Feeling miserable after mole removal

[SpookyGiraffe]

Two weeks ago I visited my GP about a mole on my face. I've had it for my entire life but recently I've been increasingly worried about it because it sometimes looks darker or lighter in colour. I expected my GP to say it's normal and down to sunlight but he recommended I have it taken off.

Today was the minor surgery.

The mole was in the crease next to my mouth and I completely underestimated how much any movement in my mouth afterwards would hurt. I can barely talk and eating was a miserable experience because of how painful it was, any drinks I'm having are via a straw.

Please tell me this gets better quickly.

I'm hopeful that the dressing I currently have on (told to take it off in the morning) is causing the restricted movement in my mouth rather than the stitches next to my mouth, so I'm hoping I feel much better as soon as I take it off but I'm still wary about moving my mouth too much just in case.

I also have to deal with stitches for the next week and I work in a client facing role so I'm stressing about that too (I don't typically care too much about my appearance but it genuinely looks like I have a spider on my face at the minute - maybe I should have waited until october and said it was for halloween haha).

Dreaming of next Tuesday when my stitches are taken out!

It's gone. You have to face a short time of recovery, then its all over.

Sounds painful. I think it will all be a bit swollen right now so is bound to feel a bit tight. You could put a flesh coloured plaster over it when you need to see clients. I am sure it will be feeling much better soon.

Thank you both! You're right, it'll be a short period of recovery and then done forever which is a nice thought.

I think I've got myself worked up about it and sitting here slurping tea through a straw and struggling to eat my dinner just topped off an emotional day (I've had therapy in the past as a blood and needle phobic so actually being able to do this in a doctor's surgery was a big deal - last time I had minor surgery was under general anaesthetic for that reason).

Tomorrow's another day, and one day closer to stitches being removed!

Brave you. You’ve tackled the anxious parts. No wonder you are impatient for next stage. Candy Crush for hours to get through.

I'm astonished they've whipped it off so quickly! I have a huge growth on my boob, but my GP don't even run a minor surgery clinic any more so there's no way to have it removed on the NHS, and it'll be about £1k privately to include histology....

Dose yourself up and take it easy, you've done the really hard part! I understand how you're feeling though - I'm recovering from a lifelong dentist phobia and I sob in the car after a check up or treatment. I think it's the adrenaline dump tbh. And I'm there again tomorrow 🙄

I had a mole taken off my eyelid because it was growing. My face was a mess, it was so swollen and painful, and I couldn’t open my eye at all. I was scared I’d be left with a crater. Anyway that was six months ago and it’s invisible now, I can’t even see where it was.

It’s absolutely horrible having something done on your face. The stitches will be pulling it tight. Once they are out it should start healing quickly. I wouldn’t want to be doing client facing work with stitches on my face though - can you get signed off for a few days or do back office work? Hope you’ll feel better very soon.

I should think that there are a lot of nerves around the mouth so that's probably making it feel worse. Keep on top of your pain relief and keep it clean and you'll be surprised how quickly it feels better!

And it's normal to feel a bit blue after, even without a phobia to overcome - but yay you, you did well! 💪

Thank you all for your kind words. They've definitely helped me to look at it differently and get a better perspective.

@ButtSurgery that's awful that you can't get it sorted on the NHS, I'm fortunate that my GP surgery still has a clinic but it feels like a real postcode lottery which is really unfair. You're definitely right about the adrenaline dump, it feels like such a relief that it's over that all my emotions are tacking onto the "next thing" disproportionately.

Luckily I have no appointments tomorrow or Thursday, and I do run my own diary so I could cancel the ones I have on Friday and Monday if I want to and just catch up on my admin work. I'll see how I go over the next few days.

I had a mole removed from exactly the same place nearly 30 ago (and have just shocked myself when I realised it was that long!)

The stitches felt as if they were pulling all the surrounding skin, but once they were removed I don’t remember any discomfort after that. Because the scar follows the line of the crease it is virtually invisible now. When I see an old photo of myself now I’m surprised to see it there.

It was only today! Give it a chance. You'll be fine in a couple of days.

Just get some cocodomol and naproxen for the pain and inflammation.

I've had two removed from my face.. One just like yours and the other a nasty a keratocanthoma between my lip and nose.. I was warned it would scar as there isn't much flesh to stitch.
Sore for a few days each and then fine. And the scar is only visible to me!

How is it feeling now @SpookyGiraffe?
I had a punch biopsy yesterday just below my bottom lip and am feeling similar. I'm also wondering if the dr forgot about the anaesthetic as it was incredibly painful when the biopsy was taken. Both he and the nurse expressed surprise it hurt and then he injected anaesthetic for the stitches?? Seems odd sequencing! And def didn't help with the post procedure emotional wobble!

I had a large mole removed from my throat 18 months ago maybe. Also at GPs minor surgery clinic. It hurtfor a few days especially as they cauterised it. Healed quickly and I can barely see a scar.

Well done OP for tackling your fear and having it removed.
It will be feeling tight, swollen, bruised and sore at the moment. This will all settle in time.

Once the stitches are removed, its normal to feel a sense of loss or even grief because your face will be different to the one you have known all your life. It will take time to see the new you.
My mum has 2, tiny, skin coloured lumps removed from her face 30yrs ago. She she said after the initial shock/change, it was the best thing she ever did.
Once your skin has healed, if there is any scar left, you can buy silicone gel or sheets online or from larger pharmacies. I'd recommend the gel for the face or areas that move alot. It comes in a tiny, tube, but you only apply a tiny amount each day. It eventually smooths the skin and helps to hide scars.
Best of luck and take each day as it comes x

It's still pretty sore when my pain relief wears off to be honest but I think I'm going to have some level of discomfort until the stitches are out on Tuesday, not that I'm counting down!

I've had a bit of a nightmare though as on Thursday night one of my stitches burst, visited nurse at the GP first thing Friday and she said it was healing fine but to go back if anything else happened. Typically, a second stitch burst last night so I spent most of my Friday evening at primary care, however they checked it, it's healing fine and I felt somewhat relieved because she told me the reason I have been feeling so uncomfortable and why they keep bursting us because the stitches are quite large for the area they've used them in, she said she would be surprised if the final stitch makes it to tuesday and if thinner stitches had been used I'd have more range of movement so it wouldn't have been as uncomfortable.

While it's still difficult to eat, I certainly don't feel as miserable as I did on Tuesday so hopefully you have a speedy physical and emotional recovery!

eep! sounds like you have had quite the week. Dissolvable stitches in mine so I’ll see how we get on!

I feel you. I had a skin cancer removed from the side of my nose. For a week afterwards, I had a bandaged nose and colleagues asking me if I’d had a nose job. 🙄

I had a mole removed from my nose a year ago but had to pay private as GP said it cosmetic. I remember the spider stitches! Just to make you aware I went to get them removed and it wasn't healed so had to wait another week.

Stitches are out! Oh my, the relief was honestly instantaneous, wound is still scabby for now but not sore and doing well with vaseline.

Genuinely was so happy to get the stitches removed that I drove straight to McDonald's and ordered a cheeseburger because I felt like I've not eaten in a week.

Thank you all so much for sharing your own experiences and helping me to get through the last week.

@Insertwitticismhere I hope you're also feeling better!