I've had basal cell skin cancer above my lip, years ago. Right on the same spot another brown spot surfaced and a few years ago asked about it and was told it was nothing. There's a another one near it now and one on my lip. I do need to go back and have a complete exam.

We go every year for a full body skin check. Very careless sunbathers in our youth and we always went someplace sunny late winter, lounged around pool or beach all day no sun screen and stuffed ourselves with gourmet food at night.

With DH's dark Croatian skin he never burned and I didn't either. We did nothing to protect our skin and liked the very dark color we would turn every year. Many years.

I've had 4 basal cell removed. One immediately under my eyebrow, a second in an odd place too...right at my hairline in back on my neck. I hadn't worn pony tails since a child so I don't know why that was exposed to sun. One right on the front of each shin - reading with my knees up in a chaise lounge facing into the sun countless hours?

DH has had one taken off each shoulder. He no longer removes his shirt when mowing the lawn and hasn't the last several years 😊.

They don't particularly worry me. We're just sure to go every year same time and anything developing can be quickly taken off. The spot removed from under my eyebrow did leave little red scar though that I wish wasn't there. It's slightly indented and concealer doesn't make it look perfect so I mostly just leave it alone. We make our appointments for the following year as we are leaving and are down for Sept 2024 now.

ETA: Our dermatologist swears those places he's worked on heal quicker and more smoothly if kept covered and moist. Depending on the location, that can be troublesome and I don't even know if true. He sends pure white petroleum jelly home with us not vaseline. I've actually cut the smallest sized bandaids down by half to not have too much tape someplace obvious - and my skin can be sensitive to bandaid adhesive so I don't really keep fully covered an entire week. I do try to keep moist with the jelly.

I have had BCC. Any biopsies my dermatologist says keep moist and covered until healed. She said less scaring.

The spots she has froze I do not have to.

I’m like you and lived for the sun and water in my youth. We had a pool in our backyard, and a summer house on the Canadian side of Lake St. Clair. And then once I got my degree, I moved one block off the ocean just south of Boca Raton, Florida, where I spent pretty much every daylight hour when I wasn’t working, swimming, snorkeling, scuba diving and playing on a beach volleyball team. And, never used sunscreen, foolish me! So far, though, I’ve had two just starting to be malignant melanomas removed on my back. Thank goodness they were caught in time thanks to my diligent husband (who’s a physician). My next appointment will be to check out some crusty , flesh-colored ones. My DH and both our now adult kids have pale skin, light blond hair and green eyes. But, we’ve taught our kids from a young age serious sun safety!

For a while, I was going to my dermatologist every three months for treatment of basal cell carcinoma, and I also had melanoma on my back that he removed. For some reason, my regular doctor had not detected it.

I first started going to the dermatologist because of a sore on my left wrist that would not heal for over six months, and this was when my regular doctor sent me to the dermatologist, who then checked me all over and found the melanoma on my back. He could do only one surgery on me at a time, and so I went back almost weekly at first until he got everything removed.

His specialty is plastic surgery (very popular here in L.A.), and so I have virtually no visible scars from the surgeries that he performed. He is now so busy with plastic surgery that he no longer sees patients for carcinoma, and so I have to be checked by a different dermatologist, but my first one still does the surgery, when necessary.

I avoided the sun when I was a child and teenager in Texas and preferred to be as pale as possible because I did not want to have freckles. My brother and sister both have red hair, and they are even more prone to sunburn than I am. In my 20s, when I lived in San Francisco, I would spend one a month or six weeks of winter in Mexico, and I did get sunburned at the beaches there - mostly Cozumel, but I also went to Acapulco and a few other Pacific beaches. It was always way too cold in San Francisco to sunbathe, and I did like getting a winter tan. As an adult, I really did not get much in the way of freckles.

My genetic heritage is 55% German, 25% English, and 20% Scandinavian, French, and northwest European, which means that I am extremely white. There are a lot of redheads in my family - more than blonds. I always wanted to be Mediterranean, but 23&Me said that I do not have any of that.

