Non-Melanoma Skin Cancer

[JAD71]

There are two spots on my face that whilst they have gone done will not go away. Rationally I'm telling myself it can't be skin cancer if it's gone down, but I've read things in the past that if a spot doesn't heal within four weeks it could be skin cancer. They've been there maybe double that, and also this morning there is pain coming from one of the spots without me touching it which has gotme concerned. And I've just remembered I thing I read about some celebrity that a spot that went away, come back and found out it was a non-melanoma, so maybe even if it does go down it doesn't mean it's not skin cancer?

[WiseMonkey]

There are two spots on my face that whilst they have gone done will not go away. Rationally I'm telling myself it can't be skin cancer if it's gone down, but I've read things in the past that if a spot doesn't heal within four weeks it could be skin cancer. They've been there maybe double that, and also this morning there is pain coming from one of the spots without me touching it which has gotme concerned. And I've just remembered I thing I read about some celebrity that a spot that went away, come back and found out it was a non-melanoma, so maybe even if it does go down it doesn't mean it's not skin cancer?

Hi how do you know they're just not common old spots? If you've spent a lot of time in the sun what you're seeing is likely to be solar keratosis, which is a pre-cancerous skin condition. It's really common and can be removed at the Drs with liquid nitrogen. Solar keratosis would only ever develop into basal cell cancer which is also easily removed, it's not serious. It can feel like it's stinging.

In New Zealand we have lots of skin cancers due to the strong suns rays. Melanoma is the most serious skin cancer. There are 2 lesser ones squamous cell carcinoma and basal cell. I've had both of the latter. They are easily removed when caught early.

[BlueIris]

I've had basal cell cancer, and at an unusually young age (38). I'd had mine for three years when I acknowledged to myself that the lump I had on my face (that kept on scabbing over and wouldn't heal) was probably BCC, and it took another two years of constant bleeding before I saw a GP.



The removal process was basically nothing - I hated spending the morning in hospitals but that's just because of my medical phobia. I have a bit of a scar on my forehead now, but it's a heck of a lot better than the lump was.


Either way, NMSCs tend to grow slowly, so you can afford to wait a little longer and see what happens.

[LouiseC1896]

I get spots all the time that take ages to go away, more than 4 weeks, that’s just the way my skin is. I know how you feeel though, I had this pinkish liaison on my elbow a few years ago and it looked like pictures I’d seen if skin cancer. I went to the doctor and she said it was definitely not and gave me steroid cream which cleared it up. I’m currently freaking out about skin cancer on my face over two big freckles I’ve had for years, like over 7 but one of them keeps getting dry skin on it and I think this is it’s this time.

[AMomentofClarity]

I’d advise reading the OPs post history before replying.....he’s a teeenager who’s constantly worried about various cancers and diseases that men over 40 get. This post is just a continuation of that same pattern.

[Carys]

As above

[WiseMonkey]

I’d advise reading the OPs post history before replying.....he’s a teeenager who’s constantly worried about various cancers and diseases that men over 40 get. This post is just a continuation of that same pattern.

Thanks for that, quite often we don't read the stats history, have just done that and see what what you mean.