Melanoma on my face

Hello I’ve been in exactly the same situation , with same grading as you , I also had 2 lymph nodes removed , my second wound did heal really well and it’s really neat , so hopefully yours will be , I had my dressing checked after a week , but chose to keep a clean fresh dressing on for another week , and I think that helped a bit with the healing process

Hi Annie.

My circumstances are exactly the same. I had my wider excision 4 weeks ago. The surgery is just as neat as the first excision and healing well.

I also had a sentinel lymph biopsy, the trace went to the two closest lymphs on the left side. All very neat too. The Melanoma tissue was biopsied clear plus one lymph. The second lymph was negative. I'm two weeks away from my next meeting with the plastic surgeon and oncologist.  The journey moves on but I know I'm in good hands

Hi 

I had Desmoplastic melanoma right side of was stage 2  removed then had  wider excision and lymph node removed my scar is alot bigger than anticipated it is a flap pulled up from my neck and then scar chin to ear for lymph node removal but I have to say the surgeon did an incredible job yes scars are there but only 3 months into process I was advised by hospital to massage every day with medical grade silicone gel and this has been provided by my GP on prescription it stops scar tissue build up and it is helping make it smoother The plastics unit also provided me with a camouflage appointment and no not green and black  they helped choose right colour scar cover makeup very light and easy to use this has also been provided on prescription by my GP I have to say NHS in my area have been incredible and made me feel good about my situation 

Push for all the help available to help you feel comfortable with how you look not a great situation for us but the help is there 

Good luck and I am sure you will be fine I didn’t have any pain whatsoever and still haven’t 

Keep in touch 

for you

CMK

Thanks for all replies. I'm still finding my way through all this. I'm a bit worried that 2 of you with the same stage diagnosis as me have had biopsies or removal of your lymph nodes. I'd happily agree to have mine biopsied but it doesn't seem to be on the cards. The expectation seemed to be that once I've had the wide margin excision done that would be it, although they'll keep on eye on me for 12 months. I'm currently pretty paranoid - constantly pressing on my lymph nodes to see if they're swollen, looking for new moles I hadn't noticed before, worried about the potential for skin cancers on my scalp - I've been very lax about keeping my head covered in the sun. You all sound so much more upbeat than I am. Maybe I just haven't got there yet.

Hi

it takes a while to get your head around things I was petrified before  I knew thought was death sentence but I now know different buts it’s the waiting and you read all kinds of things you shouldn’t There is so much medical assistance available and medicine has moved on with regards skin cancer the thought of someone being there for me in my case 5 years because was stage 2 is a plus 

I check my lymph nodes everyday so honest what your feeling is the same as what I feel and mine was diagnosed in April 

I am a little less paranoid now but I now wear a hat in the sun wear sunglasses and put sunscreen on everyday because it’s the UV light not just the sun and it makes me feel protected 

Its a journey we are all on together you will adjust I’m sure in your own time 

Thinking of you good luck

I had my wide margin excision done yesterday. The local anaesthetic was sooo painful. I mean it had hurt the first time, but the second time around it really hurt. I'm taking 4 hourly paracetamols but it's really very uncomfortable. I shan't be having a facelift any time soon! It's still got a dressing on so I can't really tell how neat it is but it's obviously a bigger wound than it was first time around.

Hi 

Bless you I was put to sleep I had wider excision and lymph node removal and to be honest the worst part for me was the nuclear dye injection into the original removal wound but after that I have had no pain at all my flap is very big from neck to chin then a scar from chin to behind my ear 

hope you feel better soon and yes I agree why would you put yourself through a facelift by choice

Take care keep in touch 

Regards Carol