I've always lived in coastal areas until I moved back to Tennessee. No one ever used sunscreen. Red hair, red skin, and blue eyes, you bet I've had since skin cancer! Squamous cell carcinoma.

That started out as smaller than an eraser on a pencil two weeks earlier. We could tell as quickly as it grew it was going to be the cancer.

I had it cut off so that it would get everything. I didn't want to do it over and over. 11 months later look how long the scar is! Ugly before, and ugly after. But it did come back with clear margins. At this point, I'd rather have scars.

My dad has had basal cell, squamous cell, melanoma. Just had to have his eyelid rebuilt because of it. I assume this is something I'm going to fight for the rest of my life.

I forgot to say I'm very sorry that you have this, and get them covered up for a week. It would be bad to get an infection. Then, do the uncovered and Vaseline thing. They keep telling me not to use Neosporin though?

I've had dozens in my lifetime. My first was 40 years ago. I was a life guard in my youth. I've seen a dermatologist every three months for the last 20 years. I was in a test group once for a promising drug, similar to Effudex, that attacks and kills pre cancerous cells. That drug is now used for treating AKs. I had three biopsies on my face last visit and all came back positive for BCC. My last four removals have been by Mohs surgery and followed up with repair by a plastic surgeon.

On biopsies, my dermatologist says leave the bandage on 24 hrs before removing. Then treat with petroleum jelly.

Sorry you're experiencing this.

lily - Sorry you’re having this issues.

I wonder what makes dermatologists concerned about one rough spot but not another. My doctor was almost dismissive of mine, just froze them off. Took a quick look up and down my body and deemed me clear. When I hear stories of doctors going over every inch I wonder if I should be seeing a more thorough doctor. He’s got a good reputation but I’m wondering.

Rob, A woman on another forum had a really bad condition on her nose that wouldn’t go away. I don’t remember the exact origin and story, I think she was treating a removed spot. Anyway, turns out what they thought was a fungal infection was a reaction to neosporin. Google it, not uncommon.

Yeah that's what they keep saying... A lot of people are having reactions to Neosporin now.

What's up with that?

It's just as easy to use Vaseline so why not.

Yes, BCC on my back, right in the area I can't reach myself. I grew up near the beach, but not as far south as I live now, so it could have been worse. I recall using suntan lotion as a kid, but I think the SPF was low.n My dad had a melanoma, so I go to the dermatologist for screening every year.

I've had five melanomas removed, and eight basal cells (three using the MOHs procedure where the surgeon takes a level of tissue, studies under a microscope and if margins aren't clear, comes back and takes another layer)

I'm on a six-month schedule now for full body scans, and have been for eight years.

I get a prescription cream that I use for two weeks in the winter, which causes pre-cancerous cells to blister and burn off. The blisters last about a month, and I use in the winter because you're not to be exposed to sunlight while using it and I tend to stay home more in the winter. I think this cream, which results are very uncomfortable, is why I haven't required a surgery in 18 months. As much as I dislike the blisters, it's better than surgery and scars.

Red hair, pale skin, child of the 60s and 70s.

I really hate that cream. Just touching it gives me a horrible taste in my mouth. I love that it burns so many things off, but it's so horrible!

I have not but I'm sure my day is coming. Like you, a tan was super cool and of course as kids we rean around the shore without much protection and got sunburned lots of times.

Had squamous cell cancer treated on my upper arm 8 years ago now - right at the spot where my polio vaccine scar was. I was prescribed a liquid that basically melted it off.

I'm also a former sun worshipper - and grew up here in FL. We practically lived in the water.

There were virtually no sunscreens other than zinc oxide when I was a kid, and as teens, we wanted to be as dark tan as possible, so would slather on baby oil/mineral oil. I always had more of a reddish glow, being rather fair skinned. I also had some bad sunburns in my youth.

FWIW, when I had biopsies, I was told not to use Neosporin or the generic version - Polysporin was recommended as less problematic.

