Basal Cell Carcinoma, Melanoma, PicoSure, and My Husband’s Tattoo

Sometimes the universe sends you a message in a most unusual confluence of events. Recently, my husband, Liam, was thinking about finishing the tattoo on his right arm. He had started his sleeve years ago, but had never completed the color component that he and the tattoo artist originally envisioned. Between the time when they started the tattoo and now, the tattoo artist had moved to Maine. Since we live in Atlanta, finishing the tattoo meant a plane ticket, a hotel, and 7-8 hours at one stretch in the tattoo chair. Nonetheless, Liam was recently gifted a sum of money that was just enough to finish this long overdue art. He found time in December and bought a plane ticket to Maine.

Two days after he purchased his plane ticket he went into Dermatology Affiliates for his annual mole check. He had recently had a fire put under his bum about getting checked after we met a neighbor in his thirties with two small children battling stage four melanoma. Our neighbor, Kevin Hill, had not seen his mole changing because it was under his side burn. He only became aware of a problem when he saw small bits of blood on his pillow each morning. Liam has a great deal of moles and a large beard. Hearing our friend’s story finally encouraged him to get checked. And you know what? Dr. Forney found a basal cell carcinoma on his hairline.

Here is a picture of the 2.5 inch scar that came from removing a spot that was maybe the size of a pencil eraser.
Basal cell isn’t nearly as scary or life-threatening as melanoma, but it can grow into the bone and over time could be quite disfiguring if not treated. Liam’s booked an appointment for Mohs surgery, but this revelation left him even more alert and vigilant. He decided to do some research about basal cell carcinoma and what this meant for him. He learned that people with basal cell carcinoma are two times more likely to be diagnosed with other forms of cancer and two times as more likely to form a melanoma. But you know what he found that caught his attention even more? As he was looking up information about how to watch and diagnose your own moles, he found a site saying that sometimes body hair, placement on the body, and TATTOOS prevent people from seeing the changes occurring to their moles.
Liam came home that afternoon and said “I don’t want you to be angry, but I think we spent $300 on a flight I can’t use.” I was perplexed, but after he told me his story, I was so grateful for his vigilance, forethought, and desire to make his health a priority. He said, “Maybe I should also get PicoSure to remove the tattoo I currently have.” For the time being, he is getting regular mole checks and will likely get total body photography done to help us both be aware of any changes. But clearly the universe was speaking to him, and maybe PicoSure is in his future.