Frump to Fab - Sizzling Summer Solstice to Awesome Autumn Equinox

lessonlearned

DS2 has taken photos of the mole, blown them up and we have compared them to pictures on the net.

On a closer examination the lesion resembles a carcinoma rather than a melanoma. Of course I am no expert and the only way to be 100% sure is to get a sample of cells to get them analysed.

However I do feel a bit more reassured. I will phone the triage nurse tomorrow morning and ask for advice.

Thanks for all your good wishes - I have to confess I was a bit shocked by what I saw in the mirror this afternoon but I feel a bit easier now.

Sparkles Glad you are feeling a bit better.

WelshWoofer

maman wrote: »

:Tfor your brilliantly improved science resutls ww. The students must have worked so hard (and their teachers of course;)). I was thinking, why don't you treat yourself to a professional hair colour? You seem to loathe doing it so much. It could be a treat to yourself before term begins.

Thanks Maman - I think I put the fear of God into the whole of the school about how hard the new exams were and that there was limited opportunity to resit (teachers and students) and it seems to have paid off! I'd love to get my hair done but I'm trying to economise a bit. I get a pay rise nesxt month (going up one point on the scale) so will treat myself then but endure the torture for this month!

lessonlearned wrote: »

I have had what I thought was an itchy spot on the back of my neck for a few days. It has been bothering me because it didn't seem to be healing. Managed to examine it this afternoon - it's a mole gone rogue.........The last time I had one it was a relatively harmless Basal Cell Carcinoma - unfortunately this one looks suspiciously like a Melanoma.

I'm with the others on this one - I'd get there asap just to be on the safe side. My mum has just done exactly the same - she found an odd looking mole that wasn't there before just underline her bra line and I made her go to the doctors and now she's been referred and is seeing a dermatologist.Hopefully it will turn out to be nothing serious but better safe than sorry.

MRG - hope you survived the fast day yesterday? Proper food today!

I've decided to go shopping for some work clothes today - I'm not going to get dramatically thinner between now and the beginning of term so can invest in some new bits and pieces. Even though I'm a teacher my school has a strict business dress policy (suits, dresses and jackets etc) so its normally a dear do. I've saved about £200 towards it and hope to not spend any more. All of my old suits are hanging off me and look a bit daft now, the odd jacket is still ok but I need a new capsule work wardrobe. I'm no good at buying "pieces" so will just see whats around. My usual work things come from M&S, Next and Debenhams but I have had a few bargains from H&M so will start there. I have very low shopping tolerance - I don't enjoy it and get frustrated quickly so I'll probably only last a couple of hours.:o Will treat myself to a Subway to keep my spirits up (calories are all conveniently on the website).

I had a day off exercise yesterday so need to do something today - probably a run later and lots of dogwalking.
Right, the woofer needs walking (although he's curled up snoring on my lap at the moment!) - hope everyone has a Fab Friday.

Tiggger

WelshWoofer wrote: »

I've decided to go shopping for some work clothes ....Even though I'm a teacher my school has a strict business dress policy (suits, dresses and jackets etc) so its normally a dear do. I've saved about £200 towards it and hope to not spend any.

Planet and Alexon have some really good bargains in their sale for Business wear suits, can be as cheap as M&S suits at the moment and really good quality. I bought a new trouser suit for £78! Might be worth a look if you are off to the Trafford Centre.

Madrabbitgirl

WW I did survive my fast day! I felt a little better in the evening when my partner came home and we had our low cal dinner and went for a walk along the seafront to take our minds of food!
Feeling in a bit of a rubbish mood again this morning though despite being able to eat! I don't like the way it is affecting my mood, I'm hoping it will just be temporary and my body will get used to it.
I'm sitting here typing this with bleach on my roots as it desperately needs sorting. Just hope the doorbell doesn't ring!

Madrabbitgirl

Ok, roots bleached and rinsed! Now for the really messy bit- the colour!

Everhopeful09

Morning All,

Another boring day in work, did some fabbing hair up in a glamorous bun, nobody need know it needs washing and hides the split ends! Still not got round to getting it cut & coloured, so expensive! And put makeup on, only foundation, blusher, mascara & lip gloss but makes such a difference! Must do more often!


Made a start on decluttering / tidying last night sorted my jewellery out, going to aim to do it in stages over weekend, well they give rain tomorrow so keep me busy and out of the shops!


Hope you all have a fantastic Friday


EH xx

lessonlearned

Good morning all

OK - the good news - problematic mole on my neck is most likely a seborrheic keratosis which has become inflamed. Apparently melanomas and certain keratoses can look very similar.

Doc has prescribed anti-biotic cream to calm it down and help it heal. In a couple of weeks he will look again and most likely remove said mole together another one he found on my shoulder. The skin cells will then be analysed to make double sure.

The less good news - whilst he had the magnifying glass in his hand he had a look at my face. He found a couple of tiny solar keratoses. Whilst in themselves they are ok they can become more dangerous so we need to monitor these.

So.............I shall change my SPF creams for something a bit more heavy duty, probably a total sunblock for the problem areas on my face (medical strength) and then say spf 50 as a general sunscreen. Obviously cheap Aldi type moisturisers with SPFs of 15 or so are no longer enough.

I will just have to splash the cash to make sure I get adequate protection. The Doc did suggest a film of vaseline over said solar keratoses as an extra layer of protection - makes sense - vaseline makes a good barrier cream.

