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Care for Stage IA area before surgery
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Care for Stage IA area before surgery

› Forums › General Melanoma Community › Care for Stage IA area before surgery

  • Post
    • August 25, 2014 at 8:12 pm
    Resilient4Life
    Participant

       

      Just received notice of my surgery date for Stage IA melanoma. It is exactly one month after the biopsy. Reading on the web indicates this is fairly normal, but a wait of 1-3 months would be unwise and excessive.

      Should I do anything special for the area while I wait? The dermatologist's office gave me a petroleum based ointment. I have read that petroleum products cause cancer. I'm using a homeopathic salve instead. Does it make any difference how clean I keep the spot? (Hydrogen peroxide 3 times a day followed by ointment) Obviously  some attention is necessary,  but don't want to go overboard.

      Thank you for your response.

       

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    • Replies
        • August 25, 2014 at 9:59 pm
        Janner
        Participant

          Within 90 or more days is still considered clinically acceptable (even though mentally that may not be the case) to have a wide excision (WLE).  I have never done anything to prepare for my WLE's.  (Had about 10 of them or so).  Just whatever is needed to let the area heal.  I do think it's a little easier to have the biopsy site healed when you have the WLE than an open sore, but that's just me.

          • August 25, 2014 at 9:59 pm
          Janner
          Participant

            Within 90 or more days is still considered clinically acceptable (even though mentally that may not be the case) to have a wide excision (WLE).  I have never done anything to prepare for my WLE's.  (Had about 10 of them or so).  Just whatever is needed to let the area heal.  I do think it's a little easier to have the biopsy site healed when you have the WLE than an open sore, but that's just me.

            • August 25, 2014 at 9:59 pm
            Janner
            Participant

              Within 90 or more days is still considered clinically acceptable (even though mentally that may not be the case) to have a wide excision (WLE).  I have never done anything to prepare for my WLE's.  (Had about 10 of them or so).  Just whatever is needed to let the area heal.  I do think it's a little easier to have the biopsy site healed when you have the WLE than an open sore, but that's just me.

              • August 28, 2014 at 2:20 am
              Kristin_22
              Participant

                I just had a wide excision four weeks after biopsy (right mid-back.) The biopsy site didn't heal well. After two weeks I was prescribed an antibiotic ointment that I continued to use until the surgery. The doctor said he woudn't/couldn't operate on an infected wound. I kept it covered the whole time as it was uncomfortable to have my clothing rub against it.   

                The surgery is now 4 weeks ago. I kept that site covered as well. Stitches came out at two weeks and I kept the wound covered for another week, again because it was uncomfortable to have my clothing touch the wound. if it had been on my arm or an easier area I'm not sure I would have kept it covered so long. 

                 

                Good luck. 

                • August 28, 2014 at 2:20 am
                Kristin_22
                Participant

                  I just had a wide excision four weeks after biopsy (right mid-back.) The biopsy site didn't heal well. After two weeks I was prescribed an antibiotic ointment that I continued to use until the surgery. The doctor said he woudn't/couldn't operate on an infected wound. I kept it covered the whole time as it was uncomfortable to have my clothing rub against it.   

                  The surgery is now 4 weeks ago. I kept that site covered as well. Stitches came out at two weeks and I kept the wound covered for another week, again because it was uncomfortable to have my clothing touch the wound. if it had been on my arm or an easier area I'm not sure I would have kept it covered so long. 

                   

                  Good luck. 

                  • August 28, 2014 at 2:20 am
                  Kristin_22
                  Participant

                    I just had a wide excision four weeks after biopsy (right mid-back.) The biopsy site didn't heal well. After two weeks I was prescribed an antibiotic ointment that I continued to use until the surgery. The doctor said he woudn't/couldn't operate on an infected wound. I kept it covered the whole time as it was uncomfortable to have my clothing rub against it.   

                    The surgery is now 4 weeks ago. I kept that site covered as well. Stitches came out at two weeks and I kept the wound covered for another week, again because it was uncomfortable to have my clothing touch the wound. if it had been on my arm or an easier area I'm not sure I would have kept it covered so long. 

                     

                    Good luck. 

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