As I've gotten older, weird things have begun happening to my skin.
I've developed a dark spot on the left side of my face. And on my right side I developed a wart like growth under my eye which I kept staring at. The growth was tiny, but as I stared at it for years, it grew.
As for that dark spot on the left side, the funny thing is mom and my brother also have it.
I mentioned the growth under my eye to my nurse practitioner and she sent me to Dermatology.
A really fabulous Physician's Assistant diagnosed it as a seborrheic keratoses. Apparently we can get this as we reach menopause and older.
"Shall we shave it off and get it biopsied?" she asked.
"OK." Seemed like a great idea since I had a habit of picking on it every so often and worried that it was something sinister.
Then the nurse came in with a needle.
"Ummm.... I need an injection? On my face?" I wondered if it was too late to change my mind.
"Just a little lidocaine," she said with a smile. "There will just be a pinch and a little burn."
"Is this like the discomfort they told me I'd experience with my first childbirth?" I asked.
She laughed.
Actually my nurse was absolutely excellent. It really was just a little pinch or three and a little burn, but perfectly tolerable. I almost laughed when she said, "Don't move now."
Once I was numbed, my P.A. (physician's assistant) returned and performed a curettage. She merely scooped the offending lump off with a little scalpel or whatever you call it. The fellow watching was an intern. It was over in a trice. Vaseline and a band aid was applied.
I have to keep it covered in the daytime for four days. I think I'll invest in some silicone patches so that the scarring won't be too great. I tend to develop keloids. I used the silicone patches when I had my thyroids removed and they worked like magic.
I was asked if I wanted the large brown patch on the left side removed with liquid nitrogen but I decided against it. It's my link to mom and my brother so I don't mind keeping it.
The PA did mention that there is a lot of skin cancer and skin damage in Hawaii because of our strong sunlight. Aha! More reason to look into pretty sun hats and parasols.
As for that dark spot on the left side, the funny thing is mom and my brother also have it.
I mentioned the growth under my eye to my nurse practitioner and she sent me to Dermatology.
A really fabulous Physician's Assistant diagnosed it as a seborrheic keratoses. Apparently we can get this as we reach menopause and older.
"Shall we shave it off and get it biopsied?" she asked.
"OK." Seemed like a great idea since I had a habit of picking on it every so often and worried that it was something sinister.
Then the nurse came in with a needle.
"Ummm.... I need an injection? On my face?" I wondered if it was too late to change my mind.
"Just a little lidocaine," she said with a smile. "There will just be a pinch and a little burn."
"Is this like the discomfort they told me I'd experience with my first childbirth?" I asked.
She laughed.
Actually my nurse was absolutely excellent. It really was just a little pinch or three and a little burn, but perfectly tolerable. I almost laughed when she said, "Don't move now."
Once I was numbed, my P.A. (physician's assistant) returned and performed a curettage. She merely scooped the offending lump off with a little scalpel or whatever you call it. The fellow watching was an intern. It was over in a trice. Vaseline and a band aid was applied.
I have to keep it covered in the daytime for four days. I think I'll invest in some silicone patches so that the scarring won't be too great. I tend to develop keloids. I used the silicone patches when I had my thyroids removed and they worked like magic.
I was asked if I wanted the large brown patch on the left side removed with liquid nitrogen but I decided against it. It's my link to mom and my brother so I don't mind keeping it.
The PA did mention that there is a lot of skin cancer and skin damage in Hawaii because of our strong sunlight. Aha! More reason to look into pretty sun hats and parasols.
This just reminds me that I have GOT make an appointment with my dermotologist. I've got some of those kera...thingy's too.
ReplyDeleteI get the seborrheic keratoses too but usually on my forearms and the doctors do not say it for sure but think I might be due to sun exposure over the years. I also have thin skin and it will sometimes for scales that come off and I think it is all related. I try to get as much stuff frozen off as possible rather than worry about it. My mother-in-law has a large black and blue spot on her left eye at the temple area and they don't know what caused that -- she has had it for years and when her husband was alive my wife thought he, her dad, was beating on her eye. LOL Not true but it looked like that.
ReplyDeleteI have another one on my leg too. The Physician's Assistant said they are common and usually benign. Still, she said it's always good to have any new growth or suspicious things looked at.
Deleteah skin doctors...my second most unfavorite place to go-the first being the dentist! You are wise to get it taken care of especially when it increases in size!
ReplyDeleteI currently have a band aid on my face also from having a little spot removed. I have had several similar spots removed and they say they were all caused from too much sun exposure before I was twenty.
ReplyDeleteAhhh... ANOTHER thing that you and I have in common, Jeanie.
DeleteI've had quite a few things removed from my skin. None of them have been on my face, though.
ReplyDeleteI have a bunch of new growths on my body and my next question is to ask for a referral to the dermatologist.
ReplyDeleteYes, getting all those changes to our skin taken care of is of top priority. I have a wart on an eyelid and another next to an eye that I keep wiping at.
ReplyDeleteIsn't it funny that you start picking at these new skin developments? I have to keep reminding myself not to bother with it.
DeleteYes, I refer to these skin developments as 'barnacles'. It's good to have them checked out.
ReplyDeleteI use a Clinque product -- Even Better that really works well in even-ing skin tone.
I just checked my medicine cabinet. That's what my daughter sent me and I'm using right now.
DeletePerhaps these are things that are more specific to places with lots of sun or to people who have a lot of sun exposure, because I've never heard of them before. Mind you, I've always been paranoid about not sitting in the sun, using a really high factor sun cream and wearing hats and covering up when it's sunny. That last sentence made me laugh to myself, I think we're forgetting what sun is here in the UK.
