So annoyed (dermatologist vent)

[Deleted User] · January 2015

I went to a new dermatologist last week to see if he could help with a pitted scar I had. This guy gets great reviews so I figured it was worth it to see what he said. He and the nurse come in and immediately ask if I've ever had a "body scan", which I hadn't. He highly recommended I do it because he said everyone should have one and it's quick. So I acquiesce, don the paper gown, and he checks me out and find 5 moles that he feels he has to remove and test - one on my upper breast, one on my belly and three on my back. I tell him that these are all moles I've had as long as I can remember and have never changed in size, color or shape, but he insists on removing them. So he numbs me with local anesthetic and cuts each one out and cauterizes them. It's not until he's removed the one on my breast that I see I've been left with indents all over! I've since learned that he used a slice technique, which leaves a concave area where the mole was. The nurse tells me they will heal fine, to put an ointment on them for 1-2 weeks and in a year or less they should fill in and heal.

I'm freaking out now because I know it's only been a few days, but these "holes" look terrible, and three of them will be visible when I wear my wedding dress in 8 months. I'm so annoyed with myself for not asking more questions before he decided to remove these moles, and pissed at him for not fully explaining things to me. I know it's worth it if I end up having something cancerous (he'll get the results next week), but it's hard to see it that way right now. I'm just so mad that I went for a simple consultation for one scar and instead of fixing that or even addressing it at all, I now have five more scars that are much more noticeable. Now I have to worry about how they will heal when the timing couldn't have been worse.

WinstonsGirl · January 2015

I've been through 3 Derms, so I feel your pain. If it makes you feel better, my current Derm removed a mole cos it had changed shape/added colour and used the same method of removal. I had it done last August and now it's a small whitish circle. You can barely see it and I only notice it cos it's close to my nipple and the skin there is a bit darker. As soon as it had healed properly I could barely see it.

Give them time to heal. You can also use Vitamin E oil to help them disappear, so I've heard. And worst case, have someone cover them up with a bit of makeup on the day of if you're still conscious of them. While I'm sure you have nothing to worry about, good vibes for the biopsy results.

[Deleted User] · January 2015

@WinstonsGirl thank you for your insight and positive vibes! I'm an impatient person so I've been examining them every day, as if they'll miraculously heal overnight or something lol, and every time I put the ointment on them I just feel bummed and discouraged. That's great that yours is barely visible now, and is very reassuring!

anjemon · January 2015

I had a derm remove a mole on my neck in early November. It's been there forever, but I didn't like it. So I went. The way he cut it off left a "divot" or sorts. But now (around 2 months later) it's barely noticeable. It's just a little mark and not a divot at all.

So I think you have a good chance of everything healing okay by your wedding day. Just keep having your FI or someone apply ointment to them so they can heal properly.

But I would definitely examine whether you want to go back to that derm. He seems pushy and like you don't mesh well with him.

AddieCake · January 2015

You can't even see where a mole I had removed was. Be patient.

WinstonsGirl · January 2015

teenabeenerz said:

@WinstonsGirl thank you for your insight and positive vibes! I'm an impatient person so I've been examining them every day, as if they'll miraculously heal overnight or something lol, and every time I put the ointment on them I just feel bummed and discouraged. That's great that yours is barely visible now, and is very reassuring!

Remember that it's now scabbing over. If you think back to when you were a kid and scraped your knee, it took at least a week to heal fully, sometimes longer. This has cut deeper, but it will heal quick. You will look fabulous at your wedding.

Chipmunk415 · January 2015

I had one removed on my back prior to my wedding. Couldn't see it in my dress.

Speaking as one who has had several skin cancer scares and who has a family history of fatal melanomas, it's better to get a full body check at least once per year. My grandmother had one on her back that appeared normal for most of her life, but then grew a bit and interfered with her bra strap. Her doctor (in the 70s) told her not to worry about it until it really bothered her. By then, the cancer was everywhere and she was dead at 48.

