Hi all,
3 days ago was diagnosed with a BCC on my forehead. It completely caught me off guard because I naively didn't even consider that it could be anything cancerous (my doctor and the dermatologist he referred me to both said it was an unpigmented mole). I am booked in for a full body check up and Mohs surgery in the next couple of months. I also need to see an oncologist because I was told that it's a little unusual at my age (I've just turned 21) to rule out if anything else is going wrong, and have various existing auto immune and skin conditions (namely psoriasis and coeliac disease).
I'm writing because I'm really struggling with telling people, and people's reactions to it (apart from my family and a couple of friends who have been great). I've had the "Thank god its not something more serious! That's great news!", "Oh I really need to get my moles checked too now", "It's not really cancer though" and "This is actually really useful for me because now I won't sunbathe as much". I don't know if its just that maybe the people around me aren't used to reacting to this kind of thing because we're all young, but am feeling pretty gutted. I know how much worse it could be and of course I'm over the moon that this growth wasn't any more serious, but feel really sad about it nevertheless, and of course worried because I haven't yet had the rest of my body looked at.
While it's the best case scenario out of a series of bad scenarios, I'd obviously rather there be no scenario at all and find it really diminishing when people bat it away and trivialise it. Really hit a wall with it today when I went to see a tutor at university to explain I may have to miss some classes for further testing and treatment, and half way through he said 'oh I thought you meant melanoma- well at least you don't need chemo etc, if its just a BCC its no problem'. Was pretty gutted with this reaction.
I have felt like many people in their reactions have immediately made my experience their experience, just because everyone has moles. Everyone has moles, but not everyone encounters difficulty with them.
I was wondering if anyone else has had difficult reactions from people, and how they've dealt with it. It makes me really disinclined to open up to people, and sort of need to talk about it as its such a recent diagnosis. Even within 2 days I've found myself even convincing myself that they're right, it's not really cancer, and therefore thinking I have no right to be worried or upset about it.
Hi and welcome to the online community
I'm sorry to hear how scared you are having been diagnosed with BCC. As you said BCCs are not as dangerous as other skin cancers as they very rarely spread so for most people surgery is all that is required.
The post that you have responded to is three years old and the people who originally wrote and replied to it may no longer be in this community and you may not get a reply.
Could I suggest that you start your own post and introduce yourself by clicking on 'Start A Discussion' which you'll see near the top of the page. There are plenty of people in this group who have had BCCs removed from their face and I'm sure they'll be happy to answer any questions you might have.
When you have a minute could I ask you to complete your profile as it really helps others when answering you or looking for other people with a similar diagnosis. It also means that you don't have to keep repeating yourself . To do this just click on your username and then select 'Edit Profile'. You can amend it at any time and if you're not sure what sort of things to put you can take a look at mine by clicking on my username.
Is your appointment with the plastics team on Tuesday for surgery to remove the BCC?
Best wishes
x
"Never regret a day in your life, good days give you happiness, bad days give you experience"
Hi Mathie - my first time on here & scrolling through I came across your post. I'm so glad I found you & hope you are ok. How did Tuesday go for you?
I am in exactly same position as you & feeling exactly the same. I am going through a variety of emotions most of which are making me anxious, frightened & consumed with worry almost 24/7. I have only told my husband & even that took me 2 days!
I too have suspected BCC under my eye which is a rodent ulcer apparently. Had this some time but originally it was a tiny white/pearly spot which I assumed was absolutely nothing to worry about … then in August whilst abroad the sun seemed to make it scab over (I was quite happy as I though finally that would be the end of the annoying white spot under my eyelid) This healed but just left a small raised area, which again I wasn't concerned over (if I knew then what I know now!) Then while abroad on holiday again 7 weeks later in the Oct I noticed it scabbed up again & became sore. At this point I was still not concerned just thought it was scabbing as it was a delicate area. How utterly silly of me not think at this point could it be something to worry about? Anyway again it healed up leaving this little ridge of cells. Then over Christmas I noticed it was bleeding slightly when taking off my make up … its in the awkward place where you need to swipe under the eyelid to remove mascara … each time I was knocking off the scab. At this point I started to think about it more .. not overly concerned but was thinking something that's not healing should be a little cause for concern, but assumed I was just knocking the scab off & not giving it chance to heal.
Anyway Tues 8th Jan 2019 I went to GP who confirmed there & then it was classic rodent ulcer - BCC. I was so shocked & felt extremely upset. Anyway she referred me straight away & today I saw the Ocular-plasty Consultant at my local Eye Infirmary. I hate the thought of surgery so wasn't looking forward to the start of this journey & wasn't sure what would be discussed today. I was a brave girl, I felt all grown up at keeping my emotions together throughout the consultation (I'm 45 lol) - I had a few tears after in the car park with hubby & then a few more driving myself home - I guess this is just normal. I'm not sure other drivers will have seen it that way!
So my consultant said I have to go back to see him the week after next for incisional biopsy to get a confirmed diagnosis ahead of moh's micrography surgery which we luckily have in my local hospital in Dermatology, where they will then remove the "tumour" as he called it - I guess this is what it is but I feel a fraud calling it such a thing. I had hoped (after reading the whole of the internet) that I would of just had the moh's surgery meaning only one surgery but it seems up here they biopsy first so they are more aware of what they are dealing with before moh's is planned. I'm not sure when that part will happen as i'm sure there will be a 2 week wait for biopsy results. I really hope the wait isn't too long as that in itself is stressing me out & whilst trying to come to terms with this I just want it over.
I think my biggest fear is what scar will I be left with & will my eye be disfigured if they have to take part of it as a margin....
Too much to think about & no one to talk to as I haven't told anyone other than my hubby. I have a 15yr old & 10yr old & they would be distraught if the heard the word cancer mentioned at this stage, so hoping not to have to tell them until its all over.
Would be good to hear from you 
Hi chilly,
believe it or not I am sat here post surgery , I went to have my consultation Tuesday where I was given three options of treatment. Radiotherapy, surgery to cut away or MOHs Surgery. The consultant said my bcc had clear margins and therefore standard surgery should be sufficient ( I trust him as he sees these cases everyday )
i opted for surgery and asked to be put on a cancellation list too . Wednesday morning I had a call to go in Thursday for surgery .
I have to admit I was terrified and had all visions of coming out looking horrendous and disfigured,
the consultant came to see me before surgery and explained that she would do all she could to avoid a skin graft and luckily she did .
I am now at home with a black eye and a skin coloured plaster on , I go back next week to have the stitches out ,
it is hard to explain my emotions as I am probably feeling low to having a swollen black eye , but it feels better to know the bcc has gone .
My bcc was 5mm and the consultant says my scar will be 15mm , it will look red and bumpy at first but she says the nurse will discuss after care with me next week ,
not my most flattering of pictures, just wanted you to see it’s not anything to be worried about with regards to how bad you may look post surgery
take care , Lynne x
Hi Lynne, you look fantastic, considering your just post op! Thank you for sharing your photo with me, you look great.
Once you've got your head around this you can start to look forward again. You have a had a stressful week but thank the lord its now over. Its the waiting around that's causing me huge amounts of anxiety & I just want it all to be over & the BCC gone. For me it's the unknown of what I will end up with as a scar & whether the margin will avoid my actually eyelid or if they will take that too 
I wish I could switch off as its not doing me any favours, however I'm developing bags under my eyes from lack of sleep & crying so hopefully that's giving them extra skin to use!!
Rest up & be glad you are on the other side now xx
