is via Mohs Surgery. And the extraction of that one went very well. I even used a micro needler to reduce the scarring. For this one, my doctor told me she was not going to do Mohs. She said that it wasn’t the best way to remove BCC on my back. She also told me that it is very likely that my BCC came from chronic sun exposure in my youth. 

A day or two ahead of this extraction, though, I thought to myself: “You know, maybe there are others out there who don’t know what to expect if, or when, they are diagnosed with a basal cell. I’ll just do a quick little video of the process and maybe it will be of interest/help to someone else.”

So here it is…I hope you find it educational. And if so, pass it on. #MostCommonCancer