Recovery of chops after lip cancer removal?

[DaveBj]

It's official -- I have a skin cancer on my upper lip. I have an appointment to have it removed with my usual face-cutter (a plastic surgeon) the day after Community Band's Christmas concert. The band is on a 6-week hiatus after that, which will give me 4 weeks to heal completely (as recommended), and two weeks to try to get my chops back.If anyone in the group has ever had anything like this done, I would like to read about your experience.

[davewerden]

Ouch! But I don't see much in the photo. I've never had skin cancer, but I have had several pre-cancerous "things/spots" removed. One was on my lower lip in the edge of the red area. It was frozen off. The spot healed just fine functionally, but that spot is lighter in color (the spot looks white in some lighting, but not so much here in natural light).

[DaveBj]

This is my 5th or 6th rodeo with facial skin cancer removal, same doc every time. He's a plastic surgeon, and I can't find a single scar from the carving that he has done. Obviously there will be scarring here, because part of the red of the lip is involved.

[RickF]

Good luck with the surgery David. It sounds like you have an excellent Dr. to take care of the skin cancer. Living in South FL for over 60 yrs. where the sun seems to always shine, I've had a few skin cancers and numerous pre-cancers removed. I'm guessing you Dr. will perform a 'Mohs' procedure first then what ever is necessary with plastic surgery. I've had two 'Mohs' surgery that left no scaring but never performed on my lips. I do have a lesion on my lower lip that I was concerned about a few years ago. My dermatologist diagnosed it as a 'venous lake' which is a benign vascular tumor. Thankfully no action was required.

I wish you all the best in your recovery.

[hyperbolica]

I have an older friend who had an operation on his lower lip. He hasn't fared as well. He had a big needle inserted into his lower lip, and it has been the lasting effects from the needle rather than the main procedure that has left him in a bit of pain when he plays. But it sounds like your Dr. has all of this under control. Best of luck.

[DaveBj]

Surgery was two days ago, and it's feeling better all the time. Mostly I don't even notice it, but if I stretch my upper lip over my teeth, that pulls on the stitches, and I can feel it. He did a short vertical cut, five stitches to close; they come out a week from today. There's still what feels like a little numb spot at the lower end of the incision, but it's been only two days; lots of time for that to clear up.

[aroberts781]

Glad to hear you're doing well post-surgery, Dave. I wish you a speedy recovery and hope you're playing again soon!

[davewerden]

Sounds like you are on a good track. Just behave yourself and don't rush it! We who enjoy playing can find it very difficult to not just jump back into difficult stuff. Patience and a methodical approach will be rewarded.

[RickF]

Glad to hear the surgery went well and it’s healing well. Be patient on getting back to playing.

[DaveBj]

Patience is indeed the keyword. The doc agrees with the advice that I have been given -- massage therapy after the stitches come out, and wait a full month from the date of the op before starting up again.

[John Morgan]

Glad to hear things are going well. Get better soon, David!

[DaveBj]

Stitches are out. It was a basal cell carcinoma with clean edges, which means that Doc S got it all. Now I'm giving myself about three weeks of massage, and then I can start blowing again. Easy does it.

[davewerden]

I'm glad it's going smoothly! A few weeks off practice is not so bad, right?

[DaveBj]

I'm glad it's going smoothly! A few weeks off practice is not so bad, right?

Not bad at all. When I started up again in 2005, I had been inactive for 17 years