Skin cancer concerns

I’ve been scouring the forums for a while now, but I couldn't find a thread that quite hits on this, so I figured I'd start one myself.

I was wondering if anyone could walk me through the various signs of skin cancer, along with how these things are typically treated and what kind of timeline we're looking at. I suppose I should mention why I'm asking: a few weeks back, I noticed this tiny, almost imperceptible little sore on the top of my left hand. Over the last month or so, though, it seems to have spread just a bit. It's sort of a pale reddish color and the shape is pretty irregular.

Mark Lewis4 said:I searched through the forums, but couldn't find anything on this, so I figured I'd start a new thread.

I'm trying to figure out what the warning signs for skin cancer actually look like, how they usually treat it, and what kind of timeline we're looking at. I'm asking because a few weeks back, I noticed this tiny little thing on the top of my left hand—it almost looks like a small scratch, but over the last month or so, it seems to have spread slightly. It’s a pale reddish color and has an irregular shape.

Go see a doctor. Honestly, I don't think it's cancer. Sounds more like a patch of eczema to me.

Should I start with my primary care physician, or can I just book an appointment directly with a dermatologist? I'm wondering if I'll need a referral first.

Mark Lewis4 said:Do I need to see my primary care doctor first, or can I just head straight to a dermatologist? Will I need a referral?

You'll probably need a referral, but honestly, your GP can likely handle it or get you sorted.

By the way, if surgical removal ends up being the necessary route, does anyone happen to know what the typical wait times look like or how long the whole process takes? I suppose I’m asking just in case the prognosis isn't great; I have a trip planned out of the country in less than three weeks, so I'm trying to gauge whether there's any realistic chance of getting it all handled before I head out.

Hey

So, my old man had surgery for a skin cancer on his back about a year ago. It was a pretty decent-sized patch, maybe like 4x3 cm. They just did it under local anesthesia, stitched him up, and sent him straight home the same day. As far as I can recall, he went back about three weeks later to get the stitches pulled out, and he had one follow-up checkup in the meantime.

Could you describe what that "mole" actually looked like? I'm wondering if it seemed to be spreading quickly. Also, how much time passed between when it was first noticed and the actual surgery?

What even are you talking about?? Are we discussing goat cancer or melanoma? Because if he actually had a 4x3 cm melanoma, the outcome wouldn't have been exactly great.

My mom had surgery for skin cancer this year.

She noticed a patch of skin on her leg, just above the knee, that was changing color and slowly spreading.
The first time they operated, they didn't get it all, so she had to go back for a second round.
Same deal both times: local anesthesia, quick procedure, home the same day.

My old man went through the exact same thing. They didn't even get it all out, so now he’s stuck heading back under the knife for another surgery.