Wound care after private Mohs surgery on infiltrating BCC

Hi phenom

I swapped from private to the NHS when I was diagnosed with melanoma but this was only an initial consultation done privately and my operations and aftercare were all with the NHS.

I've searched the group and can see that had Mohs surgery done privately a month or so ago so I've 'tagged' him into my reply to you and hope that he'll pop by and tell you what he has done about follow up care.

x

Thank you! I had a quick look at Rich's experience and it seems like he had a much smaller wound than I will - mine will be at least 4cm I am meeting my GP on Thursday and hope to be able to find out if I can access the practice nurse or district nurse.

Hi all, yes my wound wasn't that large - a roughly circular excision about 1cm in diameter that was simply sewn closed without skin flaps or grafts. kept the bandage on for a week then when I took it off started putting vaseline / Savlon cream on it and then covering it back up with a (smaller) fresh bandage (more a covering rather than a large bandage). Nearly a month in it's healing well - stitches are dissolvable so all but one have come out by themselves.

Negatives I've noticed so far is that my nostril is smaller now and breathing is somewhat restricted, and I have a small lump on the line where the edges of the wound were stitched together (I'm told it's some kind of scar tissue). Wound care wise though I didn't really need to do much except leave it alone for a few weeks, keep it clean and occasionally change the bandage.

I actually had a follow-up booked with the surgeon who did the operation in London. The appointment was on the day of the storms though so it took me 8 hours to get to Euston station (from Milton Keynes) and then had to come straight back again!

hi Rich thanks for the info.  It sounds like yours went pretty well apart from the small lump and smaller nostril.  I am also having mine done in London - 100 miles away so it's a bit of a trek, but NHS have said they are unlikely to do Mohs as not on face and since my wound is going to be 4cm with Mohs I don't want it larger.  Hopefully my GP will be helpful about wound care..... Sorry to hear about your aborted trip, what a pain.  Still once it's done it's done, that's the way I see it.

Please let us know what the GP says phenom as it will be useful information for anyone else wanting to use both private and NHS,

x

I will!  I have been told that a lot depends on the GP in question.  Unfortunately having just moved house I haven't met my GP yet so fingers crossed. 

I researched Moh's a lot before I opted for it....even large cancers often have really good cosmetic results afterwards. Unless it's somewhere sensitive such as eyes, nose or lips then I don't think even a 4cm wound is really all that large. It will probably require a skin graft / flap of some kind but I looked at a lot of photos / watched a lot of videos and the end result was nearly always really good! Plus with Moh's the cure rate is very high (>99%) as they check all the removed tissue to ensure they got it all so most likely outcome for you is all the cancer removed with minimal scaring and a would that should heal fine within a couple of months :)

Hi I had bcc removed with skin flap done privately.  I had internal dissolving stitches and about 25 - 30 on the outside. I had dressings on and told to take them off 3 or 4 days later,by which time 2 had fallen off.  I was able to gently splash water on to clean the dried blood but very carefully,  A week after surgery I went back to private hospital to have stitches out and told to be very careful when washing and to gently put vasline on it.  I saw Consultant 5 weeks after surgery privately and he was really pleased with the healing.  I am now massaging it a few times every day with bio oil as the flap is slightly raised but is getting better.  I am due to have another one done near my eye in 3 weeks, again privately, but this time will be a skin graft.  I didn't opt fpr MOHS as procedure seemed to much and would have had to travel further.  Luckily for me the one I have had removed has come back 100% clear. My surgeon told me success rate with normal surgery is 96% successful.  Good Luck and hope my comments help you 

Thanks that's reassuring. Think I will have a bald patch but will just have to grow my hair to cover it over

Thanks Harlyn - how many incisions did you have to have for the skin flap and how long were they? I don't think I will be able to get one as the skin on my scalp is pretty tight, but if I could it would save me having a bald patch.