basal cell carcinoma on face

[Insertwitticismhere]

Hi. Talk me down/hold my hand/tell me it'll all be ok??
Had a spot come up between my lip and chin starting bothering me before christmas. Have tried all sorts to get rid. Went to see GP yest and he thinks its a basal cell carcinoma and referred to dermatology. Going back over photos last night I realise its actually been present for 2 years! Messaged the Dr to ask if this changed anything and if there was any sense of when an appt might come through. His reponse was 'Thank you for the infomation. You are on the correct pathway' and that was it.
Very anxious about what comes next and how long I might be left to stress about it! (Not to mention how big a hole they might need to cut in my face! )

I’ve been referred for the same. Referred in March. Appointment with dermatology is June.

My mum had it only a few months ago just after having breast cancer so we got a fright. She just went to GP who took it off and all was fine. Don’t stress!

The waiting is the worst!! Thanks for replying I can't maintain this level of angst for 3 months + so will have to have a word with myself!

I had a spot/mark on my face that my GP was v concerned about when I asked him to check it. Referral got lost and second GP again v concerned when I mentioned it 6 months later and sent a photo this time alongside a query about original referral. Don't know what was happening but no response to this referral either so I email the consultant with the dates of referrals, and they rang me offerring an appointment the following Saturday. Consultant was fairly sure it was a bcc and there was a query over 2 others that had popped up over the 18 months so he took all 3 off. All came back negative for anything, and even if it is a bcc it's contained within its self usually. I have no marks on my face from the removal of the 3

I’ve had one of mine for over 20 years… just never thought anything about it, as I first noticed it as a teenager. It’s just like a lump of clear fleshy skin. Then another smaller one appeared maybe 4 years ago on my nose, and that regularly gets inflamed, crusts/dries out/heals and then starts over again… it’s that which has made me go to my GP and ask if it’s BCC.

My GP sent photos to dermatology and then they’ve booked an appointment for me.

I’ve also got a little red flat area under my lip which is doing something similar, so I plan to get that checked out as well, as it’s not healing completely and it has been going on since January. I’ve no idea what this area actually is and it’s concerning me the most now. If this area is something that needs to be removed it’s going to be so so very obvious!

Wishing you all the best. I had a Squamus Cell carcinoma removed from my hand. So, less obvious place. And a skin graft. It’s healed good with good results. Very little scarring. Better to get it treated as soon as possible. And the waiting is the worst. I had a 6 week wait.

I have had the same, looking at photos mine has been there for 3 years. Doctor said BCC does not spread and is extremely slow growing. Still waiting for my referral about 6 months on!

You have reminded me to chase it actually

@MILLYmo0se thanks for sharing that! And glad to hear all good with you now.

My mum has basal cell removed so often it's practically a hobby. As others have said, BCC doesn't spread and is typically excluded in cancer stats.

Get it sorted, but don't let it keep you awake at night.

Dm has had several removed, not a dangerous issue.

I had a BCC removed in October. It had been there for at least 10 years before I realised I should do anything about it. If you look really closely at my face and squint you can see a very vague scar but the scar is fading still.

BCC is generally not serious in the sense that it won't kill you. There are a few locations where it can spread and cause problems but even then it takes ages. Mine was on one of those locations (eyelid) and even though it was there at least 10 years, it still hasn't spread into the eye.

So basically, waiting a few months to get a BCC dealt with is not a concern.

My exH had one, started as a spot which got larger until it kind of looked like a wart.

He waited probably 4ish months to speak to his GP, who referred to dermatology, which took about 4 months, and then referred for outpatient surgery which probably took another 4 months.

It was removed under local anaesthetic about 6 weeks ago, he's got a decent scar where it was stitched but it's fading well. No further problems, it was removed in full and consultant doesn't anticipate any further issues - although did warn him to for God's sake stop being such a sun seeker!

I hope your experience will be the same, try not to panic yet

I had one under my eye ten years ago, I had it removed and skin grafted from behind my ear, the worst thing was walking around with a bright yellow dressing stiched to my face for a week while the graft took hold.
It was a tiny spot that started to bleed and the graft was the size of a penny.

@CelesteCunningham that made me smile! Hope your mum gets a very long break from her 'hobby' though

I've had one take off my neck. It's not a pleasant thing to have done, but not awful. Try not to worry.

She hated it the first time she went, very nervous after a lifetime of excellent health but she had something that really did need to be checked (it was melanoma and sorted with surgery).

Now she goes along to her annual check-up with a list of blemishes she'd like the dermatologist to remove regardless of what they are.

Her mother was the same, loads of BCC on her legs and couldn't quite grasp the doctor trying to gently explain that at the age of 80, the BCC wasn't going to be what got her.

FIL has also had approximately a million removed.

Most BCC take decades to even contemplate spreading.

About 30% of fair skinned people will have them in their lifetime.

5 year survival rate is 100%.

I am sure I have read that medics are looking at renaming it and not classifying it as a cancer. If you were diagnosed with a non cancerous lesion - would you feel less worried? Please be confident that there is no urgency to address and you'll be fine.

Thanks @Chewbecca perspective is really helpful. I lost my beloved dad to cancer not so long ago so the c word does push all my buttons. Think even if it was called/classified as something else I'd still be angsty about the excision though mostly because it's on my face! <vain>

Hi @Insertwitticismhere I had a SCC removed from my nose just before Xmas. I went to the GP after it had been there a year, GP referred me to dermatology, wait was 4 months, had it removed by a plastic surgeon (which is what happens when it's on your face), scar is healing well, it's just a vague white/pink mark. Don't worry!

I had an invasive bcc removed from my face. There was a huge scar and amazingly it's faded so much that nobody notices it.

I had a BCC on my shoulder removed about 6 months ago. I had it assessed initially through my Bupa dermatologist who red flagged it into nhs. I had an initial appt in 6 weeks then had it removed 2 months later. There's no hole but I did have 6 stitches. Is healing well.
Try not to worry, they don't spread.

I had one removed from the side of my face. They had to do it a second time because they hadn't got all,of it. The scar looked scary initially, but now it can't be seen.

Look on the bright side. Because it is cancer you'll be entitled to free prescriptions afterwards 😁

I had suspected BCC a year ago. I had mine for a year before it was removed. I was really worried initially but don’t think about it at all now!

They cut an eye shape out of my forehead, so that there was error margins and it’s all gone first try basically. You really can’t notice the scar at all now, the surgeon did an amazing job and it only takes 45 mins with local anaesthetic. Then a couple of weeks before the histology came back, which actually turned out to just be scar tissue, not BCC after all (apparently your immune system can fight it off or it could be something else).

I did go privately because I was so worried initially but it’s definitely not urgent, as the GP said it’s just a question of it growing and being “unsightly”, that BCC isn’t one which spreads around the body. It cost around £2-2.5k if that’s something you want to explore. Otherwise, NHS was around 8 months wait for my initial appointment if I hadn’t have cancelled it.

My dad is another who used to have them lopped off for fun after quite an invasive removal 30 years ago. But I’m sure his latest ones were treated with a cream and not excision? It was very close to his eye so maybe that was why.

The small flat area might be treated with Efudex cream if its not much