ReplyDeleteOh yes! I was told that Hawaii is bad for the skin because we have so much UVs.
DeleteGlad you got your spots checked out. I'm impressed with the efficiencies and logic for Tripler care. Nice to blur out the provider faces, (looks like they're hurrying.) Overall, your skin looks better than Art's right now.
ReplyDeleteDrumMajor
The warm compresses that the doctor advised seems to be working. The bruising does look better now. However there was a little painful lump that formed where the catheter was stuck in so we were sent to ultrasound which showed that things were OK. It's just going to take a bit to heal completely.
DeleteTripler followed through very well with every concern. There may be a bit of a tiny lump at the insertion site, a tiny internal "scar", kind of like being able to see the little lumps on the back of your hand's veins: those are little valves! Hang your hand down lower toward the floor to see.
DeleteDrumMajor
Ummmm.... We tried hanging his hand down but couldn't see much of anything. We're still doing the warm compresses 20 minutes at a time and it seems to really be helping the bruising. I'll bet it clears up by the end of the week.
DeleteGood subject. I can really relate to your concern about the sun exposure. I have a yearly at my dermatologist for a complete skin check and removal of anything unsightly. My suspicious lesions tend to be on the forehead and back. Love that liquid nitrogen removal. It is very efficient and leaves the skin looking nice after it heals. I like hats for sunny places, but I spent too much time in the sun as a teenager. You are lucky with your insurance coverage because some don't want to cover removal of aging skin spots.
ReplyDeleteArt had that nitrogen treatment and it really did improve some things on one side of his face.
DeleteGlad you had it removed. Always good to be on the safe side!!!
ReplyDeleteGlad you were able to get everything taken care of -- there does seem to be all kinds of little annoying "thingies" as we grow older!! I really don't need any more reminders though!!! Hope your week is going well!!
ReplyDeletewitch warts, my beauty marks have morphed into witch warts. damn!
ReplyDeleteIt feels really good not to have it on my cheek anymore.
DeleteBest to take care of it.
ReplyDeleteGood decisiong to have it removed and biopsied.
ReplyDeletei think your skin is beautiful!!
ReplyDeleteUmmmmmm.... I always tell photographers to stand waaaay back and not to use the telephoto when they're taking a photo of me. :-)
DeleteI asked our doctor to check me over for suspicious spots because I thought I had lots of them. He said no, they're all quite normal and I needn't see a dermatologist. I like our doctor, but I think I might be more comfortable with my various age spots if a specialist were to tell me they're okay.
ReplyDeleteGood for you, being so brave about a needle pointed at your face. Makes me cringe just to think of it.
K
The needle really wasn't very bad and I HATE needles. I was surprised. Art said it was really thin.
DeleteI guess that will be the next chapter in "Project Me". I really need to have my skin checked all over, and I have a new crop of tags to be removed.
ReplyDeleteAnd I have a big brown spot on my face. The black/blue bump is still there too, but I know it will fade in time. It is sidewalk caused, not due to the sun. :-)
Sigh.... Tags.... Yup. That's another indignity of aging. I didn't know you could have them removed.
DeleteI live in a rainy climate now but for years I lived in sunny Colorado that has the highest melanoma incidence in the continental US. That doesn't include Hawaii. :-)
ReplyDeleteI'll bet Hawaii would top Colorado.
DeleteEach additional year seems to bring an additional indignity--growths and hairs and spots. I had a dark spot (exactly like my own mother) but it went away with diligent application of bio-oil. It did not happen over night, but it has not returned either.
ReplyDeleteBio-oil? I haven't heard of that.
DeleteHey Kay, You look adorable even with that band-aid on your face, you are just too cute.
ReplyDeleteAnd I can't remember if it is from the movie "City Slickers" where Billy Crystal talks about aging and being on a first name basis with your dermatolgist! (Hey, I might have that bit wrong, but you get the idea!)
Take care and let's both wear sun hats, I have skin "issues" myself!
Awwww.... You are just too kind, Kay. :-)
DeleteSun screen, sun hats, and parasols...all good ideas. My doc calls those growths 'barnacles. .'Good luck' with future growths, mostly we did the damage when we were younger. Dianne
ReplyDeleteBarnacles is an apt term, I must say!
Deletefun trip 'NOT!' but good to get it done.
ReplyDeleteLidocaine is what they also use at the dentist. My first recent fillings had the numbness go all the way up to the side of my nose. Never knew they used it to treat skin issues too.
ReplyDeleteOnce I thought my eye was going numb too. Isn't it awful?
DeleteYes, silicone sheets. And (check this out) massage the healing spot with olive oil! Smoothes it out
ReplyDeleteALOHA from Honolulu
Comfort Spiral
=^..^= <3
No kidding? Olive oil? Thanks for the hint.
DeleteI’s good that you took care of that. I have worn a sun screen since I was 40 – every day of my life, even when it rains. But I have not heard about silicone patches- am not sure what they are.
ReplyDeleteI use a brand called Scar Away. They're small patches that you apply over your healed wound to prevent it from leaving a big scar. Since I keloid easily, it's very helpful. People never notice the scarring on my neck from my thyroidectomy.
DeleteI'm getting those brown patches too. I need to get those taken care of next time I go to the doctors. Good for you for getting that taken care of.
ReplyDeleteMy brown patch is on the right side of my face like my mother's and I'm keeping mine too:)
ReplyDeleteKay;
ReplyDeleteI get my spots burned off twice a year.
Smart to do so, as long as you were there.
Peg
Thank you so much for the adorable Valentine.
Miss you guys so.
We sure do miss you guys too, Peggy! It's so fabulous to see you on the blog again. Have a WONDERFUL day today.
Delete