Basal cell carcinoma scar healing in hair

Colleen.
Thank you so much for touching base…surgery went very well yesterday; she (doctor) was able to get clean edges the first time. Thoughtful too, as she knew, because of my prior difficult experience with a very large area (2x4” removed) of bcc on the back of my head I was a bit freaked out, as you all know from my posts. She outlined the area of removal, took a photo and showed it to me, then went over the methods of closing again, in more detail this time.
Once I knew the size removed, thumb nail size, and that it would close about half way on its own, she also gave me the option of additional surgery now, making the area bigger with a diamond shaped cut at each end for proper closure, then stitches, -or- waiting until it was all healed and doing that same procedure with a scar completely healed, starting at 50% of the size now.
I opted to wait…not looking forward to potentially having surgery again and more of my hair being cut off again, but less invasive as would be starting smaller.
Maybe I will be ok with it, but she gave me a great option if a shiny white spot in the middle of my head is not something I grow to love🤣
I am grateful to the surgeon for her skills, and for having a wonderful hairdresser who carefully looks over my scalp every month, and found it early.
And, I truly thank all of you who responded with support and stories to help get me through this
( as it turned out) relatively small and pretty painless procedure. All I had to go on/think about ( for 4 months preceding surgery) was my first horrible experience.
🤗

Hello! My first cancer location was right there, on top of my noggin, at the crown, and I, too, have very fine hair, which is super-light strawberry-blonde. You can literally see through my hair. My primary care physician just cut it out in the football shape, sutured it up (like a football), and, when he pulled the stitches tight, I got an instant facelift!
Afterward, the hair grew back in the area they had roughed up, so I had little hairs sticking straight out, but then then they curved downward, and all was well. I can't even feel the scar or tell it was ever there.
I suspect you will have the same experience if you get it cut out like mine was. Hey, a free mini-facelift was an unexpected surprise!
Of course, I wish you all the best with your "stitchuation"!

Turned out it wound up being a little bigger circle than I thought, but not huge. I was so relieved to have the surgery over in one cut, I couldn’t really think straight, and agreed to wait until all healed before we did the football, even though could have been done then and over with. Thanks a bunch for the info-will give me a better outlook for the future decision. I too have light (mostly grey and a little thin blonde) hair, so probably will have that done later. Wish she would have discussed this option before surgery when I could think a little more clearly…thank you again!
🥴

@gforce, I love your sense of humor and am delighted that your "stitchuation" came with a mini-facelift. Ha.

You said the top of your head was your first cancer location. Have you had to have additional spots removed? How are you doing?

My first experience was a not so mini free facelift…I called it that, but came from the back of my head!!!
Current bcc is healing well, hard to believe what just plain Vaseline can do. Still looks like an entry wound from a good size caliber something…oh well, guess I am looking forward to the next step, no Vaseline…🤣

I had a BCC removed from my right ear, on the top ring, a couple years ago. There is still a gap there, but I believe the ring is sprouting another growth. I expect to have it removed, shortly. This is most frustrating, but apparently necessary. oldkarl

So sorry that you have to do this again…hard to cover ears all the time…my best to you and your ears…

I am scheduled for Mohs on the scalp for bcc in about 2 months. I had a consult today with the Mohs surgeon.He did not give me much info except to say he would do the best possible to preserve my hair and close it nicely. He also warned that he didn’t know how bad it could be. It is right on top of my head. I have shoulder length blonde hair that is my pride and joy. They use lidocane as a local but refused to give me anything for anxiety. They want you awake to wait in the waiting room during the daunting process. They never discussed closing techniques or if there are options? What is the football?

Moes is about scraping it off a layer at a time. I wanted to share i had below my shoulder red hair for over 40 years. Chemo when i was age 60 was it. I did not cold cap I just let it go. Cut it short at the Positive image center at COH then my sister cut it one week later to very short. God laughed, 2 yrs later i had a bone marrow transplant and lost it again. I said are you kidding me God, it had just hit my shoulders. The first time was during covid. I bought cute hats at headcovers. com.
I am still loved by all. At the college i work at many never knew me 4 years ago with my long curly red hair. Others only know me now with short hair. (My sister was a blond. I always wanted blond hair)
The Doctor wants to get rid of the bcc. He knows hair is important. Ask more questions on how much of a margin the need out beyond where the mohs is. They do this a lot. On your scalp, i see the importance of you being awake. Techniques and options you need to know. Your head so please ask until you get your answers. I bet your beautiful hair will have a solution with the mohs.

So stressful!
Hair is such a beautiful thing…baby hair to the grey I have now.
Having had a major removal from the back of my head to the smaller one on top, I was more stressed about the smaller one, as I was asleep for first one. I did not know how big (2”x4”) the removal would be. Pony tails are a great thing.
I can tell you that the Mohs did not hurt me at all, even while waiting for the results. Lidocaine is a wonderful thing!
A bit sore after, but nothing bad.
As I had decided to wear
“ patches” to cover my site, just Vaseline as the topical med, I asked for several sheets? of non stick bandages, cut them in tiny pieces, and used Vaseline to stick them on. Then I pulled part of my shoulder length hair over all of it, fastened with a barrette or a soft, smaller hair elastic. You can practice now, if that sounds like something that would work for you.
It helped me immensely, and kept most of the Vaseline out of the rest my hair.
As katgob mentioned, ask as many questions as you need, write them down! If doctor wants to do Mohs, with only lidocaine, then he/she feels that your cancer is caught in time to prevent major complications.
Will be thinking of you!