Have a skin problem and wonder if anyone else has had it.

I can't help with the diagnosis but keep phoning appointments to check for cancellations - good luck

If they thought there was any real chance at all of it being a serious skin cancer you would get an appointment within two weeks.
I've had one of the much less serious types, even when I'd seen a dermatologist (which took ages) I had a very long wait for treatment.
If you're really concerned why don't you go to see your GP to see what they think?

There is a phone consultation service for Benenden members, where you can speak to a medical practitioner for advice. I've not used it, but it may be worth a try, and to put your mind at rest.

It isn't a seborrheic keratosis is it? ( senile wart). A round or oval growth with a bumpy surface. I had one on my face beside my ear. I knew what it was and scraped it off. Fortunately it hasn't regrow. They range in colour from pink to dark brown and are unsightly but not cancerous.

Yes I agree with going to see the GP.
I hope you get this sorted out soon ... it must be quite a worry?

contact your doctor and ask for an appointment in the required 2 week time. Anything such as you have has to be referred within two weeks. insist!

See my thread titled- I’m having my nose shortened today.
The last post was nearly 24 hours ago so I’ll just resurrect it.

mayisay

There is a phone consultation service for Benenden members, where you can speak to a medical practitioner for advice. I've not used it, but it may be worth a try, and to put your mind at rest.

I would recommend that too.

I called my surgery one morning for an appointment for a couple of skin issues on my neck and in front of my ear.
(The receptionist had quite rightly had asked what I needed an appointment for to direct me to the correct practitioner in the practice)

She sent me a link on a text message and asked for a couple of photos of the skin. That afternoon I received a call to give me a face to face appointment with a GP the following morning.

She reassured me that they were nothing to worry about and very common in the areas I had them.

What don’t you give your surgery a ring Lovetopaint.

GP’s specialise in different things. There should be a GP at your practice that specialises in skin problems. I don’t see how a surgery pharmacist will have the expertise to say if a skin problem is serious or not. Not that it does sound too serious to me but better to be on the safe side.

Does it bleed?
Because my sisters and I have had lots of BCC’s removed my advice is take anything you are worried about to a dermatologist. It takes ages on the NHS. My GP was very uninterested unfortunately and almost had to be forced to refer me, however, when I was in the hospital yesterday the woman next to me in the recovery room had only been waiting a year.

Thank you all for your kind replies. I have rung Benenden and they have asked for a copy of the referral plus medical records. I have emailed the surgery about this and usually there is an automatic response confirming delivery but didn’t receive anything and I tried again but still nothing. I have printed a copy of the request so will take it in today. Here’s hoping.!!!
It seems that anything health wise these days is
more problematic. The surgery seems mainly deserted and mainly an area of mystery. It hasn’t bled PamelaJi so hoping it can be dealt with without too much trouble. Thank you all again.

Good luck

I am having treatment for sun damage and suggest you get seen ASAP to allay fears. It might just be simple solution but getting the right diagnosis is important

Perhaps while you're waiting you could consider trying homeopathy, or herbs. I read that dabbing castor oil on helps. Just a thought...

I too have had the least serious form of skin cancer, a basal cell carcinoma. Sounds terribly serious but it's a very minor cancer that grows very, very slowly. I had a long wait (5 months) to see a skin cancer specialist but once diagnosed, it was operated on within a couple of months. Most unpleasant, done with local anaesthetic but good that it's all been dug out. Mine was in my eyebrow and I'm dark haired, so it was well covered with hair, which is why I was surprised at the diagnosis. Even if it is a skin cancer, it's highly unlikely to be serious (only melanoma is bad news and your lesion would be a noticeably dark colour). I know it's easy to say but try not to worry. Even if it's a skin cancer it can be dealt with easily and is highly unlikely to be serious. Cancer is, after all, just rogue DNA.

You should have been given an urgent appointment with your GP. The GP could take a close up photo of it and send it to a Consultant Dermatologist who would then decide if you need to be seen by them urgently.

But thank goodness for Benenden!

Benenden will refer you to a dermatologist who works at a private hospital near to you so you should be able to get there.

I have got the same, a patch of dry flaky skin between my eye and my ear. I've spent a lot of time (and cash) trying to get rid of it. I went to the Doctor in the end and he said it wasn't cancerous, just to keep it moisturised and go back to see hom if it changes or gets worse.

I've found that most serums, facial moisturisers either don't help or make it worse. So now I cleanse my face with a cream cleanser such as Nivea unperfumed for very dry skin and moisturise with Avino Body moisturiser, again unperfumed and for dry sensitive skin.

I have found that it has settled a bit and certainly not got any worse. But by all means speak to your GP to put your mind at rest.

Google seb keratosis - if it is that type of thing it can be eradicated using intense pulsed light - had it done on a couple myself - they darken and slough off. This is the clinic I went to.https://www.sussexskinandlaser.co.uk/

I think you should get it seen to as soon as you can. In the meantime use Factor 50 minimum when you go outside.
Having had one cancerous small area on my face that was treated, and another now which GP thinks is pre-cancerous I am seeing a dermatologist in 10 days time. Good luck.

The dermatoligist I saw told me that applying good quality sun screen every day helps get rid of sun damage. Some sort of immune response. I've been doing that and its helping!
You should take your area by your ear to the GP . They might dry ice it.

I had a patch on my face for ages that seemed to come and go. GP said it needed Fucidin cream which didn't help! I also had another patch on my chest and saw a dermatologist privately - the face patch was sun damage and Efudix cream cleared it up nicely. The patch on my chest had to be excised as was a low grade cancer, no follow up needed and hardly any scar

Callistemon21

You should have been given an urgent appointment with your GP. The GP could take a close up photo of it and send it to a Consultant Dermatologist who would then decide if you need to be seen by them urgently.

But thank goodness for Benenden!

Thatt sounds like a good idea, but yes, thank goodness for Benenden. I wouldn't hang around. No point in worrying.