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There has been endless stuff written on the dangers of the sun, and the importance of protection, and here is another based on my own experience.
My outcomes are the result of ignorance in the early years, stupidity, and the 'it can't happen to me' approach when younger.
In 1994 I was having a hernia repair scheduled, and asked the doctor to check a sore spot on my chest, he said it's a skin cancer and agreed to remove while doing the other repair; when I woke up, I'd been cut nipple to nipple, had a half walnut size hole in my chest, and skin grafted from my arm for the graft.
For another 8 years a succession of varying excisions, and liquid nitrogen freezings were done to counter keratosis, BCCs and SCCs.
Being a pro garden contractor many excisions got infected, so with the agreement of the doctor, further repairs stopped pending my retirement in 18 months and a cleaner enviroment and less infection risk.
I had long established by now from the medicos that the damage was done in teenage years in temperate Sydney, when skin care was on no ones mind, and not as a result of moving to Queensland.
March 2004 saw me with the plastic surgeon at Mater Brisbane to tidy up the problems; after an eye biopsy surgery was scheduled for a month later...both ears trimmed, about 5 grafts, 3 excisions and the eye fixed [all in one op].
Waking up the ears were done, excisions OK, grafts done [1 mango seed size], and a skin donor site on my thigh 200mm x 70mm...while asleep they decided eye needed reconstruction and a seperate op needed [bugger].
The foregoing, really only had a couple of unpleasant bits to endure; 6 days after the op 3 hours to remove 300 staples [nurses guess] which I didn't enjoy, and graft donor sites are no fun for about a week or 10 days
Two weeks later into theatre again, and left lower eyelid removed, and sections of the top lid were grafted into its place....I woke up with the top lid sewn to my cheek for another 14 days, and it was released with a third op then.
The eye procedure was developed in WA, and my permission was asked to do it as a first here, and also to film the op for training purposes.
The dramatic eye pic does not convey how painless it was, and the brilliant result that has followed.
I am a work in progress, and there have been 3 more excisions under local to date this year, with more after the Big W trip in August; and that is now the pattern until I turn up my toes
Without being flippant, your body can be repaired like a patchwork quilt, as there is plenty of meat to shuffle around.
Above the shoulders is the place to be fussy ...eyes, nose, and ears are all cartilage and not so easy to repair.
Your long term comfort and appearance is in your hands NOW :wink:
My outcomes are the result of ignorance in the early years, stupidity, and the 'it can't happen to me' approach when younger.
In 1994 I was having a hernia repair scheduled, and asked the doctor to check a sore spot on my chest, he said it's a skin cancer and agreed to remove while doing the other repair; when I woke up, I'd been cut nipple to nipple, had a half walnut size hole in my chest, and skin grafted from my arm for the graft.
For another 8 years a succession of varying excisions, and liquid nitrogen freezings were done to counter keratosis, BCCs and SCCs.
Being a pro garden contractor many excisions got infected, so with the agreement of the doctor, further repairs stopped pending my retirement in 18 months and a cleaner enviroment and less infection risk.
I had long established by now from the medicos that the damage was done in teenage years in temperate Sydney, when skin care was on no ones mind, and not as a result of moving to Queensland.
March 2004 saw me with the plastic surgeon at Mater Brisbane to tidy up the problems; after an eye biopsy surgery was scheduled for a month later...both ears trimmed, about 5 grafts, 3 excisions and the eye fixed [all in one op].
Waking up the ears were done, excisions OK, grafts done [1 mango seed size], and a skin donor site on my thigh 200mm x 70mm...while asleep they decided eye needed reconstruction and a seperate op needed [bugger].
The foregoing, really only had a couple of unpleasant bits to endure; 6 days after the op 3 hours to remove 300 staples [nurses guess] which I didn't enjoy, and graft donor sites are no fun for about a week or 10 days
Two weeks later into theatre again, and left lower eyelid removed, and sections of the top lid were grafted into its place....I woke up with the top lid sewn to my cheek for another 14 days, and it was released with a third op then.
The eye procedure was developed in WA, and my permission was asked to do it as a first here, and also to film the op for training purposes.
The dramatic eye pic does not convey how painless it was, and the brilliant result that has followed.
I am a work in progress, and there have been 3 more excisions under local to date this year, with more after the Big W trip in August; and that is now the pattern until I turn up my toes
Without being flippant, your body can be repaired like a patchwork quilt, as there is plenty of meat to shuffle around.
Above the shoulders is the place to be fussy ...eyes, nose, and ears are all cartilage and not so easy to repair.
Your long term comfort and appearance is in your hands NOW :wink:
. It is something that is difficult for not only the sufferer but also their loved ones.
