BCC on nose skin graft op - how to recover?

Hi Diand. I really relate to the fact that you haven't been given much info about what to expect. I found the same and find it odd because it would be so easy for the hospital to address - one side of A4 with a roadmap and advice would be all it would take.

Re having your dressing reviewed on Saturday, don't assume it will come off then. I thought that would happen when I went back (after 1 week), but the graft was redressed instead. If you want to look at the graft, do insist on a mirror with some decent lighting too!

I had the 'only BCC' response from my manager (an ex nurse!).She was probably trying to put my mind at rest but it meant I took it too lightly in the lead up to the op and then it hit me on the day. As well as the Mohs on my nose, they took a biopsy of something suspect on my cheek, and I'm waiting for the results of that. While BCC won't kill you, it can be an on going problem.

I think for anyone - male or female - it's hard to adjust to a change in your appearance when you don't quite know what that change is going to be, I.e. exactly how much scarring you might have. 

Hi Diand,

Lovely to have you on board. I joined the online community after being similarly surprised how little information I was given. As you'll have seen, it's a really supportive community and everyone's been brilliant. 

I have now been discharged (back on the 4th Dec) and they were very pleased with my progress. Although I am female, I don't wear make-up so at no time have I tries to camouflage the scar. And it really has healed remarkably well 

Having said that, once then bolster dressing came off I did look in the mirror and think 'crumbs, will it ever heal'? My husband was also shocked and kept asking me to cover it up to save embarrassing other people. I actually found it harder on me with a bandage on as it drew attention to my nose.... 

As for being tired post op - yes definitely. 

Fortunately, I was signed off for 2 weeks and then worked from home for a week after that. By the time I went back to the office, the scar was settling down nicely. 

I had some people who were in the 'it's only a bcc' camp and others who were really kind & caring, including a very good friend with terminal cancer who was great.

Don't feel a fraud. Do stay positive. 

Bon courage!

Again, thanks to everyone for your kind and helpful replies; I can’t tell you how helpful it is to read other people’s experiences, and a willingness to share what is a challenging process for all.

It is also very reassuring to hear from others and how so much of that ‘maps’ on to my own experience of it all.  I agree with the point about information - having done a bit of searching many NHS Trusts make available excellent patient information - doesn’t make sense they all don’t all provide this - a link to a pdf is really straightforward and not expensive to produce; yet the information provided is priceless.

Thanks also for the ‘heads-up’ about the possiblity of the dressing not being removed.  I hope it is - it looks so hideous, like a huge carbuncle.  Surely what is underneath can’t be as bad as the bolster dressing itself?!

I’ll have to mention my ear on Saturday too (the donor site) as it feels hot, a little swollen and painful.  Not sure if there is a bit of an infection (selfies of behind your ear don’t quite help), and my partner isn’t sure when she looks.  Will see how it goes.

Thanks again - I really appreicate it.

Hello again Diane,

Just picked up your latest post. 

A few more thoughts:

I wasn't really prepared for the shock I got when the bolster dressing was removed - my wound looked very angry (though I think it was completely normal) and once it had the antibiotic cream applied, it looked even worse. And it was also like a crater!! However, it was never painful at all. I think part of my surprise was that I had incorrectly imagined that a full thickness skin graft meant that the bcc would be cut out and a new piece of skin applied to fill up the hole. This partly right but the graft has no fat below it so you start off with a crater effect which gradually heals and grows from underneath. Quite amazing really. Sorry to say all this but forewarned is forearmed! 

What did amaze me is how, relatively, quickly the wound healed over. It didn't feel like fast progress at the time but 3 weeks later I was facing the world at large without worrying what anyone thought. 

And the other thing is that my donor site was also behind my left ear and was much more sore and odd feeling than my nose. I also wear specs and basically gave up for the first few days or wore them at a funny angle to keep them off my ear!

The ear also felt thick and almost like it was blocked for a few weeks. It wasn't, but that's the best description I have - almost like I'd had my left ear 'boxed'.

Also turning my head was a bit uncomfortable as the skin is pulled together and takes time to regrow. Two months on and it's still a bit tight but no longer at all painful.

I think all of this highlights that while it may 'just' be a bcc, it takes time to recover from this procedure so be patient and keep posting. 

You really can ask us anything (like my question about how to blow your nose) and someone out there will answer. 

Good wishes!

Hello

Thanks so much for this - and such a timely reply.  I had the bolster dressing removed yesterday and feel a bit overwhelmed by it all.  It looks terrible (though the nurse was very pleased and said, medically, the graft has taken well).  At the moment, I cannot imagine ever facing the world again without a dressing covering it. I know, intellectually, that is nonsense and that time will come but, at the moment, I am really trying to get my head around what feels to be quite cosmetically impactful surgery (albeit, medically okay).  I also keep trying to tell myself that the wound is minor (around the size of a 10p) but, on my nose, it feels huge and very public.

I know things will settle and I keep trying to tell myself that it will improve over time but, at the moment, it feels rubbish.  I also tell myself to stop making a big deal, but it does change your self-concept (and therefore, others’ view of you).  Your post is really helpful in all of that chaos: thank you.

Hi Diand

Be kind to yourself. I felt the same when I looked at my nose after surgery. It helped taking pictures to see how well you are healing. I used Vaseline initially because keeping the wound moist is the best way for it to heal. Then after two weeks I used mepitel silicon dressing taped with mepore. The mepitel keeps the wound moist and the mepore is hypo allergenic. You can get these off eBay or amazon.

If you have any questions do ask as chances are one of us on the forum will know the answer.

Please be patient and ignore what others says. They aren’t going through it like you are and I don’t think it makes s difference if you are male or female.

You could contact changing faces. They provide emotional support and a skin camouflage service that your GP can refer you to. The waiting time is about 4 months depending on where you go. This will fit into the healing time.

Shout if I can help.

Best wishes 

Millise 

Hi Diand

It's really positive news that your dressing came off and they were pleased with how the graft looked.

Mine came off a week and a half ago (from the side of my nose, graft is size of a 20p piece) and it looked pretty grizzly at first. I'm amazed at how much the appearance of the graft has changed in such a short space of time. I initially went out with flesh-coloured tape over it, but the last couple of days have gone out with nothing (save sunblock and vaseline). Most (maybe all? I'm not really scrutinising to be honest) people don't look twice. 

This period of recovery is not a lot of fun, but it is just that - a period that will come to an end.

Big hugs and take care of yourself.

Thanks all again for such helpful replies.  Photos a great idea, and will follow up the dressings suggestion.  Going without dressings around the house, but protecting it with a dressing when out.  Going to gently apply bio oil (not massaging yet) to try and help heal where the stitches were.  Will see how it goes.

Hi Diand 

If you don’t want to wear a dressing I would try Scarsil which is a silicon gel that will protect it and helps improve the scarring.

Don’t forget to be kind to yourself