Expensive Fix

My regular trip to my dermotologist was last week.  As usual he used an applicator of liquid nitrogen to freeze small skin growths brought on by too much sun.

It's not a fun process.  It hurts.  Tears usually run freely which I suppose is in response to pain.  I'm not crying mind you.  It hurts and I always hurt in silence.

As was expected my dermo found a basil cell carcinoma.  After numbing the area he went about his business quietly carving and scraping away the carcinoma.  When he finished it was time to cotterize the area.  That not only stops the bleeding (and there was a lot) but helps to wart off infections.

Me:  There has to be a better way.  Sitting through liquid nitrogen treatments and being sliced/diced on every visit is getting old.

Dr:  Well, there's a method of chemically peeling away facial skin that will practically eliminate the need to do what we normally do on each visit.

Me:  I'm in. 

Dr:  It's expensive.  Insurance usually doesn't cover the cost of the treatment.

Me:  How much?

Dr:  Hundreds.

Me:  Gotta do it.  Write the prescription.

As it turned out insurance covered 200 bucks with yours truly forking over a cool 450 for the rest.  Painful.  But not as painful as getting sliced, diced and burned.

28 packets.  23 bucks and some change per .25 gram application.  2 weeks of once a day application.  2 weeks off.  2 weeks of once a day application.  Stay out of the sun (damn!).  End of packets.  End of treatment.

In a nutshell, areas with "barnacles" turn beet red, dry up and peel.  After 3 days of application yes in deedy . . . the face is beginning to light up like a Christmas tree in December. 

The proof, as they say, will be in the pudding.