The Gottdam Dermatologist

Ranga

Billy Hamilton status
Dec 31, 2008
1,682
1,422
113
Went to the derm - covered in scabs from the freezy gun, and have a super sweet squamous cell on my shin that he'll be hacking away at next week. These are all from sunscreen transgressions and hubris in my teens and 20s I'd guess, and I'm not excited for the next dozen appointments . . .

Anybody else trying to be a fair skinned surfer? Also, fvck the sun.
 
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elcalvo

Michael Peterson status
Mar 16, 2004
3,314
436
83
NE
I have read that those who are deficient in Vitamin D are significantly more susceptible to other, more serious forms of cancer. While I have also been subject to the sting of "Mr. Freeze" over the years, I still enjoy the sun while wearing a hat, and using sunscreen on my naked head while surfing.
 

Joshua2415

Tom Curren status
Jul 18, 2005
12,701
11,463
113
San Clemente
I had a squamous removed from my cheek 6 years ago https://forum.surfer.com/index.php?threads/squamous-cell-carcinoma.197094/ . I've been seeing my dermatologist every 6 months ever since and have at least one spot on my face or back frozen each visit. Visit the dermatologist regularly and at least you have a greater chance of catching anything early.

I hope everything goes well with your shin.
 
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silentbutdeadly

Duke status
Sep 26, 2005
33,486
23,075
113
Tower 13
I'm on the same regime as joshua

had numerous spots frozen, two mohs procedures (forehead and back), and one spot cut out of my arm, Luckily all relatively minor stuff but I am going to the dermo often. I want everything caught and removed early.

It was cool when he was cutting my forehead I could hear the incision... sounded like when you filet a fish :oops:

I'm only 44. This is gonna be a fun road ahead
 
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b.r.

Phil Edwards status
Dec 19, 2003
5,921
3,033
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Leucadia
www.youtube.com
Just wait until your dermatologist tells you he has to remove a squamous from your eye lid...
Had that done a couple months ago. Was so weird, thought they would put me under so I wouldn’t squirm while he diced it off and then cauterized it but I just had my face in a contraption and he numbed it up by sticking a needle in my eyelid and in 10 minutes I was out of there. Told me no surf for 2 weeks. I lasted 5 days.
 

Clayster

Miki Dora status
Oct 26, 2005
5,646
1,240
113
I've had 8 mohs procedures. All basal cell. Got an appointment in three weeks for the semi- annual checkup, and I can already tell that I've got another one coming. The skin graft procedure on my nose was a bitch; the rest weren't terrible.

It's all about your skin type, and what you did as a kid. I surfed, which is the worse thing you can do to avoid skin cancer. Sunscreens? MEH. I use them, but am not convinced that in our surfing environment, that they offer much help.
 

inlandLocal

Nep status
Jul 8, 2008
557
10
18
squamous's are no fun. Had one on my nostril removed a few years ago via mohs surgery. Took 3 digs at it then had plastic surgery to finish it off and was awake for it all!
 
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$kully

Duke status
Feb 27, 2009
59,997
16,704
113
Go on a one hundred percent meat diet, ignore the ensuing gout and your cancel will magically go away like Covid-19 cutting and running from Hydroxychloroquine.

Squidley out!:waving:

Just kidding. That sucks and good luck. I’m on the 6 month program with my derm. No cancer yet but he’s routinely carving moles with “abnormal cells” off me. 2-3 per visit. It’s only a matter of time before I get skin cancer or run out of skin.
 

john4surf

Kelly Slater status
May 28, 2005
8,920
3,557
113
CBS, CA
Go on a one hundred percent meat diet, ignore the ensuing gout and your cancel will magically go away like Covid-19 cutting and running from Hydroxychloroquine.

Squidley out!:waving:

Just kidding. That sucks and good luck. I’m on the 6 month program with my derm. No cancer yet but he’s routinely carving moles with “abnormal cells” off me. 2-3 per visit. It’s only a matter of time before I get skin cancer or run out of skin.
Good for you, the ‘younger’ surf/outdoors generation will truly benefit from frequent dermatology exams. I think Australia has the best skin-safe measures for youngsters that should hopefully stay with them throughout their lives. As a teen in the 50s and 60s, we used to put methiolade (sp?) in a bottle of Baby Oil and lather up. There were at least a dozen “sun tan oils” on the market that simply magnified sun rays in the day. As a surf nut (unfortunately not a true ‘surfer’), oils were usually a no no. Paying the price the past 2 these past two or three decades getting zapped ever visit, scalpeled every other visit. Sun screen or, cover up yourselves and your kids.
 