The style of removal you describe sounds like me like an elliptical excision. That's honestly the better method to make sure you get all of the potentially cancerous tissues. The "skin shave" method does jack shit, and leaves cells behind. Better to get them all out than to risk leaving some behind. I actually switched derms over this, after I told the first group I wanted excisional biopsies of any suspicious moles, not shaves. They ignored me and my medical history, and did several shaves.

I switched Derms immediately, and the new guy caught two potential baddies that the other group ignored. (additionally, with the first group I never got to see the MD herself, just her PA, despite requests otherwise. New group, got to see the MD first thing).

Don't sweat it! You'll look awesome in your dress regardless of any scarring!

[Deleted User] · January 2015

@anjemon that's great that yours healed up so well and definitely gives me hope that mine will too. I agree with you that I probably shouldn't go back to him - to be fair he was very nice (and the nurse was very sweet), but you're right, he was super pushy and I would have appreciated more explanation of what he was going to do before he did it.

@AddieCake thank you, I will try - patience has never been my strong suit! But the fact that you can't see yours anymore makes me feel better.

@WinstonsGirl - that's a good point, though oddly a couple of them are not scabbing. The nurse said to keep putting the ointment on them so that they stay moist and don't scab, which I thought was weird? I would have thought scabbing was a good thing. She also said the ointment will make them heal slower, but that they will end up looking better.

@Chipmunk415 I'm so sorry that happened to your grandmother. You're right, it's definitely better to be on the safe side. I'm glad your new derm is better and more competent!

Thank you so much for your support ladies! I truly appreciate it and it's really set my mind at ease!

beachyone15 · January 2015

teenabeenerz said:

@anjemon that's great that yours healed up so well and definitely gives me hope that mine will too. I agree with you that I probably shouldn't go back to him - to be fair he was very nice (and the nurse was very sweet), but you're right, he was super pushy and I would have appreciated more explanation of what he was going to do before he did it.

@AddieCake thank you, I will try - patience has never been my strong suit! But the fact that you can't see yours anymore makes me feel better.

@WinstonsGirl - that's a good point, though oddly a couple of them are not scabbing. The nurse said to keep putting the ointment on them so that they stay moist and don't scab, which I thought was weird? I would have thought scabbing was a good thing. She also said the ointment will make them heal slower, but that they will end up looking better.

@Chipmunk415 I'm so sorry that happened to your grandmother. You're right, it's definitely better to be on the safe side. I'm glad your new derm is better and more competent!

Thank you so much for your support ladies! I truly appreciate it and it's really set my mind at ease!

100% true. I had one removed on my back and the dermatologist said that the back actually heals worse (ie not as pretty) than something removed from your face for example. I kept the spot moistened and covered with a band-aid for a long while, like maybe 6 weeks. Took forever to heal and was a lot of maintenance to keep re-covering but when it finally healed, you could barely see the scar.

[Deleted User] · January 2015

@beachyone15 that's great! I'll keep going with the ointment then - she said to do it for 1-2 weeks, but I'll gladly do it for much longer if the end result is barely visible!

WinstonsGirl · January 2015

teenabeenerz said:

@WinstonsGirl - that's a good point, though oddly a couple of them are not scabbing. The nurse said to keep putting the ointment on them so that they stay moist and don't scab, which I thought was weird? I would have thought scabbing was a good thing. She also said the ointment will make them heal slower, but that they will end up looking better.

I could believe that. My scar from my cancer treatment is on my back and it's pretty noticeable even though it's faded. My MIL had the same thing done on her face and you can barely see it. Mine is several years old and her's is only a couple of months. But use the ointment. They are the experts and will know how to make them heal better.

[Deleted User] · January 2015

@WinstonsGirl that's true. It's driving me nuts that they are healing so slowly with the ointment, but she did say that's normal (and it's totally worth it for a better end result!)

So annoyed (dermatologist vent)

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