Help me figure out what I had on my face for two years and why it suddenly went away.
December 9, 2010 6:16 AM Subscribe
Help me figure out what I had on my face for two years and why it suddenly went away.
Two years ago, I had a pimple of sorts which developed into a triangular scab/scar on the upper corner of my cheek. It was raised and I was always confused as to what it was. Under examination, it appeared to take on a yellow-ish hue (I am fair-skined) and did not have the smooth, glossy appearance of a scar. Over the past couple months, I worried, because it seemed to get bigger. Yesterday, I noticed it looked smaller, and this morning I scratched at it and it simply came off, drawing a tiny bit of blood and leaving a slight red mark behind.
It has actually been 2 years, 3 months that I've had this, which seems to be much too long for a scab. Does anyone have any idea what this could have been?
Two years ago, I had a pimple of sorts which developed into a triangular scab/scar on the upper corner of my cheek. It was raised and I was always confused as to what it was. Under examination, it appeared to take on a yellow-ish hue (I am fair-skined) and did not have the smooth, glossy appearance of a scar. Over the past couple months, I worried, because it seemed to get bigger. Yesterday, I noticed it looked smaller, and this morning I scratched at it and it simply came off, drawing a tiny bit of blood and leaving a slight red mark behind.
It has actually been 2 years, 3 months that I've had this, which seems to be much too long for a scab. Does anyone have any idea what this could have been?
Was it a skin tag? But imho, anything on your skin that is weird and suspiciously unidentifiable and changes really ought to be looked at by a dermatologist.
posted by raztaj at 6:20 AM on December 9, 2010 [3 favorites]
posted by raztaj at 6:20 AM on December 9, 2010 [3 favorites]
To add: If you can positively discern that it was not a skin tag, please get it checked out by a dermatologist as soon as you can. "Going away" does not mean something is necessarily gone.
posted by raztaj at 6:26 AM on December 9, 2010
posted by raztaj at 6:26 AM on December 9, 2010
Response by poster: So why didn't you see someone about it?
I'm without health insurance.
As for if it is a skin tag, I have several of those on my body, and I'm pretty sure this wasn't a skin tag. But it's still a thought; I'll look into that.
Thanks!
posted by DeltaForce at 7:04 AM on December 9, 2010
I'm without health insurance.
As for if it is a skin tag, I have several of those on my body, and I'm pretty sure this wasn't a skin tag. But it's still a thought; I'll look into that.
Thanks!
posted by DeltaForce at 7:04 AM on December 9, 2010
Response by poster: To clarify, it was flat and hard (felt like a scab). Skin tags are typically softer, though I do know that they can be flat.
posted by DeltaForce at 7:07 AM on December 9, 2010
posted by DeltaForce at 7:07 AM on December 9, 2010
It sounds like a milia, except for the triangular shape. They usually appear on the upper cheeks or around the eyes. I've had some for years that will inexplicably go away on their own.
posted by Evangeline at 7:19 AM on December 9, 2010 [1 favorite]
posted by Evangeline at 7:19 AM on December 9, 2010 [1 favorite]
I don't know if this will help you, but here's my experience.
When I was eleven I went over the handlebars on my bike and scraped the skin off the side of my chin. After the scab went away, instead of a shiny scar I had what you describe. It kind of looked like I had a smudge constantly on my chin. My mom was forever after me to go wash my face, but no amount of washing or exfoliating would get it to come off. It was flat, slightly raised, and kind of rough. It was about the size of a quarter, and just a few shades darker than my skin tone.
Two years later and it was suddenly gone. One day pieces started flaking off and a few days later it had disappeared. I'm still stumped.
posted by TooFewShoes at 7:32 AM on December 9, 2010
When I was eleven I went over the handlebars on my bike and scraped the skin off the side of my chin. After the scab went away, instead of a shiny scar I had what you describe. It kind of looked like I had a smudge constantly on my chin. My mom was forever after me to go wash my face, but no amount of washing or exfoliating would get it to come off. It was flat, slightly raised, and kind of rough. It was about the size of a quarter, and just a few shades darker than my skin tone.
Two years later and it was suddenly gone. One day pieces started flaking off and a few days later it had disappeared. I'm still stumped.
posted by TooFewShoes at 7:32 AM on December 9, 2010
Also could have been a foreign particle trapped in the skin.
A friend was in a car accident, and had numerous bits of glass imbedded in her scalp. Every so often one would work free, and she'd reach up to scratch an itch, and come back with a bloody piece of glass in her hands (but no pain).
Likewise, I used to have a tiny bump on my eyelid. Started scratching it one day, when it became irritated, and tore off a bit of skin with (apparently) a dried zit in it.
