I had a couple of dry skin spots on my face near my temple. They had been there for awhile. They weren’t responding to the assorted creams, lotions and salves that I tried so I decided to ask my doctor about them during my annual “wellness exam”. (For my young readers, “wellness exams” are a part of the Medicare program.) The doctor referred me to a dermatologist for further review.
To be entirely truthful, the spots have been there for quite some time. I’ve used assorted lotions, creams and salves, but nothing has really help long term. They always return. If my dad was still around he would recommend “black salve”. He used it all of the time. It wasn’t pretty, but it worked.
I had my referral appointment about a month ago. The dermatologist examined my face, several other parts of my body, and declared “You have some pre-cancerous spots on your face that need to be addressed.”
She gave me three options: 1) “I can freeze the spots for you right now. When they heal you may end up with some discoloration on your face.” 2) “We have some cream that I can use today, but you won’t be able to go outside in the sun for two weeks.” 3) “We have a blue light treatment that we can use. It requires two treatments and you must avoid the sun for two days after each one. You’ll have to make two appointments to have this done as we can’t start this today.”
I asked, “If you were me, what would you do?”
“I would use the cream or blue light. They are longer lasting and make you look younger as well. Your skin is new.”
I opted for the blue light because it required only two days of avoiding the sun. I could give up golf for a couple of days but not two weeks
I had my first treatment three days later. The procedure was simple. They washed my face, applied a clear liquid, and had me sit in the office for two hours. When the waiting was over, I put on a set of goggles, and they directed the “blue light” on my face. The light was in a type of shield that wrapped around the front of my head. After 16 minutes and 40 seconds, I was done. They gave me cleaning solutions to wash my face, sun screen lotion, and a softening lotion with directions to “Use them all.” So I did.
I cheated though. I didn’t stay inside for the two days. Brady had a football game that evening and I went. I covered my face with lotion, wore a baseball cap, sun glasses, and did my best to shield my face. Two days later I looked liked “burnt toast”. The only white on my face was where the goggles had shielded my eyes. If you’re old enough to remember “black faced” Al Jolsen, I could have been his twin.
Over the next week, I peeled like you would if you had a sunburn. I had a couple of spots that didn’t clear up as I had hoped. My follow-up appointment was last Friday. I was scheduled for my second blue light treatment.
The doctor came in and said, “You’re too early.”
I said, “No, my appointment is at 8:00.”
She said, “I mean it’s too early for a second treatment.” (This was not the same doctor who had diagnosed my problem and offered up the set of solutions.) “We can’t do a second treatment until October 21st. We’ll do the final follow-up two weeks later.”
“That’s not going to work. I’ll be in Florida by then.”
We discussed my situation in great detail. What had initially been described as a pre-cancerous condition, was really pre-pre- cancerous. It could lead to something, that could lead to something, that might end up being cancerous.
I revealed the fact that I seldom wear a hat or apply sun-screen. “You need to do both, all of the time. After your blue light treatment, your skin is new. It needs to be protected.”
After much discussion, we decided to “freeze” the spots that hadn’t healed. That’s where I am now.
I run the risk of having some discoloration on the spot that they froze. If it does, it does. I already have a dent on the end of my nose from a spot that they treated twenty- years ago, a chicken-pock scar next to my eye from when I was six years old, and another scar next to my eye-brow where David Ruff dropped a toy rifle on my face while we played “army” when I was eight. As my face wrinkles with age, I’m just happy to see it each morning when I look in the mirror. I think the scars add character.