@lorelenefreeman7406
Please don’t think this is an “old person” thing. Ive so far had 4 melanomas at age 12, 16, 18 and again at 27 and 2 BCCs as well. I’m now 41 and getting another 3 moles cut off soon. Wear sunscreen EVERY DAY and keep an eye on your skin.
@kristinhilgenkamp8013
Age 60, reddish hair and freckles. Noticed 2 white pimples that itched on my hair part. Showed to several doctors, was given creams. Pimple patch continued to grow and itch. Again showed dermatologist and internist. Given creams. 2 months later my entire neck blew up like a tire. My doctor cried when she saw me, ordered biopsy. Report came back stating only “STAGE 4 Metastatic Melanoma “. Don’t know how I could have played it differently…… when my doctors didn’t know. Thank GOD for YERVOY/OPDIVO Immunotherapy. Cancer free in 4 months. They still say I was a miracle 🙏
@Takeheedyall
Derm told my husband ( who only went in to see doc because I forced him) …” that’s nothing! I have been doing this 25 years, that’s nothing.” My very wise husband said, I can’t go home with this still on me, my wife will kill me!” So he reluctantly cut it off while murmuring how rediculous this was. Got a call four days later it was cancer! Same doctor called to say we need to come in and get a larger area removed. I said “ Oh we will! But not at your office!!” EGO VS PATIENT CARE!!!
@sharoncontini3284
Went to acute care this morning. The lesion hits all five signs of melanoma. Told it's not melanoma. She still got me into dermatology in under two weeks.
@Seoulsearch616
The timing of this video is so ironic. A friend texted me last night about having to get some spots removed, and now your video pops up. Okay, I am convinced to go get my own spots checked just in case. Thank you! 👍🏼
@tgm2754
Celtic family so I am fair, freckles, blue eyes. At the beach during my youth though always had sun screen. Dad died melanona at age 72. Decided to have body check because a freckles on my upper arm grew wider and with a dual pigmented “shadow”. Also a mole changed from circle to figure eight shape. Ding ding ding! Derm doc too two biopsies and said figure 8 was nevis( birthmark ) and was fine. I insisted. She resisted. I insisted and quoted “ I will pay out of pocket for everything if this a matter of insurance coverage, and if it’s not an insurance issue, then I can easily have it biopsied elsewhere. Begrudgingly she did (she was pissed). Three days later I am having a rare melanoma removed that the Oncologist said would have killed me in less then 5 years. He also called it a birthmark and asked how did I know to have it biopsied? How many people do you know that have a mole that looks like Salvador Davi created it? 😂He cut a HUGE and deep hole in my leg that took 2 months to heal. ( I took photos to show friends). There were 3 biopsies and 3 DIFFERENT melanomas. Be your own advocate. Do not let anyone, no matter how many degrees they have and how intimidating their refusals are, to dismiss your concerns. 🦋
@Amy-ol4ks
Went in for post basal cell removal check and mentioned a unrelated area that was chronically itchy. Derm wasn’t too concerned. Looked like a routine freckle but biopsied anyway. Not in a sun exposed area. Path came back as metastatic melanoma. Large excision with lymph node removal and so far so good. Grandfather died of melanoma. Never be afraid to point out any areas of concern
@tanyab8282
Great video. I have had skin cancer 3x and each time, it was such a small uninteresting spot that I would never have guessed they were cancerous.
@barbcoleus
Hey first comment. Also I’ve had basal cell and my husband has squamous. We see dermatologists regularly and have them take care of. Really good explanation! Oh we’re 80 and we live in Florida
@Rosalyahia
I'm so glad this is being discussed. My moms primary doctor misdiagnosed her squamous cell skin cancer. She ended up finding out after it had moved inside her body. She went through so much before she passed on. 😔
@debhorst5117
Very timely. I was just diagnosed with melanoma. It was caught early. I’m scheduled for a wide excision in the next 2 weeks. It’s so important to have your total body checked regularly, avoid excessive sun exposure, and wear sunscreen. Thank you so much for your expert videos. They are so helpful.
