Skin Cancer. | SouthernPaddler.com

Skin Cancer.

oldsparkey

Well-Known Member
Aug 25, 2003
10,479
123
Central , Florida
www.southernpaddler.com
Something a lot of folks just skip by ( my self included ) is skin cancer.
After years of being out in the Florida sun before sun block was known. The byproduct is rearing it's ugly head.

A different medical problem had my general physician suggesting that I see a dermatologist. While at the dermatologist who starts with a full body exam. During that exam some spots were located on my head and ears. We started treatment in the office by freezing and a little cutting for some biopics. From the biopsy results it's lucky they were noticed and stopped when they were.

The rest of the area the doc had me use some ointment to get rid of the ones that were not frozen. Hera's the reason I was told , I will have to use q full canister of nitrogen and take a hour or more to get each one. The ointment is easier for both of us. During that three week process several other pink spots appeared. The ointment was killing those cancer cells. After three weeks everything was back to normal.

Forward to this year........
This month back for a yearly check up. Darn if the doc did not find some spots on both arms. Freezing some and after checking closer I was told to use that ointment on my arms twice a day , for three weeks. After a few days my arms are looking like I have the measles , chicken pox and anything else that causes red spots to appear including the creeping crud. They are areas of skin cancer that were not detectable just by looking at the arms.
The left arm has more and I'm sure it's because I use to drive a car with my left arm resting on the door frame. This was back when cooling in the vehicle was 2wd60 style... Two windows down at 60 MPH. Even today with the windows up and the AC blasting the sun still hits the left arm , the right arm is always in the shade no matter what.

It's an eye opener for me and if you have any thoughts or what if's see a dermatologist and get a check up to be safe.
 

ggraham

Member
Aug 8, 2009
19
1
Chuck,
You are not alone.
Liberty on the beach and working on roof tops has more benefits than I first thought.

My dermatologist brings her can of nitrogen in to the exam room as a matter of routine.
It is like being burned with cigarettes or a cigar. Around the eyes is the worst for me.

I joke with her that this was developed as a information gathering technique by some of our alphabet agencies.

But the alternative is not good.

I thought I had a pretty high pain threshold, but chemically induced frost bite is over the line for me, the face is the worst for me so far.
 

Gamecock

Well-Known Member
Jul 17, 2012
161
6
Went to the Dermatologist about ten years ago with spots on my left temple. It wasn't malingant cancer, but cancer none the less. Some spots on my arms since then. Went twice a year at first. Now the doc has me come every other year. This ain't nothing to mess with. Hats and sunscreen now.
 

Kayak Jack

Well-Known Member
Aug 26, 2003
13,976
171
86
Okemos / East Lansing Michigan
Three years ago, I had a small patch of skin cancer. Of all places, it was just below the ankle bone, on the inside side, of my left ankle! Not a lot of sun ever reaches that place, or ever has. After cutting it out, the dermotologist wanted to freeze thr area with nitrogen. I demurred, so he said that I would have to get radiation.

Thinking that I was being a smarty pants, I opted for radiation. They cooked my ankle with many treatments. Finally, I told them that they were done. My ankle was between medium well, and well done.

Nitrogen isn't as bad. As I recall, readiation can cause cancer?
 

oldsparkey

Well-Known Member
Aug 25, 2003
10,479
123
Central , Florida
www.southernpaddler.com
ggraham
The biopsies showed some of mine to be malignant ( not all of them ) only the left ear and some spots on the scalp. Those were frozen twice to kill them. When I go for my visit the can of nitrogen is on a small table and under a cloth is what I call her Machete.
I like to reminder her that freezing gun of hers would be a big hit at any party for cooling down drinks.

Gamecock
Same here , wide brim hats and long sleeve shirts with 40 SPF or higher ratings. Same type of clothing I always wore ( all the time ) on canoe ( or camping ) trips but not locally ever day..
Locally the baseball hats just don't cut it anymore. Makes me think of closing the barn doors after all the live stock has escaped. Never know there might be some left behind the doors so it's better to play it safe. Anyway I'm back to the every 6 months visits again. Waiting for the biopsy results from the last visit which should be here next week.
 

Johnpom

New Member
Apr 22, 2021
3
2
70
Just grazing through here and this topic struck a nerve. Wife had a skin cancer removed from her upper thigh. That happens to be a place that rarely ever saw the sun. ( I've heard of people getting them between their toes )
Anyway, it was removed incorrectly according to protocols.
Second biopsy: yep you're all good now. Hospital kept calling her back twice a year for three years.
7 years later that original one had lain dormant. Until it didn't. She died six months later...