Solar Keratosis

Hi Lorna

yesterday i had a possible solar keratosis/basal cell removed via cutterage, as my dermatologist said this is the best way forward so that she could have it analized properly. I will get my results in around 1weeks time and was just wondering how you got on with your treatment in July (mine was also on the nose - but on the side of nose ) I also am worried about scarring as i am very fair with fine alabaster skin and dread to think about the scarring impact, but was more concerned with getting rid of it, before it potentially turns more serious. Any other comments/advice ?

thanking you. Minnie

Hi Minnie, I decided to get a second opinion and have an appointment with the dermatologist tomorrow at the hospital. I am quite worried as the skin on my nose keeps getting dry skin on the top but it doesn't go away. I am getting him to check me all over. Just back from Mexico and when ever I could I was under a parasol ... first time in my life I have a bit of a tan and I didn't sunbathe ... the irony isn't lost on me!

I will post tomorrow with the results of the appointment and what happened.

Hope you get good results back.

Lorna

Minnie and Lorna what were your results? My GP referred me to a dermatologist mainly to shut me up as he thought it was nothing. It seems he was no better informed than me. We are taught to look out for things that are changing but something that isn't changing can also be dangerous. And now it seems it could be any number of nasties. Just waiting for the results of a biopsy. I asked them if they could take it all off at the time but at the mo we don't know how deep or extensive it is or indeed what it is so they want to wait for the results of the biopsy. So I don't know how a GP can tell! But I did once have a skin tag frozen off and it was easy peasy. Unfortunately I can't tell whether there is any scarring as it's in a place I can't see.

......as mine was so small (but really bothering me - pulsating/throbbing etc) i just "knew" it wasnt normal (also it had bled once quite profusely during the night - i hadnt scratched it or fiddled with it - and this itself disturbed me). My GP said it was nothing & sent me away saying if it gets worse come back it 6mths !

So......i decided to pay privately to go see a dermatologist who wasnt sure that it was anything and sent me away. 4weeks later (after still experiencing pulsating/throbbing from this tiny little scab, i decided to go back to same dermatologist who took a biopsy/removal. A few days later she told me it was a solar keratosis and that if it was left growing - would have grown into a much more serious skin cancer.

Please dont leave it, and please act on your instincts.......alot of doctors will fob us off, rather than listen to our concerns. Dont wait around, go back or go see someone else. good luck

So did she take it all away at the time of the biopsy and was there any other treatment? Did you have to pay private all the way?

I went to a private facility but under NHS referral. While there I picked up a leaflet and was horrified at the charges.

You are right about GPs though. Mine had me trying a cream for rosacea for 6 weeks because there was a bit of redness round the mark.

I did go to the dermatologist and the registrar (confirmed by the consultant) said it was nothing. They checked my body and said there were no signs of skin cancer at all. They told me that if my GP had frozen my nose, it could have made it worse.

I still get dry skin on the surface of my nose and if I squeeze it (sounds gross I know), the odour from the excretion is not pleasant ( a little like the smell of an ear that has reacted to cheap earrings). It doesn't bleed or throb so I figured I would wait until June and pay for a private screening. My sister lives in Germany and it is so much easier over there. If you want screening, you pay 15 euros and get a complete body screening. No referrals, you just walk in off the street to a skin specialist.

As I work for the NHS, I will approach a skin specialist in the hospital and ask if I can pay them for a private screening. Hopefully I will get mates rates!!!

Yes she took it all away at the same time of doing biopsy, no i didnt need any more treatment as she had taken "more" than the actual keratosis itself (therefore taking a little bit of extra healthy skin, so that when its being checked under microscope they know for sure that the lot has been removed, as they check it also so that there are "healthy free skin cells surrounding the bad keratosis" giving you and them peace of mind. I spend alot of time in Algarve and i had it privately done over there by a German dermatologist, who visits once a month and spends a few days there,(the day she did my little op, she also did another 10people that day all with the same problem) .....she said this is now a very common proceedure. i think i paid around 300euros in total (75 for initial consulation and then around 200 for the op), she took all the biopsys back to Germany and had them analyzed there, and few days later emailed me with results and said all was good and clear. 2weeks later i had to go back to have 3stitches removed by a nurse, and am very pleased with the results as its virtually impossible to see any scarring (i'm being a bit hard on her as i am very vain about my skin)

good luck

Cheers people. I'll try not to look at pics on the net of people who had a barely noticeable blemish and ended up having half their faces dug out!

I do wonder about our health service sometimes. Used to work with a German lady with a back problem. She got it sorted back in Germany - the health service here said they couldn't do anything.

well we all know about the health service here,,,,,,,,too busy giving 1st class treatment and service to those who come specifically to uk from abroad to give birth here, to have abortions here,routine ops and all the rest of it free of charge (then they return to their country of origin !), whilst genuine cases from good honest folk that have paid into the UK health system all their lives, get put off, fobbed off, cancelled, mis-diagnosed, kept waiting for years etc etc etc.......also the majority of consultants are incredibly overpaid, arrogant, and very pompous and need a good kick up the backside to bring them back down to earth, i have never had the luck yet to meet one that is sincere and really wants to help with my health issues......so now i am much more into holistic/alternative therapies as much as possible, however in this particular case, you must go have the biopsy/removal.

Please go get it sorted urgently......dont leave it, its incredibly how quickly the skin heals itself, dont worry about scarring, the sooner you get it done the quicker it will heal up AND remember to cover up/use suncream spf 50

I believe that freezing the keratosis might leave a white patch. It may be that you will need several freezing sessions.