Geez - 2 weeks seems like an eternity when you're waiting for that kind of news! My sympathies ...

Another sun worshipper here from very young to forties. I remember awful peeling burns as a kid. Id toast myself dark brown all summer. Needless to say, Ive had several skin cancers, including three Mohs surgeries. So far, all are basal cell.

My derm is always freezing off spots. They scabby then fall off. The Mohs surgeries only left pale lines you can only see if you look for them, on my face.

I've had two basal cell carcinomas and two squamous cell carcinomas, and have had Mohs surgery for two of them. As others have said, it's important - to reduce scarring - to keep the area covered and moist for at least a week following the procedure to remove it.

Neosporin shouldn't be used because for some folks it causes an allergic reaction, and it also creates issues with becoming resistant to antibiotics. My dermatologist says to use the little packet of white petroleum jelly that they send home with you, or else just use Aquaphor. Hubs and I use Aquaphor.

Some people who can't tolerate Neosporin do okay with Polysporin.

My friend has to uses that precancer ointment on her lip from time to time and has to choose a time to use it when she has nothing planned because her lip gets yucky looking.

Annual (or more frequent) dermatologist visits seem to be the norm in my area. I've had a few biopsies and freezing removals, some pre-cancerous areas, fortunately nothing more serious. Many I know who also grew up in SoCal have had more problems than I have.

Rob, you said you spent some time in the Monterey area. Unless you were quite a bit inland, you surely had more sweatshirt jacket and sweater days than beach days. "Fog burn", if there were such a thing, is more a risk than sunburn, especially in the spring and summer months.

And for all you folks who live in snowy areas, remember that protection from the sun is also very important. Not only are you getting UV exposure from the sun above but you are also getting it from the rays bouncing off of the snow.

UV rays also travel through the clouds. And the windows in your car.

To answer the OP, I have never had skin cancer.

I'm happy to read that I wasn't the only clueless person trying to get and keep the best tan ever. I'm glad I didn't grow up in a warmer climate where I could tan all year and maybe it would be worse. I started when I was 15 and was invited to the junior/senior prom by a cute guy. I bought a white chiffon dress and decided I'd get a tan. Who knew you could tan in the spring? This carried over to college years where we'd skip classes and lay out behind our dorm. Looking back, it was an obsession. I always wore a bikini so there are only very few protected spots on my body.

I love my dermatologist but I'm not happy I wasn't given verbal instruction and vaseline. I always have some and Qtips but there is no way even IF I had the tiny round bandages one would stick on the end of my nose. The one that surprised me was the one that looked like a large flat freckle, not raised or irregular. She hopped right in on it and I saw it every day and thought nothing. Other things I pointed out that might be something, she dismissed.

Thank you all for your stories. I enjoyed reading them and knowing we were all part of the swinging 60s.

Elmer, surely you aware that folks can get an awful sunburn on cloudy days.

When I was a teenager, the big thing for girls was to slather themselves in a mixture of baby oil and iodine, and lie in the sun for hours. I have very fair skin, never participated, and was sometimes teased for being so pale. Now I'm 67 and (so far) no skin cancer. I also have almost no wrinkles, except for smile creases which I call "Mick Jagger lines" (to make them sound sexy.) I never go back to my hometown and occasionally wonder what those girls look like now. With a bit of schadenfreude, I kind of hope they're all wrinkled. But I wouldn't wish skin cancer on anyone, even the mean girls.

I had a very small squamous cancer removed from my face about 20 years ago. It was about the size of a match head. It never came back. I never laid out to try to tan, but I have always been outside more than inside. So far this is the only one I have had.

His dermatologist says DH (85) has the whitest skin on the chart. He's had many procedures and will be having stitches removed Monday for the most recent lesion. MD said he's 'too old' for bothering with Moh's, and this is a two-stitch wonder behind an ear.

I've had one or two Moh's procedures.

