spf, s'il vous plait

For the past two years or so, I've been keeping an eye on a flat brown spot that had developed on my skin.  It didn't look like anything to worry about, so worry about it I did not.

Until...

...about eight months ago when it started to change.  From a flat brown spot to something that looked like an oddly shaped mole on top of another mole.  And as it happened to be growing on my areola, it was like I had sprouted a third nipple.  Well, isn't that sexy.
 

All vanity aside, this is when I did begin to worry.  With a family history of skin cancer, it was nothing to be ignored.  So I did what any responsible person would do, and I waited before talking to my doctor about it. Why? Because I was afraid. Afraid that it would be the very thing I'd been worrying it was.

But let's just wait a minute here...how could THAT show up THERE?  It's a part of me that hasn't seen the light of day since probably age two...but being a cottage kid and a sun worshipper, I shouldn't be surprised that something had turned up.  Oh baby oil, I thought you would never do me wrong...and maybe you haven't and that dastardly tanning bed is the culprit...
 

When I finally got around to (read: worked up the nerve) ask my doctor, she immediately referred me to a skin specialist...who happened to also be a Yorkville cosmetic surgeon. Well this is sweet, I could rule out terminal illness and get some celebrity style botox in the same visit!  The only downside was a three month waiting list.  This had me start a 'mole journal' which documented any changes, of which, thankfully, were minimal.  Truth be told, said journal was nothing more than a scrap piece of paper at the bottom of my purse and a couple of third-nipple-selfies taken with my phone, but the changes were documented nonetheless.

So last week I had the appointment and, it turned out to be a 'maturity spot'. Ya ya, I will say it so you don't have to...probably the most mature thing about me!  So, YAY for maturity!  Dr Yorkville treated it with liquid nitrogen on the spot...another yay!  Except that my third nipple has been transformed into a black witche's wart on my tit, but it's temporary so I can live with it for uhhh...what did she say? Oh right, 4-6 weeks while it blisters up and then scabs off.  Well, isn't that sexy.

This next part is where I share some key learnings from this experience:

 

1. Get to know your body.  Not in the 'master of your own domain' sense, but keep track of any lumps and bumps and if they start looking to look like something that shouldn't be there.

2. Do not wait.  Not only are you delaying diagnosis and an appropriate course of treatment, but in my case, you could delay being on the receiving end of good news.

 

3. Never, ever Google images of third nipples. Or liquid nitrogen. Some things you just can't un-see.  Trust.

 

So I conclude my post with this..take care of yourselves, friends.  I'm not asking you to go all Downton Abbey on me, just promise that when someone passes you the SPF, you'll take the time slap some on, si'l vous plait.