BCC on nose… surgery

Healthanxiety95 · 2023-06-14T12:18:54+00:00

I’m just wondering has anyone any positive stories about BCC on nose/face, scar wise, due to have surgery today which requires stitches just on the side of my nose/cheek area. I’m also very happy it’s not anything worse that could spread throughout the body etc. Just obviously not looking forward to facial surgery as I’m only 28 :( any advice on healing would be great :)

Ikeatears · 14/06/2023 13:26

I had bcc removed from my nose. They had to skin graft mine. I had an attached dressing sewn on for a week or so (looked like a small cushion) and they recommended I sleep sitting up at first.
It has healed really well. I won't lie, it's obvious without makeup but with (ordinary) makeup can hardly be seen.
I forget it's even there now most of the time. I'll see if I can find a photo...

Highdaysandholidays1 · 14/06/2023 13:29

My relative has had this and we were warned it might be a big chunk out. It looked pretty bad whilst healing, but the end result is amazing and she doesn't wear any make-up (her choice) and I don't think you would notice it unless you were looking for it.

Ikeatears · 14/06/2023 13:33

With and without makeup.
I don't wear makeup most day times and I don't feel self conscious. The pp is correct though, it looked awful when it was healing and very concave. This has improved dramatically.

TheShellBeach · 14/06/2023 13:47

I had a skin graft on my nose after a BCC removal.
It looked awful for a few weeks and now, two years later, you can barely notice it.

Groutyonehereagain · 14/06/2023 13:49

DH had one removed from his ear. There’s no way you can see where it was. Good luck.

Original poster

Healthanxiety95 · 14/06/2023 14:04

Thanks so much. Thoughts of anything is always worse, I know, due to have it done today at 3pm. The spot was about 4mm to begin with when diagnosed in March. I’m hoping the site won’t be too big!

OP posts:

Meceme · 14/06/2023 14:05

My husband had a BCC removed from the side of his nose in 2020. The wound was the size of a £1 coin. He opted for no graft. Within 3 months you could just see a slight depression, now it is completely gone with no trace that he ever had surgery.

Original poster

Healthanxiety95 · 14/06/2023 14:05

Ikeatears · 14/06/2023 13:33

With and without makeup.
I don't wear makeup most day times and I don't feel self conscious. The pp is correct though, it looked awful when it was healing and very concave. This has improved dramatically.

Wow, you can hardly see rhat, I honestly wouldn’t notice if you hadn’t of said anything. Did it take the guts of a year to heal? Or less? I usually don’t wear foundation. Thanks for photos :) did you have MOHs?

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Querty123456 · 15/06/2023 17:16

I had MOHS for BCC on my nose a few years ago. I have to say the scarring is quite bad raised and it’s very red. It looks pretty noticeable but I can conceal it with make up. Considering having laser on it to try to flatten it and also address the thread vein issue which is why it looks so red.

shamoola · 15/06/2023 17:26

I also had MOHS surgery for a BCC under my eye. The scar goes from under my eye all the way down the side of my nose. It follows the smile lines so it's not noticeable at all. I think if you met me now you wouldn't notice and I very rarely wear make up.

Having said that I did faint when they let me look in the mirror as it's so much worse immediately after! Lots of bruising, black eye and swelling. But it all fades to nothing so try not to worry.

Original poster

Healthanxiety95 · 15/06/2023 20:45

OP here. Thanks so much everyone, I didn’t have MOHs but had excision with outside layer of tissue taken too, by a plastic surgeon. So will know results in a few weeks, might have a chance of one more excision but hopefully they’ve got it all! So far stitches are quite sore & tender. But doesn’t look quite as bad as what I’d imagine it would at first!

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ithinkicanithinkican · 15/06/2023 21:09

I had a BCC removed from the area where my cheek meets my nose. Within a year it was virtually invisible. It's a really scary worry to think you'll have a big scar on your face, I cried when they first told me I'd need it cut out, but the surgeon did a great job and I never even think about it now. Best of luck!

SparklyStone · 15/06/2023 21:23

I was so afraid how my face would heal, but no one notices it really. When I have a bit of colour on my face (even though I wear factor 50!), it’s a little more noticeable as the scar lines don’t tan. All the best x

SaltyCrisps · 16/06/2023 19:06

Hi there. Mine was on the side of my face about a cm from my ear. They had to do it twice, as after the first removal they concluded that it was infiltrating.

It did look pretty scary at the time, but the way it's healed up is quite amazing. The scar is probably 2-3 inches long, and vertical, but it really is almost impossible to see it. I know that many other women have had equally fantastic cosmetic outcomes, so I think you very probably have nothing to be concerned about, OP. Very best of luck.

