This is why we don't allow medical threads

Caporegime
Joined
29 Aug 2007
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Location
Auckland
This is a thread about why medical threads can be bad. It is not requesting or endorsing medical advice for the users of this forum and I am not trying to circumvent any forum rules.

Skin cancer can be a pretty terrible thing. Improvements in personal education and in science have made inroads into alleviating or removing some types of skin cancer from some sufferers. Let's get into specifics before we get into horrifics.

Southern Cross NZ* said:
Basal cell carcinomas most frequently occur on the face, ears, back of the hands, arms and shoulders. They occur equally in both men and women and most commonly affect people over the age of 40 years. BCCs are typically slow growing (months or years).

Characteristic features of BCCs may include:

A few millimetres to several centimetres in diameter
Waxy small raised lesions (papules) with a depressed centre
Pearl-like and transluscent in appearance
Ulcer-like in appearance
Tendency to bleed
Oozing or crusted areas
Raised borders
Black-blue or brown areas.

If a change or abnormality (lesion) develops on the skin it is important to consult a doctor as soon as possible in order for a diagnosis to be made. The doctor will look closely at the lesion, assessing its size, location and characteristics and will ask about the history of the lesion eg: how long it has been there, whether it bleeds or itches etc.

If the doctor suspects that the abnormal lesion may be cancerous, they may take a small sample of the tissue (a biopsy). The sample of tissue is sent to a laboratory where examination under a microscope can reveal whether the tissue cells are cancerous. If they are then the doctor will recommend appropriate treatment.

(*Southern Cross provide insurance cover for medical and health support across Australasia, I use this for reference only)

Common treatments include excision, freezing, and radiotherapy although there are others, like topical medications:

Southern Cross NZ said:
A topical cream that stimulates the immune system is sometimes used in the treatment of superficial BCCs. It works by stimulating the immune system to release chemicals that help to destroy the cancer cells. The most commonly used topical medications are imiquimod cream (Aldara) and fluorouracil cream (Efudix). They are mainly effective against small superficial BCCs.

And this is where things got messy.

Very, very, VERY messy indeed

To paraphrase from another forum:

another forum said:
"You have a basal cell carcinoma on the tip of your nose. We could excise this in a 5-minute procedure."

"You can't oppress me with your Western medical witchcraft, I'm going to smear caustic zinc chloride on my nose."

(Nose falls off)

"Well, now you need nasal reconstructive surgery."

"Will my insurance cover it?"

"Sure, if we perform the excision we told you about in the first place."

"...okay, let's do that." (Drinks alt-med "anti-cancer" fluid)

For context if you haven't dived into the link already, our OP doesn't trust normal medicine and instead believes in the power of black salve. Hey, why don't we wiki black salve, guys!

wiki said:
Cansema (also known as black salve) is a brand name of a popular alternative cancer treatment. The product is commonly classified as an escharotic—that is, a topical paste which burns and destroys skin tissue and leaves behind a thick, black scar called an eschar.[1] Escharotics were widely used to treat skin lesions in the early 1900s, but have since been replaced by safer and more effective treatments.[2] Escharotics such as Cansema are currently advertised by some alternative medicine marketers as treatments for skin cancer, often with unsubstantiated testimonials and unproven claims of effectiveness.[3] The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has listed Cansema as a "fake cancer cure" and warns consumers to avoid it.[4]

~ Alternative Medicine ~ to the rescue!

And this, amongst other reasons, is why we don't allow medical threads.
 
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Soldato
Joined
26 Jun 2011
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9oxi.jpg
 
Soldato
Joined
19 Feb 2010
Posts
13,249
Location
London
Wow what the hell was she doing trying to self-medicate! That picture looks nasty!

Love the way other posters to tell her to KEEP UP THE SUPPLEMENTS!

On the same subject, I once burned (froze) off a wart on my knee with a can of air. Probably wasn't smart as I could have done a load of damage but it worked OK in the end. :p
 
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