We've both 'palefaces', but I was an indoor girl, while he did a lot of swimming and tennis. I note that both of us have had more spots on the left sides of our faces -- driver's side exposures, I presume.

Lily, I think you've lucked out with so few lesions. I wouldn't worry about this blowing up into anything.

Monterey is sunny

Monterey might be sunny, but it is cold at the beach, with temperatures mostly in the upper 50s and low 60s during May, June, and July, when the sun is the most intense. It does warm up in September and October, but the sun is less dangerous by then.

Very easy to get tan or sunburned in April, when the sun is more intense than it is in September, and May is more intense than August.

We start using sunscreen in March. I always wore wetsuits when surfing, and then I only needed sunscreen on my hands and face.

Lily, I’m glad you got checked out by a dermatologist.

A dermatologist said that skin cancers can develop in areas that did not necessarily get exposed to UV light. I’ve read that melanomas can occure on the scalp, eye, fingernail and out of the way private areas.

Some of you have gone through a lot. So sorry. And I agree, much better to have a scar than an unaddressed skin cancer.

Yes, I understood that skin cancers can develop in areas not exposed to the sun - and in areas we can't see like the scalp.

Bob Marley had melanoma under his toenail.

People tolerate temperatures differently.

67F is spring/summer weather for my WI cousins - and for lots of people from colder climates - they'd be out in shorts, or at the beach for sure, and we longtime Floridians would be bundled up - that's how we recognize tourists here 😄

My CA niece and nephew would play in the cold, cold Pacific while we grownups shivered on the beach.

From spring 2018 at dusk - the water felt like 50F:

I've learned kids have a larger proportion of brown fat in their bodies than adults and that's why they often don't seem to feel the cold as much.

Our WI relatives always wound up with a bad sunburn when they visited too.

Awesome what expertise there is with people thousands of miles away with little or no personal experience or familiarity with the area. I encourage you to take a beach vacation next year to Pebble Beach, Monterey or Carmel. June and July are perfect. Book now to get a good beach-side room.

Elm, don’t be so touchy! I have been to Carmel and Monterey. Several times. Lovely places but crowded. I really do think that we all have different internal thermometers. Just my observation.

Here’s a February wedding on frozen Bow Falls in Banff. LOL

The bride and groom loved the weather. I hope they wore sunscreen!

Not touchy at all. My comments were in response to one person's insistent but perhaps years' clouded memory. Nothing else.

California is known for its sun-drenched beaches with warm but moderate temperatures, perfect for beach vacations and beautiful weather most of the year. That would be the southern part, perhaps from Santa Barbara south. A tad farther south to be sure. Not Monterey.

Roxsal, I remember a bad ski sunburn I had skiing at Mammoth; I used sunscreen but didn't think about the area under the tip of my nose and behind/under my earlobes. They were tender, and the peeling skin looked nasty.

sealavender, winter sunburns can be very bad. That is why I mentioned in my previous post to be careful even when there is snow on the ground. It reflects the sun‘s rays even worse than water, and even on cloudy days. Many people don’t realise that it doesn’t have to be hot for sun damage to your skin to occur.

" a bad ski sunburn "

I've had that too. It's very common from sunshine reflecting off of snow, as previously mentioned. Also, another factor is that UV radiation is much stronger at higher elevations than at sea level.

I lived in Monterey for over two years when in my early twenties . I well recall the oddness of wanting socks snd sweaters in June. We loved the area and always said how we’d love to have a home there…except in Carmel Valley, NOT Monterey . Too foggy and too little sun.

So I guess all those years I lived in Hawai'i running around in a two-piece 24/7/365, don't matter. Nor does the fact that I never wore a mask over my face in Monterey. After all the sun did actually hit my face but it doesn't count. I guess all those pictures where I had a coat on but my face was uncovered, or I was wearing short sleeves and my arms were uncovered, in Monterey when the sun does actually shine (anyone who thinks it's foggy all day long everyday hasn't lived there very long), those don't count either. Or the other places I've lived or visited, or worn bikinis, like when I was in St Thomas or in Florida or... Golly gee, I wish somebody would tell my skin that it shouldn't have cancer, it's gravely mistaken, stupid skin, because the experts have told me that I only lived in Monterey, and it's not sunny enough to get skin cancer there. Only my foggy mind can't possibly communicate that to my skin.

