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Squamous Cell Cancer Upper Lip and Philtrum
Melanoma & Skin Cancer | Last Active: 5 hours ago | Replies (30)Comment receiving replies
@moorjan3 yes, my mouth in slightly uneven, centered but left side is slightly shorter in width and I do use a lip liner in the morning but I have full use of my mouth and I'm just happy to be living at 77. I was lucky because I had a great MOHS surgeon in Tuscon. He did suggest lots of massage to make sure it didn't curl up when it healed. I massaged and it healed flat. I had another pop up in the same area a few years later and had that removed at Mayo in Jacksonville where I've been in infusion treatment for 2 yrs. That also turned out pretty good. My mouth looks different but still like me and I have no discomfort ever. Its been 2 yrs since my last MOHS. You have to give it time, like 6-9 months to settle in. Thinking back to when I had surgery by my left ear for squamous tumor, surgeon sliced from below my ear, along my cheek and up to hairline above and pulled a HUGE amount of skin to close up. It looked like frankenstein but after a few months skin relaxed, scar diminished and not visible today...I call it my free Medicare half facelift. Again, patience and time.
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@louisejewell Thank you. I continue to have a high level of discomfort which is concerning. The tightness and pulling on my lip to my nostril is pretty much all day every time I move my mouth. This doesn't seem to be consistent with others have experienced. I do have assymetry and my left side of my lip is slightly lower than the right. I also cannot move that side up and down like my right currently. I am not sure what is normal and what isnt at this point. It has improved but at 3 months, I am getting concerned there is more going on here. I do massage 3-4 times a day for about 3-5 minutes. Massaging inflames the area but does seem to make the rope like scar under the surface a bit softer for a little while. It then hardens back up again. I am also using Biocorneum Gel on the area from the top of my lip to my nostril. It doesn't seem to be doing much but does have SPF protection. I am not unclear if we should be taking more proactive steps at this point to address the tightness, discomfort and function issues as well as continued asymmetry. It has improved some, but still so very uncomfortable and function is still limited. Thank you for sharing your experience. All information is truly helpful.