I will probably start wearing a good foundation cream too everyday as an extra layer of protection.

Whilst I do feel reassured that this particular mole is not a dreaded melanoma I am a bit disappointed that my "mole" problem is going to be ongoing. I had hoped that my original carcinoma was a one off - obviously not.

However, compared with the health issues that many people have to contend with I am very lucky. We also have a great medical practice here too. I didn't see my usual favourite GP - saw a different one today. Very impressed with him - although it has to be said he was young enough to be my son...... A sure sign I'm getting a bit long in the tooth now:rotfl:

As you can appreciate my beauty training has given me a reasonable grounding in skin problems and conditions, although obviously I am no dermatologist.

However, what I will say is this - do make sure you watch those moles. Check them once a month as a matter of routine. Any changes then act promptly. I am very "moley" always have been. I shall be watching mine even more closely from now on.

WW - hope your mum's breast mole check is ok. I had something similar on one breast a couple of years ago - it was just a benign cyst but it was scary. Good luck with the shopping.

MRG - You say your fasting is affecting your mood. Sounds like this could be "carb flu" (ie your body craving carbs). Severe headaches are often down to caffiene withdrawal or lack of fluids.

Perhaps you need to experiment and see what works best.

Anyway off to paint some furniture and cut down the ivy. I can't believe it - only did it a few weeks ago and it's up to the eaves again.

Don't forget - it's Fab Friday. However I won't be dolling up today - painting, gardening and hosing out the dustbins. Lovely.:o

podperson

Hi all,

WW - well done on the exam results :j fantastic work, goes to show hard work on the part of students and teachers really does pay off!

MRG - hope you're feeling a little more positive today. Are you going quite low carb at the moment? I used to do that but found it was making me feel a bit like that so now I just try and do fairly low cal but add in things like jacket pots and pasta.

LL - glad the mole doesn't seem to be anything serious at the moment, shame it sounds like things might be ongoing but at least you have a decent doctors who seem to be looking into it properly x

EH - I can't afford cut and colour at the moment either so just do it myself for now. Mind you saying that I used the new Garnier Ultra range a few weeks ago and really would not recommend it, have used the Nutrisse before and was quite good but this one's really dried out my hair and scalp. I do cut it myself though, I have a fairly simple hairstyle - long hair with slight layering round the front. There's some guides on Youtube on an easy way to cut long hair, where you put into a ponytail at the front of your head, cut the amount you want off and then scissor into it to give a bit of a layered look.

Anyway, been feeling a little demotivated this week. Still struggling to get rid of this stupid cold which is zapping my energy, don't feel up to any exercise and had pizza for tea last night :mad: So I'm avoiding the scales at the moment! Should really be getting some photos finished off tonight that are already running later but OH asked if I wanted to have a few beers and since I feel like I've barely seen him in weeks then might sack it off until tomorrow Busy weekend, am going to see the Scottish premiere of the new Dr Who tomorrow morning, then if it's dry we're going to the 'big beach busk' with choir. It's a yearly event at the beach where loads of random bands, musicians etc just turn up and play/sing/etc along the beach. Then Sunday we're doing the Paralympic's torch lighting ceremony with the signing choir. We have to be there at 3pm for sound check - up to 2 hrs, and then back at 8.30pm to go on at 9.30pm and do one song :rotfl:Hope it's worth it!

Anyway, hope everyone is having a good day x

WelshWoofer

Back from shopping (or torture as I like to call it!) and it was, on the whole, quite successful.

The highlights include a grey/black flecked belted size 10 work dress from Debenhams that I can wear a black or coloured jacket with, a grey size 10 suit (trousers in a 10 too, not a 12 as before) from Next, a pair of black part patent M&S court shoes in a half size smaller (feet appear to have shrunk!) and a red blazer in a 10 from H&M! Can wear the red blazer with the grey suit trousers or black trousers that I already have. I also got a couple of tops that I haven't tried on yet (lost the will to live) that I can take back next week if I don't like them - a red/pink sleeveless casual blouse from Topshop (at my age!) that took my fancy and a cream and rust patterned 3/4 sleeve blouse/top.

The good news is that the sizes have gone down to a 10 for me (generally, not every shop) but the bad news is that even though I'm a good stone lighter than the last time I went shopping it was still a horrible experience trying things on - why do they make the changing rooms so traumatic with the lighting, tiny cubicles and stick thin 5 yr old assistants?:mad:

A thumbs up to Subway too - they now display the cals for all of the sandwiches on the board and most of them are surprisingly good - if you add sauce you have to add cals but I noticed that the basic ham, turkey etc salad one was only 278 cals. Have that with a diet coke for £3 and its not a bad lunch. Well done Subway:T Could be an option for lunch for some of you 600 cals a day fasters? Just had mine and it was quite filling.

Right I'm off to hang everything up and maybe try on again in the comfort of my own bedroom. Grrrr to changing rooms.....


PS LL - good news about the mole. You must be very relieved.

WelshWoofer

podperson wrote: »

Then Sunday we're doing the Paralympic's torch lighting ceremony with the signing choir. We have to be there at 3pm for sound check - up to 2 hrs, and then back at 8.30pm to go on at 9.30pm and do one song :rotfl:Hope it's worth it!

Anyway, hope everyone is having a good day x

How exciting ! Will you be on the telly??