Getting a bad looking thing removed on Monday. Will I be off swimming for a while? thanks.
PS yes I KNOW this is the least of my worries but wondered.
good luck with that.
what type of biopsy? (if you don’t mind my asking)
pool or open water?
the type of biopsy will also play a factor.
Its biopsy of a mole that has been crusty and bleeding and oozing for 2 weeks just outta the blue, nothing caused it like a scrape etc. My GP saw it today today said she’d do it herself but as its near lots of veins she wanted a dermatologist to do it and so got an appt right away as it is pretty ugly.
I was thinking lake swimming as I have a race the following weekend. Not a big deal to miss but Id like to do it and just wondered if thatd be OK.
SO I am not sure what type of biopsy itd be. As she said she didnt want to do it near veins, I am guessing not a puncture type? but I dont know anything really so if you have any insight thatd be great-thanks.
I have had a gazillion biospsies. So far all have been basal cell carcinoma. Good luck with yours, I’m praying it’s not melanoma. If it has scabbed over you will be fine. If it is still soft and it’s in a place where you can get a bandage over it, get yourself a tagaderm patch and cover it and you should be fine.
well, since it’s just a mole i would say that it’s just a shave biopsy.
and i would say that they will just give you a local and “shave” it off, so to speak.
in this case i think you would be good to swim, just keep it VERY clean.
make sure you ASK THE DERMO when they’re cutting to see if this is what they would recommend.
i’m not an MD yet, so there could be other unforeseen risks that i haven’t learned about yet.
I would ask your doc…avoid infection at all costs as that will put you back a lot more than a little missed swim practice for such a short term.
thanks for these answers! so helpful and reassuring. Really big picture, can I swim or not? doesnt matter but I wondered. My GP said, that does not look like a mole. I showed her one on my arm that looked like that one before it went weird and said it used to look just like that. She said it was strange as it does not look like a mole anymore FWIW. I wont freak out til I know.
PS isnt basal cell carcinoma…bad? hope you are ok?
technically it’s a type of skin cancer.
but hardly ever results in metastasis.
so, don’t freak out until you know everything from the DERMO and they get your labs back.
I had one removed and swam that night but was told not to swim in the ocean, just the pool. Better ask your derm just in case though.
PS isnt basal cell carcinoma…bad? hope you are ok?
Had one cut out of my forehead and couldn’t swim for a number of days.
clm
The biopsy is one thing, the removal surgery is another. I agree that the removal will have you on dry land for at least a week depending on how deep and large the cut had to be nad if it had to be stitched and/or a skin graft done. I have had 6 such surgery procedures in the last 4 years and I go in next week because I have two spots that I don’t like right now myself. You get really good at spotting this stuff after a while.
triLA - If it turns out to be cancerous, be sure your Dermo is really good and/or uses a really good plastic surgeon to help close up wounds when they get big. If you have the option, look into having the mohs procedure done, it takes small samples and they analyze it under a scope right there. This way they can go back to get more if needed, but rarely ever take too much, leaving as much good tissue in place as possible.
Best of luck.
Dave
bumping an old thread for advice. getting a supposed SK removed and sent for biopsy as derm thinks it is SK but it isn’t clear-cut and wants to excise entire thing (it is (guessing) about 3 cm?) with margins. i don’t know right now if he is going for 2 mm margins or the 6mm ones but i’m thinking 2mm.
no impact on bike and run, right? swimming?