🙄

“ I only lived in Monterey, and it's not sunny enough to get skin cancer there“

Rob, you definitely can get skin cancer there. To think otherwise is foolish. I hope you are doing well.

Pretty sure that was sarcasm on rob's part...

Water vapor doesn't do much to block UV rays that damage skin, in case anyone wasn't aware.

Carol, I know it was sarcasm. My comment was for those who think that living in an area that gets fog/clouds makes one immune from skin cancer.

I was never a summer sun worshiper but I did have to get that goggle spring skiing tan which is probably what led to the BCC on my nose. I did had it removed through MOHS and the surgeon was certified for plastic surgery and it was all done at the same time. Apparently skin cancer is like others in that if one family member has it others could be more prone to it as well. People's skin can react to the sun in varying degrees and that can be a family trait.

It can also be a reflection of family lifestyles. My DH and I are skiers as are our kids but we have made sure that our kids wear sunscreen when skiing.

Everyday exposure factors in as well. Minutes per day can add up over time.

Yes it was sarcasm, and I understood what you were saying rox. It did come across me as so silly to think that I can't get skin cancer in Monterey because it's foggy... sometimes.

In case anybody really wondered, there are seasons it's not foggy, and even when it is foggy it burns off by midday. I'm not saying it's never foggy there but it sure as heck isn't foggy all day long everyday. I enjoyed it, like a soothing blanket. I think I get to see fog once every 2 or 3 years in Nashville, and I'm always taken back to Monterey. Though I can't think of a single thing that reminds me of Hawai'i that happens in Nashville! 😉

Carolb, when we were in Oregon, saw a little girl swimming in the cold ocean, having the time of her life. It was probably around 60 degrees that day. I was in a sweater and thick sweatjacket, and jeans.

I spent ages 6 to about 9 in southern California, all day swimming at the base pool. Had so many peeling sunburns. My mom used to slather us with Noxema and or Calimine lotion. I attempted to lay out in the sun in NV when I was a teenager but I hated it so didn't do much of it. Later I became a gardener and so have a farmer's tan and badly damaged skin on my face and arms. The rest of me looks pretty good for an old lady. ( : I worry about my eyesight, though, as I rarely used sunglasses. I do when I drive now. I try to wear a hat in the garden but find them annoying especially when the wind is blowing.

I remember that Noxzema smell so vividly - and Solarcaine - it was oily, I recall. Once we started growing aloe, that worked so much better for burns.

I cover up completely when working in the yard now, but there are plenty of times I go out just to water or grab a handful of herbs or something and of course I'm not making any effort to protect myself. That happens daily. I've got the farmer tan as well. My hands have the worst age spots, since I wash them so often, sunscreen just doesn't stay on for long.

I have a wide brimmed straw hat I wear for yardwork, and some bucket hats too.

I wear gloves, and started wearing a mask too, since it's so very dusty and I feel lots better afterwards when I haven't been breathing in all that stuff - I really must look like some kind of weirdo, I think 😄

I remember back in my tanning days slathering baby oil all over my body so I would fry faster. I have been applying Vaseline on the three areas on my face. I wonder if aloe could be used on these spots? I have three aloe plants. I don't have farmers tan but I do have pure white feet that start at my sock line. As a child when we went to the Jersey shore for our annual weekly vacation, my mother would tell me to stay on the beach for a while because when I'd go home after a week, my face and shoulders would be suntanned and the rest of my body was white since I spent the whole day swimming in the waves.

You have to try to avoid infection. I understand you're uncomfortable, but aloe is not going to get rid of infection. My best sweetie. But please try to cover them up. For at least a little bit.