@tespellegrino6374
I'm 54, fair skin, FL born native. I'm 1 week post MOHs surgery for squamous cell carcinoma on my hand. What they took is maybe a little bigger than a quarter. I've seen the dermatologist every 6 months for years & am good with sunscreen, but don't always remember my hands (driving). Last couple of yrs I've kept sunscreen in my car/purse so I can't forget to use it. Thank you for this post, much appreciated!
@geoffoakland
Thanks for doing this vidéo. I had a mole on my neck that started to itch, and ooze liquid. The biopsy showed that it was melanoma. Had a second excision a couple weeks later to take out more surrounding tissue. All was fine for a year or so until a lump started to grow in the same area. It was removed along with my lymph nodes. 18 months later 3 small lumps appeared on my neck and collar bone area. Was put on oral chemotherapy (Mekenist and Tafinlar), after a week the lumps shrank and disappeared. Stayed on this treatment for a year and a half, then did 1 year of immunotherapy. Its been 2 years since I stopped the immunotherapy and all is going well. In 6 months I'll be considered 'cured'.
@ElizabethMartinez-vy1tt
Thank you for making this video! I’ve had every type of skin cancer mentioned in this video. It is so very important to go get a abnormal looking mole, or red spot checked out. I had 2 big red spots on the left side of nose that had been there for years. I thought that the area was being rubbed raw by my sunglasses. Turned out I had 2 deep Basel cell carcinoma’s that required Moh’s surgery. The surgeon had to remove 6 layers on one spot, and 3 layers on the other spot. I needed reconstructive surgery because he couldn’t close the wounds!!! I see my Dermatologist every 6 months now for a check of my skin. So thank you for this information !!
@Viking_Lady
I was at my doctor for a checkup and mentioned that a mole on my back was itchy. He took a look at it and I could tell by the look on his face that something was wrong. He made me an appointment with a dermatologist for the next day. Three days later I had surgery to remove my melanoma. Don't be afraid to tell your doctor when something doesn't feel right.
@angelwingzzz777
Im dying from metastatic squamous cell carcinoma . Im slowly dying😢. It's a long story. But I had cancer spread after surgery to remove it from my vulvar area. It wasn't even stage one yet in 2017. It was found in my lymph nodes in July 2023. I didn't feel comfortable with the surgery to remove it this time because 2 surgeons declined to do it as it's complicated . One guy offered but for me it was to risky. I tried chemo... couldn't handle it. Did radiation and it didn't work. I just went to the er for pain in my right side and was told it's spread to my right lower lung. But man you have no idea how much this is slowly taking me down. I can barely walk . It messed with my hormones and sent me into full menopause. My hair is falling out from the radiation I did. My skin isn't the same . I have zero energy and lymphedema in my lower abdomen and both legs. It's torcher 🤦🏻♀️. I was told I have 6 months to 2 yrs. Cancer is not at all what I thought. So many people don't understand what it is like or what someone goes through. Im not trying to sound like lm feeling sorry for myself. . But I hope u learn something from this. Demand treatment after surgery should u get cancer. Because my original surgery they did nothing after wards. That's how this spread. Also If u r reading this ...I hope you are happy and healthy 😇! Live your best life while u r healthy. I would never believe u if you told me I'd be going out like this . I was doing great! Walking , eating good .. I looked good for my age ! Now everything is out of my control.
@paulachristie7807
I am now 72 and am paying for my youthful love of sunbathing. I have had a MOHs procedure, dr. had to go down three layers. Since then I've had three excisions. I now have a body scan every six months to have any suspicious spots frozen. I have a bandage on my left forearm right from my last visit to the dermatologist.
@barbaramorris923
I am one of those people that had a rare amelanotic melanoma. Thankfully it was still in situ and surgery completely removed it. My dermatologist thought it was a basal cell, so we were both surprised when the path report came back.
@scorpleeon
My 98yo mom was recently diagnosed with melanoma on the sole of one foot. We’re Black and I remembered my Black derm telling me a decade ago the common places for our skin cancer is palms of hands, soles of feet. The surgery wasn’t done because of the size of excision needed with a skin graft and expected slow to no healing due to location combined with her advanced age and already compromised mobility. Tough decision but we believe the right one.
@suzannegabrielle