Luxell934 · 18/06/2023 10:29

Have you had a biopsy to make sure it’s 100% cancer. They said my nan had one on her nose, no biopsy, just removed it and did a skin graft. After they biopsied it after removal it turned out it wasn’t cancer after all. But her wound wasn’t too bad and if it is cancer a small price to pay.

Original poster

Healthanxiety95 · 18/06/2023 21:18

Luxell934 · 18/06/2023 10:29

Have you had a biopsy to make sure it’s 100% cancer. They said my nan had one on her nose, no biopsy, just removed it and did a skin graft. After they biopsied it after removal it turned out it wasn’t cancer after all. But her wound wasn’t too bad and if it is cancer a small price to pay.

Hey! Aw no way, this can sadly happen a lot. But my plastic surgeon did a shave biopsy first in March & it indeed was a Bcc.. been there a few years tbh I didn’t take a lot of notice of it really as was small and caused no issues, just looked like a clear mole & being honest, being from Ireland we really aren’t educated enough on the non melanoma skin cancers. I got pregnant & it bled a tiny bit so I went to the doctors then & got referred to the plastic surgeon because of its location! It’s nodular type & 4mm in size. One thing it has taught me is to be vigilant with skin & changes, spf 50 everyday on face all year round and just keep getting regular skin checkups.

OP posts:

Original poster

Healthanxiety95 · 19/06/2023 10:33

SaltyCrisps · 16/06/2023 19:06

Hi there. Mine was on the side of my face about a cm from my ear. They had to do it twice, as after the first removal they concluded that it was infiltrating.

It did look pretty scary at the time, but the way it's healed up is quite amazing. The scar is probably 2-3 inches long, and vertical, but it really is almost impossible to see it. I know that many other women have had equally fantastic cosmetic outcomes, so I think you very probably have nothing to be concerned about, OP. Very best of luck.

Thanks so much!
when did they know it was infiltrating? After your first shave biopsy?

OP posts:

Original poster

Healthanxiety95 · 19/06/2023 10:34

ithinkicanithinkican · 15/06/2023 21:09

I had a BCC removed from the area where my cheek meets my nose. Within a year it was virtually invisible. It's a really scary worry to think you'll have a big scar on your face, I cried when they first told me I'd need it cut out, but the surgeon did a great job and I never even think about it now. Best of luck!

That is exactly where mine! Thanks for your reply. Left nose/cheek under my eye! I’m getting stitches out today so can start properly washing it moisturising etc and let the proper healing begin.

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ThomasHardyPerennial · 19/06/2023 10:43

I had MOHS to get one removed several years ago - right by the outer corner of my eye/top of cheekbone. The location of it really made me very anxious at the time. I have a scar about 2 inches long, but I am very pale. The surgeon showed me how to massage the area, and I think it really helped with the healing. It isn't raised at all.

Best of luck with getting the stitches out, Healthanxiety95!

ithinkicanithinkican · 19/06/2023 11:10

@Healthanxiety95 I was slightly obsessed with it not getting infected so I bought loads of cheap supermarket flannels so I had a clean one every time I washed my face. Just in case that's useful for you! Best of luck with your healing.

SaltyCrisps · 21/06/2023 07:27

Thanks so much!
when did they know it was infiltrating? After your first shave biopsy?

Hi there. I'm not sure what a shave biopsy is, but they found it was infiltrating after the first attempt to remove it. They just had to go back and do it again with slightly wider/deeper margins. After that all was well :-)

Healthfreak95 · 05/07/2023 17:57

OP here guys… recently noticed this on nose but not sure if it’s overthinking, around my pores.. any idea? Another bcc ?

Healthfreak95 · 05/07/2023 18:08

OP here.. also excuse the red dot as I irritated the skin myself!

Healthfreak95 · 02/08/2023 11:32

Hi guys OP here. Just updating in case it helps anyone in the future. I will post pics to follow. So they got it all in one cut! Such a relief. It’s not even been two months yet & unless people are looking for it, nobody notices the scar, I couldn’t be happier, mainly because it’s gone. KeloCote silicone gel was recommended to me & rose hip oil. Lots of spf50 for the rest of my life & be vigilant. The BCC was definitely on my face about 5 years give or take & only ever grew to be about 5mm. Very slow growing but nonetheless skin cancer. Thanks for all the advice!

ThomasHardyPerennial · 02/08/2023 20:38

Really glad it went well, OP!