Yoga after mole removal

[Yogatrainee]

Hi there,
I'm starting yoga teacher training in 10 days and I just got moles removed (they were cut out and skin was stitched) yesterday. The surgeon said to avoid all stretching for two weeks. I told her I'm starting YTTC in 10 days. She said that'd be fine as long as I left the stitches in for the first few days. Dr Google says different.

Anyone any experience of this? I had a mole on my back removed before and was given no advice whatsoever and I've a large wide scar. Beginning to wonder if it's because of yoga.

I was so excited/nervous about the YTTC but now I'm worried it'll stretch my back too much and I'll have two more extra nasty scars...

Any experience, advice or thoughts most welcome.

No advice re yoga or stretching, but I'd live to hear more about your removal. Did you go to the gp? Private? Price? How long did it take?

I had a mole removed from my chest last summer (on NHS, it was a bcc). Plastic surgeon said to keep tape over it to help prevent stretching, I think they are well known for doing this. I did keep it taped, but it still has stretched, I'm hoping it will fade in time. It hurt a lot after and I'm not sure I did yoga for at least 3 weeks afterwards. Scar still pinches occasionally now.

Can you defer your training? I wouldn't risk it so soon after surgery.

@IamRubbishAtDIY I got a referral through GP to see a dermatologist who advised to have them removed and it was done in hospital on the NHS.

@321zerobaby Thank you very much for replying. Based on everything I've read, it'll take a couple of months for the scar to heal. I don't think the intensive stretching I'd be doing on a YTTC would help it one bit. I already have an unsightly scar from a past mole removal. The surgeon didn't mention anything about not stretching and so, I did yoga soon after. That could well be why the scar is so wide!

@daisychain01 Thank you. I had just decided not to do the training and I saw your message! That's a sign in itself. The timing isn't right and maybe I just need to accept that. I've been saving and preparing and arranging time off work for this for so long (it's a year-long course) but it's just not the right time!

P.S. I just hope against hope that they'll agree to refund the fees. I've already paid in full and it would be so refreshing if a refund were possible. You just never know what'll get in the way of something, I suppose.

If you've paid a lot of money and you'll have to wait a long time to have the option to do it again, I'd do it if I was you.

Your surgeon said it was ok! and it only mole removal which is pretty superficial, is it really worth putting your life on hold because you could potentially get a scar not as neat as you like?

You've made the right decision for you. Nothing more important than health and you'd be putting your heart and soul into that training, and therein lies the risk. Something yoga has taught me over the years is Acceptance.

If you defer rather than cancel, they may be willing to move it to a new start date/time you can attend hopefully they'll be understanding.

I've just cancelled/deferred a yoga weekend, admittedly not a 1year course, because I am due to have my wisdom tooth removed and I know it won't be the right thing to do all those down dog and inversions putting pressure on it and impede healing, after about 8 days from the extraction, I'm not willing to take the risk.

I know it is like putting my life on hold but yoga isn't recommended for a month afterwards and this won't even be two weeks. I'd be afraid the stitches might pop and the fact I can't do yoga in the run up to the first weekend feels like I'll be starting on the back foot.

It's disappointing but maybe she'll allow me to defer or hopefully she'll be very understanding.

I heard back. I decided to do the training! It's not ideal but it may never be. Thanks so much to all of you for your advice. xx

Glad your doing it, I was thinking earlier it would be silly not to. There's never a right time for these things, and after 2 weeks you'll be mostly healed anyways. You just need to be sensible about keeping it clean etc.

Enjoy! I would love to do teacher training... If not to teach, just for my own practice.

Thanks so much.

Yeah, I think a lot of people do it to take the practice a step further. I've been practicing yoga for about 15 years now & while I'm nervous, I also feel ready for the next step. Best wishes.