ElOgro

Duke status
Dec 3, 2010
31,863
11,806
113
Good for you, the ‘younger’ surf/outdoors generation will truly benefit from frequent dermatology exams. I think Australia has the best skin-safe measures for youngsters that should hopefully stay with them throughout their lives. As a teen in the 50s and 60s, we used to put methiolade (sp?) in a bottle of Baby Oil and lather up. There were at least a dozen “sun tan oils” on the market that simply magnified sun rays in the day. As a surf nut (unfortunately not a true ‘surfer’), oils were usually a no no. Paying the price the past 2 these past two or three decades getting zapped ever visit, scalpeled every other visit. Sun screen or, cover up yourselves and your kids.
50’s and 60’s for protection the choices were zinc oxide, sea&ski and clothes. We spent a good part the summers at the Colorado River. Got burned the fvck up. Used all three. My dad had a bunch burned/cut off, my mom and sisters less but some, me nada. Never been to a dermatologist. Clean living? Luck of the draw?
 

SurfFuerteventura

Rabbitt Bartholomew status
Sep 20, 2014
8,404
4,580
113
Ribbit
50’s and 60’s for protection the choices were zinc oxide, sea&ski and clothes. We spent a good part the summers at the Colorado River. Got burned the fvvk up. Used all three. My dad had a bunch burned/cut off, my mom and sisters less but some, me nada. Never been to a dermatologist. Clean living? Luck of the draw?
Dieta?

I've been "lucky" too, or whatever it is.

Surfing since early on, at the beach since a baby.

Personally, "clothes make a man" in this case.

Also, "there is no such thing as foul weather, there is however poor foul weather gear".

Diet, and have always made it a point to start exposing in very small increments early on during the year when the sun is furthest south... By the time she gets up close to us in late spring, me a brown buggah.

Also, genetrix have mucho to do.

Me 6% African. Mostly between my legs and in the "fro-ness", but also apparently in sun resistance?

:roflmao: :roflmao: :roflmao: :monkey:
 
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PJ

Gerry Lopez status
Jan 27, 2002
1,022
733
113
Shrub Oak,N.Y.,USA
I'm 61 - I'm on a yearly whole body exam now - who knew that such a thing existed? About 4 years ago had a scab on my rear calf that wouldn't heal - I though I scratched it doing yardwork - it was basal cell (non-malignant) carcinoma - the dermatologist saw something on my temple during that exam also - both needed surgery by a plastic surgeon - the only option. Since then there have been 4 spots, chest, hand, arm. There have been 3 options for those which were all caught early - surgery by a plastic surgeon (the most effective every time), freezing by the dermatologist (the next best), or I think 6 weeks of cream 5 days a week applied by me. The cream has been working fine for me and it doesn't leave a mark really. The biopsy itself takes a away a lot of the carcinoma.

But the yearly exams are very necessary for me, there's at least one new one a year - the dermatologist is keeping his eye on a couple of more spots now. So I'm seeing him really 2 or 3 times a year - treatments and all.
 

hammies

Duke status
Apr 8, 2006
15,587
14,214
113
I'm 61 - I'm on a yearly whole body exam now - who knew that such a thing existed? About 4 years ago had a scab on my rear calf that wouldn't heal - I though I scratched it doing yardwork - it was basal cell (non-malignant) carcinoma - the dermatologist saw something on my temple during that exam also - both needed surgery by a plastic surgeon - the only option. Since then there have been 4 spots, chest, hand, arm. There have been 3 options for those which were all caught early - surgery by a plastic surgeon (the most effective every time), freezing by the dermatologist (the next best), or I think 6 weeks of cream 5 days a week applied by me. The cream has been working fine for me and it doesn't leave a mark really. The biopsy itself takes a away a lot of the carcinoma.

But the yearly exams are very necessary for me, there's at least one new one a year - the dermatologist is keeping his eye on a couple of more spots now. So I'm seeing him really 2 or 3 times a year - treatments and all.
My guy wants me to do a full face peel with 3 - 4 days of Fluoracil to bring up the cells and then blast 'em with PDT. The alternative is he keeps having liquid nitrogen parties on my face every 6 months.
 
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