BT may really have saved my life....

Congrats on catching it early.

This proves the point that shaving does not equal waxing.  There simply needs to be someone ELSE to look at the area.

Great point, please post pics

I was tempted to bet how long it would take for the subject of posting pictures to come up.

But honestly...it wasn't a matter of someone else looking...you really just NEVER would have seen it with hair there.... 

Z-dog - 2007-12-03 8:22 PM What kind of tanning were you doing anyway? Glad that Linda made you do it!! I'll make sure she gets spanked by someone local for bringing it up though...

worst skin lesions I have seen are where the sun DON'T shine.....that is often where we find melanoma. 

 don't worry about an appointment

Wow, Jen! You should take that wax lady out for lunch or something!

Seriously, glad you are OK. I wish there was a good wax place in central PA, but I don't think people are into that here...

YAY JEN!!!!!  First of all... congrats on being brave enough for the hot wax... and second...  I'm so glad you did!  Can you IMAGINE??????????????????? I have learned many many many many things in BT chat, but I have yet to experience a life saving chat. 

You rock for posting this. 

confession: I went back to shaving... shhhhhh.  I don't know why, really, but maybe I'll switch again.  I'm fickle like that.

You're in Hershey.  You should certainly be able to get a chocolate wax.

drchaya - 2007-12-03 7:25 PM

Z-dog - 2007-12-03 8:22 PM What kind of tanning were you doing anyway? Glad that Linda made you do it!! I'll make sure she gets spanked by someone local for bringing it up though...

 

worst skin lesions I have seen are where the sun DON'T shine.....that is often where we find melanoma.

You know, my first reaction when they told me the biopsy results was, "But, that is the ONE mole that hasn't seen the light of day!  I thought sun was what made moles go bad."

I mean, really.  I NEVER would have thought that mole would have been the problem child.  I suspected the other nine I had removed and none of them were a problem.  In fact, if I hadn't just been plain freaked about the location of said mole, I probably wouldn't have had it checked out.  And what's worse...is that the dermatology place wouldn't have known about it if I hadn't told them.  I knew I wanted several removed so I made an appointment for a "full body check".  She started in my scalp and looked all over but they'd told me I could keep my panties on.  Then she never looked under them.  She said she was done and I had to say, "but I have another one."  So, really.  How many moles do these people MISS?  I mean, she checked my scalp.  Wouldn't it make sense to check OTHER places I might have hair?  Since obviously I had never SEEN this one because it was covered by hair.  Which is EXACTLY why they bother to check your scalp.  Anyway.  I just hijacked my own thread I think.

So, what DOES cause moles to go bad if not the sun? 

Still the sun, and environmental hits, but the cumulative damage can cause problems everywhere.  Basically the sun is one source of oxidative stress which makes free radicals which damage DNA.  Your body has just so many ways of repairing DNA  - thus we rely on consuming ANTI-oxidants to help lower the burden -  and the more we can reduce the exposure to burdens the better.  Sun avoidance, sunscreen.....

as to the skimping on exam, this is the advantage of Family Medicine - we do the gyn exam AND the skin exam....and we are not shy about panties being on..... I have some patients come for annual (pap etc), skin check and laser in one appointment ;-) such a time saver (lmao).

and for the boys - it is the bikers and swimmers who mostly want to be defuzzed.... 

So are you saying the suburns I have effect non-sunburned places? 

One stop shopping...nice.   I'm not shy either.  I mean, this mole was discovered during waxing.   They pretty much told me to leave them on.  Which is fine while you're doing all the rest of the exam.  But IMHO they should have then told me to take them off so they really could have done an exam.  I know SO many women are all private and stuff and would rather DIE than take off their underwear, but seriously.  It's a doctor's office.  The thing that took me most by surprise was after my knee surgery when they gave me my clothes to get changed back into and they pulled the curtain shut but a nurse stayed behind to help (since I was a gimp).  I pretty much stripped off the hospital gown right away and the nurse picked it up and held it in front of me.  I was kinda like, "WTF?"  Are people THAT picky?  Anyway, I guess privacy is important, but I don't think they should sacrifice the health care for it.

Amen. 

So, it's win-win!

Glad you got it early.

Interesting.  Glad you got it early.  My family has a history, yet I'm reluctant to get checked.  I suppose I may now.

Jen, so happy that this was caught!

Also, you've reminded me to go make another wax appointment

Thankyou, and you're welcome.

I had a malignant melanoma in situ (first stage, excise 2 inches around it and you're cured!) on my belly, a place where the sun shines only rarely.  Ever since then regular mole checks - and let me tell you, my dermatologist in Houston was THOROUGH!  First appointment here in Philly isn't until February, but if they aren't looking everywhere then they aren't doing their job.

Don't forget between the toes too.  And if you can train your hairdresser to check your scalp, that's good too.  I keep forgetting, but maybe the next time I go to my new one.

Um, wow.  I am SO glad I caught this before the malignant stage because I could NOT imagine getting two inches excised in that area.  OUCHIE!

Going to see the plastics guy for a consult today.  The sucky part?  I still have stitches and thus couldn't get waxed so...it's not pretty.   I know he's a doc, but I'm a CHICK!   Get waxed Saturday though so hopefully he can squeeze in the excise soon after that.

Oh, and the PA that did the full body exam DID check between my toes.  Again, she was so thorough everywhere else, it surprised me.

Consult today.  I will get back to you on what the plastics guy says.