A few Months back a friend of Mikes luv to fish wrote on the forum about finding skin cancer on his head (sorry I dont remember the handle he used)but a very big Thanks for bringing the subject up. If I remember all correctly, he talked about going to the doctor for a different spot and the doctor found pre skin cancer on a spot he thought was just dry skin. It rang a bell with me because I had an area just like he decribed. An area on my forhead that just looked like dry skin. I have thought about his post a few times and broke down and went to get it checked out today. All of the other areas that I thought might have been a problem were fine but that spot that looked like dry skin was Pre Skin Cancer and she found more on the side of my face. After a little Freezing and a special cream it looks like it will be gone. Mike tell your Buddy Thanks for the heads up and the rest of you get those spots checked out. I was luck to be reading the TFF or I would have waited to late. Man she was a good looking doctor too.

Glad to hear you caught it early. Huge props to you for taking the time to go to the doctor and get it checked out!

Yep skin cancer is bad stuff I had it when I was about 25 on my face, they had to do some deep cutting but looks like they got it all, now I make sure I use sun block when I'm on the water

I go once a year for the doc to check me head to toe.

After Kelly Jordan's issue I went and got checked... Thanks for posting your story....

Any sore on your face that will not completely heal is probably cancer. Those little dry patches are Basal Cell Carcinoma, which does not amount to much if gotten to reasonably soon. The ones to watch for are Squamous Cell Carcinoma and Melanoma.

Squamous Cell shows up as a sore or lump that will not heal. I had a cancer on my upper lip that I let go for a long while. I thought it was a cold sore. They removed a big chunk of my lip. The cancer surgery was not bad, but the plastic surgery to rebuild my lip was murder. It took over a year.

Melanoma is a flat mole-looking sore. If a mole shows a color change or sudden growth spurt it may be Melanoma.

Basil Cells are not usually life threatening but Squamous and Melanoma are deadly.

Most of us who spend or have spent a lot of time on the water, even with sun screen, will get skin cancer. A yearly check up is a good idea. Once you have a serious cancer they will check you every 3 months.

The Dr. just removed two Basal Cell Carcinomas from my scalp on Monday. Left a couple of large holes. He said it was nothing to worry about and be back in six months.

Melanoma for me. Doc took a piece of meat the size of a half dollar out of my cheek.

If I remember correctly it was Tall Bald Guy (Raymond). I also went and got checked last year due to some prodding from friends and had a pre-cancer growth removed from my back. My friends had it worse so it's best to get there and get checked early... Thanks for sharing and reminding everyone... Merry Christmas. Happy Fishing...

If you fish, you must get checked. Just had my fifth one removed last week and I go every 3 months.

I believe the person in question was Grove Rat...havent seen him on the lake or on the forum in a while. But thanks for posting this topic. I too had a skin cancer scare several years ago at the ripe old age of 24. It can get ANYONE AT ANY AGE. The girl that would be my wife worked at a tanning salon next to a store I use to frequent in Mesquite. So I got a membership and started tanning ALOT...so as to have a good excuse to talk to her. Worked out in the since that we are now married with two kids but the tanning caused a mole near my navel to change VERY RAPIDLY. When I finally had it looked at the doctor told me its a A pre-cancerous "Dysplastic Nevi" a type of abnormal mole known for developing into MELANOMA. He very frankly told me that if it was Melanoma and had spread to my lymph nodes that I was looking at about 5 years to live. I had two small surgeries and they removed a ball of tissue about the size of a large grape from my navel. VERY VERY SCARY. I now go once a year to have all of my moles examined by a dermatologist for any changes. Take this seriously guys...cancer is an EQUAL OPPORTUNITY KILLER!!!

Yes Mike confirmed it was Grove Rat. Keep the word spread through out the year. It might reach some one that needs to know.

My Bad... Sorry Raymond... Thanks all for confirming whom it was. See my memory is shot! Rap glad your story had a happy ending. That's a misconception for sure that this only affects us old guys. I hope everyone reads and heeds your post. Make the appointment and get checked. The worst that can happen is they may find something early. The best that can happen is they may find something early. Yes I meant to type it like that.... Happy Fishing. P.S. If they don't check ask them to check your scalp also....

I want to thank you guys for starting this thread...I have had a very small red spot on the side of my ahem somewhat prominent nose and did not think much of it at all. Very small but red and just did not go away. This thread and a couple of others gave me the incentive to make a skin check appointment and somehow they got me in today.

As soon as the doctor saw it his whole demeanor changed and said anytime you have a red spot or a flaky skin spot on your face get it checked because it is not a good thing.

He is pretty sure this one is the lesser pre-cancerous Actinic Keratosis and used liquid nitrogen to burn it off but said if it is not completely gone in 6 weeks come back because that would indicate something more serious like Basil Cell.

Anyway it is easy to put these things off but it could mean something much more serious by doing so.

Thank you guys again and for anyone else if you have anything on your face that does not heal especially red in color and/or flaky skin get it checked!