Beth

I went for a routine haircut in October 2017 with my usual hairdresser in Kingscote, kangaroo Island. Christine mentioned that she did not like the look of a scaly area on my part line of my scalp. I went to my local GP who had one look at the area and referred me to a Plastic Surgeon for a biopsy (in Adelaide). My local doctor took a photo of it for me. While it felt like any other scaly spot in my head, looking at the photo the spot appeared to have a dark ring around it. The Plastic Surgeon took one look and said it was probably a melanoma and by the biopsy he would know how much to take out.

I am very lucky the depth of the melanoma was .9 of a millimetre and by the time it gets to 1 millimetre the cancer can infiltrate the Lymph and blood systems.

I had a 6cms x 6cms area cleared as 2 more centimetres is taken around the edge to make sure all the lesion is removed. This area was right on top of my head and skin graft from my chest was applied to the area removed. The hair will not grow back.

I was lucky enough to have a friend who has beeen a client of Beverl May Hair and she suggested a visit, for a hair could be an option.

I have been fitted with a purpose made hairpiece which is easy to wear and I love it. In the last 18 month I have felt very fortunate, firstly to go to a hairdresser that was able to detect abornmalities in the scalp and then to get prompt medical attention with no active treatment of chemo or radiotherapy. And now I have a hairpiece that looks very natural.

I guess my advise to everyone is to wear a full hat in the sun. I have always wore peaks just around my face but of course I realise now that this did not shade my head from the sun.