One year post-surgery

Wow amazing Sue. You can’t see a thing. Your photos give others hope that the skin does heal. As we know, before and during operations and recovery, can be a scary time. And I’m sure your pics will give a lot of people peace of mind. 

Rebecca x

Having had minor surgery on my face 24 hours ago, it’s reassuring to see how well skin can potentially heal, when compared with my wound today.  

I'm glad this helps. I think my healing has been a bit hampered by the whole hypertrophic thing, so I'm sure yours will be even better/quicker.

Hi, you look great! I’ve been told that I might need interlesional steroid injections on a thickened skin flap post MOHs. I’ve read on line that the injections are excruciatingly painful. What was your experience of them? 

Hi Minty

The injections were painful, though I'm not sure I'd call them excrutiating. I've not given birth or had kidney stones, so can't make a comparison!  I had to have 3 injection sessions at 6-8 week intervals, so I obviously wasn't so traumatised by the first session that I didn't feel able to go through it again.

For me, the injection pain was only a few seconds of discomfort. And the payoff was worth it, as nothing else helped to bring the scar down. Massaging religiously twice a day did nothing, but the injections brought it  down to 'normal' limits. If I had to go through the injections again, I would.

I hope this helps, and wish you a good outcome!

Sue

Hi Sue

Thanks so much for replying. You’ve given me hope and courage to do them.

It’s still early days for me, just 5 weeks post op for infiltrative  bcc on red part of lip and onto upper lip under nose. I’m feeling ridiculously depressed by distorted lip and unnaturally thick flap. etc. I’ve found it very shocking to go in with a tiny spot and come out looking so disfigured. We all know there are much worse situations to be in, but sometimes it’s hard for the rational to overcome the emotional. I also found the many local injections for the actual MOHS surgery very painful and the whole facial reconstruction under these locals for over two hours quite traumatic, so the idea of more painful injections in my face makes my eyes water!

Thank you for your words of encouragement though. I really appreciate it.

Minty

I'm glad this has helped, Minty. 

It must have been pretty difficult for you the past few weeks - I imagine the location of your op must have made talking and even eating painful.

I know exactly what you mean 're the size of the repair being larger than you'd anticipated. My BCC appeared tiny, but it must have just been the centre of it I was aware of, and the skin graft was about the size of a 20p piece. I was prepared for a scar, but the inflammation and the  change to the shape of my nose was unexpected and I felt pretty despondent for a few months. But the steroid injections did mark a turning point. The pain of those will be nothing in comparison to what you've already been through.

xx

Thanks again for your help and empathy. Much appreciated xx

Hi Minty, I feel exactly the same, 3 weeks post op after Mohs Surgery for a tiny dot bcc above my lip, though the skin graft is 2cm amd covers edge of my lip. I was shocked to see it a week ago when the dressing came off. I’ve had a few surgeries in my life but found this process so traumatic. The swelling on my lip has been insane. Had to keep talking and chewing to a minimum and smiling is very painful and feels tight all the way to the graft host site near my ear. I went back to work today (special ed teacher) with lots of tape and feel fragile and self conscious. My plastic surgeon told me to coat with Vaseline 4 times per day and try not to cover unless going out. He said by 3 weeks I’d be able to cover with make up but no way as it is so raw and red with a big raised ridge around the graft.  The main site is numb but the lip is burning. I’ve tried to be brave and maintained optimism and perspective most of the time, but right now anxiety has taken hold and I’m a bit fed up. It feels good to know I’m not alone when I read these posts and I’m encouraged that sue’s photos look great. A year just seems like such a long time from here! Thanks for sharing/ 

Yup, a year feels a mighty long time, I agree! My scars are slowly getting better, less angry and prominent. But what I hate the most is the vermilion of the lip is distorted and goes up and then comes down...the surgeon said that could be operated on and was due to the flap being swollen and lifting everything up. I'm not so sure!

I'm at 8 weeks post Mohs now and am reasonably happy going out without make up as I never wore foundation before and am not used to wearing lots of war paint. But on the advice of a friend, I did have a session at a Bobbi Brown make up counter and I was amazed at what they managed to do. The scar was literally gone with some tinted balm and some concealer. One brown and one white powdery sphere in a black BB signature box. Magical! 

Like you, my flap is still slightly numb but honestly so much better than it was at 3 weeks. I really think that in another month all the feeling should be back. If the flap continues to be 'bulky' and thickened I will have the steroid injections.I don't want to look like this forever! I'll then try some laser on the scarring and then I will at least feel I have given it my best shot.

Honestly, you will feel better as time goes on. It is just such a shock in every way when this happens. The healing is slow but it does heal. Your raised ridge should calm down and there are cosmetic procedures like dermabrasion that should help that. I have decided to wait until 6 months before trying anything. Everyone seems to say it take 1 year to 18 months to fully heal as well as it is going to on its own. 

Try not to get too anxious. It will get better, it is just a painfully slow process.