The body can cleanse itself, but slowly.
posted by IAmBroom at 8:37 AM on December 9, 2010
A friend was in a car accident, and had numerous bits of glass imbedded in her scalp. Every so often one would work free, and she'd reach up to scratch an itch, and come back with a bloody piece of glass in her hands (but no pain).
Likewise, I used to have a tiny bump on my eyelid. Started scratching it one day, when it became irritated, and tore off a bit of skin with (apparently) a dried zit in it.
The body can cleanse itself, but slowly.
posted by IAmBroom at 8:37 AM on December 9, 2010
Hmm, read the milia link... guess that's what I had.
posted by IAmBroom at 9:17 AM on December 9, 2010
posted by IAmBroom at 9:17 AM on December 9, 2010
Response by poster: Thanks for the responses everyone. I don't think it was milia, what I had was about 1/2 an inch wide. I think IAmBroom brings up an interesting point. If it comes back, I'll head for the doctor's.
posted by DeltaForce at 9:38 AM on December 9, 2010
posted by DeltaForce at 9:38 AM on December 9, 2010
Not to push it, but I would really urge you to go to the doctor ASAP, even it it doesn't "come back." My mother had a 1cm-1/2 inch discolored, asymmetrical mark on her back that, when the doctor scratched it a little bit, bled slightly. It turned out to be stage 3 malignant melanoma. She didn't think too much of the discoloration, had it for a while, wasn't otherwise symptomatic, and didn't intentionally go in to have it checked out - it was coincidentally discovered by a doctor when she went to the hospital to deliver me. I know this, because I was able to get a copy of her medical records and see the doctor's written notes.
Your mark may be nothing, and I definitely hope it is. And while I hate to push it, skin cancer is not something to be messed with. Many types have a very high success rate. When it's malignant, however, it has a very low survival rate. None of us can tell you what to do, or what exactly your mark may be. And I totally understand your hesitation being without health insurance. But the cost is most likely worth your peace of mind, and most assuredly, your life. Best of luck.
posted by raztaj at 10:03 AM on December 9, 2010 [1 favorite]
Your mark may be nothing, and I definitely hope it is. And while I hate to push it, skin cancer is not something to be messed with. Many types have a very high success rate. When it's malignant, however, it has a very low survival rate. None of us can tell you what to do, or what exactly your mark may be. And I totally understand your hesitation being without health insurance. But the cost is most likely worth your peace of mind, and most assuredly, your life. Best of luck.
posted by raztaj at 10:03 AM on December 9, 2010 [1 favorite]
If there is any sign of it reappearing, get it checked. I had a depression about the size of the tip of my little finger. When I went in for something else the doctor decided to have a biopsy and it turned out it was squamous cell carcinoma. The cancer was just under the surface of the skin, so it didnt look like anything to worry about.
posted by rai at 11:56 AM on December 9, 2010
posted by rai at 11:56 AM on December 9, 2010
Keratoacanthoma? It's self healing. Check out this article for KA and other skin lesions. Unfortunately, no pic in this article, but you can google images.
posted by Knowyournuts at 12:01 PM on December 9, 2010
posted by Knowyournuts at 12:01 PM on December 9, 2010
Skin is a miraculous thing. Meanwhile skin cancers continue to kill far too many people. Most of whom failed to get themselves checked at ALL, let alone early enough for effective treatment. It's your choice, but between no insurance and death, or out of pocket expense... the smart money is on SPENDING to maintain your LIFE.
posted by wkearney99 at 2:50 PM on December 9, 2010
posted by wkearney99 at 2:50 PM on December 9, 2010
I agree with all of the possibilities above, but wanted to add to IAmBroom's comment about foreign bodies.
At the beginning of grade 8, we took a class field trip to a local park, where I rolled around in the grass like an idiot. I felt something "sting" me in the back, just above my hip. I thought it was a bee. It healed like you describe, leaving a yellowish, raised "scar" with a palpable hard lump in the center.
One day several years later, I absentmindedly scratched an itch in the area, only to come away with a twig-like foreign body, probably about half an inch long. It appeared to be a thorn of some sort. Gross. Now I have a normal looking flat scar on the spot.
posted by easy, lucky, free at 1:07 AM on December 10, 2010
At the beginning of grade 8, we took a class field trip to a local park, where I rolled around in the grass like an idiot. I felt something "sting" me in the back, just above my hip. I thought it was a bee. It healed like you describe, leaving a yellowish, raised "scar" with a palpable hard lump in the center.
One day several years later, I absentmindedly scratched an itch in the area, only to come away with a twig-like foreign body, probably about half an inch long. It appeared to be a thorn of some sort. Gross. Now I have a normal looking flat scar on the spot.
posted by easy, lucky, free at 1:07 AM on December 10, 2010
This thread is closed to new comments.
posted by you're a kitty! at 6:20 AM on December 9, 2010