jesse_the_k | Gross Poses Mohs Nose

As detailed in "My Fall Vacation," overview post, I had Mohs surgery last Thursday to remove a wee cancer on my nose. This entry contains photos during and after that operation. There’s blood and stitches — proceed at your own risk.

truly gross photos inside here

For the first removal they outlined the small sore — expanded to 9mm by biopsy — with tiny blue dots — grimdark clown makeup:

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After the second removal, there was a thumbprint-sized crater on the ridge of my nose, ending just below my nostrils.

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They’ve found clear margins and removed both squamous and basal cell tissue. Now they get to put me back together.

There are internal stitches which magically dissolve, but this photo shows many external stitches. They start 2.5cm above my eyebrows, filling in the crease between them. Stitches then swerve over to the ditch between my right cheek and nose down to the swell of my nostril. At this point the stitches make a U where the flap covers the "primary defect" in the elegant language of medical charts, finishing halfway up my nose on the left side.

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Two days later and finally being able to remove the thick bandages, I’m seeing rainbows on my face and the swelling going down. I can wear my glasses again (although they create 4-6mm pits in the swelling around my nose). Despite the purple, green, rose and black stripes on my cheeks, despite the thick black stitches all over my nose, I’m hardly having any pain. It compares with a skinned knee.

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Wound healing protocols have changed since I was little. Now I’m told to keep the wound covered in vaseline, and to not bandage it unless I have to.

I’m uncertain whether my healing face would perturb folks in public. Adding bandages might make it easier for folks who get queasy seeing surgical results. On the other hand, I’m a "let your freak flag fly" kinda person. What do you think?

Gross Poses Mohs Nose

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Ahhhhhhh!