I had a suspect mealanoma mole excision done 20 days ago. It is on lower leg just to the outside of calf. Only the skin was removed, he didn't have to dig deeper to remove the mole as far as I am aware; and cut is about 1-1.5 inches long, only needed 4 or 5 stitches. Stitches stayed in for 15 days though - he checked them at 11 days and it was not healed up enough. It got a bit pink between the stitches towards the end of the 15 days.
So stitches were removed 5 days ago and have had steri-strips and a plastic plaster over it since then. I removed those tonight to put fresh ones on and to check how it was going, because I get a 'twinge' of pain there every now and then....I never had any pain from the moment it was first done before though, and no itchiness as it healed.
I was almost shocked when I first saw it today...there is an area more than double the area that the stitches covered (as in the few milimetres between cut and stitch hole) that is very dark pink/purpe-ish colour. Kind of a round patch and on one side it sems to be travelling further out from the cut. The cut itself is healed in some places but black-coloured cut still in others with tiny pieces of peeling yellowish coloured skin around it. I am worried that this might be getting infected, but is that likely to happen AFTER removal of stitches? And I would think it would start being very sore if infected, its just a bit twingy depending on the angle of my leg really - and the whole thing is only the size of a bottle-top, but its circular rather than striaght and not entirely following the line of the stitches. I really wish I could post a photo cos it is difficult to explain.
Anyhow, my question is I guess, does this sound like a possible infection starting, or an ulcer? Or is some redness (more like a dark purple bruise), in an area larger than original wound site, normal? And how long for? And so long after it was done...its nearly 3 weeks since done, and nearly a week of no stitches.... Thanks.
So stitches were removed 5 days ago and have had steri-strips and a plastic plaster over it since then. I removed those tonight to put fresh ones on and to check how it was going, because I get a 'twinge' of pain there every now and then....I never had any pain from the moment it was first done before though, and no itchiness as it healed.
I was almost shocked when I first saw it today...there is an area more than double the area that the stitches covered (as in the few milimetres between cut and stitch hole) that is very dark pink/purpe-ish colour. Kind of a round patch and on one side it sems to be travelling further out from the cut. The cut itself is healed in some places but black-coloured cut still in others with tiny pieces of peeling yellowish coloured skin around it. I am worried that this might be getting infected, but is that likely to happen AFTER removal of stitches? And I would think it would start being very sore if infected, its just a bit twingy depending on the angle of my leg really - and the whole thing is only the size of a bottle-top, but its circular rather than striaght and not entirely following the line of the stitches. I really wish I could post a photo cos it is difficult to explain.
Anyhow, my question is I guess, does this sound like a possible infection starting, or an ulcer? Or is some redness (more like a dark purple bruise), in an area larger than original wound site, normal? And how long for? And so long after it was done...its nearly 3 weeks since done, and nearly a week of no stitches.... Thanks.