If you are interested in seeing some of my photos, the links are below.
I’m happy to be back and happy to have seen all the great sites in France and Spain!
:+) Carolyn.
:+) Carolyn.
Wednesday, October 14, 2009
I’m back from Europe—some photos of my trip
If you are interested in seeing some of my photos, the links are below.
Thursday, September 17, 2009
My Skin Cancer Story—the results
The pathology report came back from the mole biopsy I had last month suggesting further investigation was necessary. Reading dermatology reports on the Internet, in my particular case and pathology reading, some dermatologists excised (removing a skin cancer along with some of the healthy skin tissue around it—the margin) and some did not. In my case, since the mole could potentially turn into melanoma, the deadliest of skin cancers, I didn’t want to risk it. I took my doctor’s advice and had the mole excised.
What does it mean to have a mole excised? It means that I went back into my dermatologist’s office a few weeks after the initial biopsy and he made close to a one inch incision on my neck then scooped out more tissue for testing, making sure all the questionable cells were removed.
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| The incision soon after the mole removal. |
It is pretty unbelievable that literally a dot of a mole turned into a good inch-long scar on my neck. I was prepared there would be stitches, I know they have to make a bigger incision than you’d expect, but I have to admit when I asked to see where the doctor had drawn the cut mark on my neck, it was a bit of a shock. Thank goodness this wasn’t on my face!
I have said to my clients for years that it’s better to be safe than sorry when it comes to getting funny-looking moles checked by a dermatologist. The longer you wait, the more potential there is that you will be sporting a large scar if you have to have a mole (cancer or precancer) removed. Here, with my tiny mole, I will be left with a rather large scar on my neck—for the rest of my life. I take this willingly vs. the alternative.
Make an appointment now with your dermatologist if you haven’t been in a year or more (or ever). Get a full-body mole check, and know you are doing yourself a huge favor in the process. You might be surprised to find out something needs to be removed.UPDATE: 12/2014
The scar on my neck has of course healed and is visible, for sure. But every time I look at it I think about the future possibility: melanoma. So for me the scar is a happy reminder of a positive outcome. Plus—I’m intrigued by scars; each and every one has a unique story to tell. One hundred percent of the time I will take a scar over the alternative.
For more information, see:
- Skin Cancer ABCs
- Basal cell carcinoma: Introduction
- Melanoma—the deadliest skin cancer
- Basal Cell Carcinoma: David’s story—a good “I waited too long” story about skin cancer removal
Sunday, August 16, 2009
The importance of regular mole checks: a small “dot” can turn into a one inch scar!
I made an appointment with a dermatologist who came highly recommended. I mainly wanted to establish a relationship with a dermatologist so I would have someone to recommend to my clients when I find moles they should have checked out. I also had a tiny (and I mean tiny) dot of a mole on my neck I wanted looked at.
If you had seen this dot (mole) you wouldn’t think anything of it, but I did. It was new, which is one warning sign of potential skin cancer. It was also almost black, a second sign. This dot just looked like a tiny freckle. It was small. From seeing so many clients over the years and seeing odd places on their skin, I have a pretty good sense of possible problem spots and knew this needed to be looked at.
It was the PA (Physician’s Assistant) who actually examined me; this is a common practice in a dermatologist’s office and perfectly fine. (PAs are highly skilled practitioners.) As it turns out the PA said indeed it was potentially problematic. She recommended either keeping an eye on it and having another look in 3 months or take it off now and have it analyzed. I opted for the latter. Why? Because if it was “something,” she said the something it would be is melanoma, not a less deadly squamous cell or basal cell cancer. So off it goes!
If you had seen this dot (mole) you wouldn’t think anything of it, but I did. It was new, which is one warning sign of potential skin cancer. It was also almost black, a second sign. This dot just looked like a tiny freckle. It was small. From seeing so many clients over the years and seeing odd places on their skin, I have a pretty good sense of possible problem spots and knew this needed to be looked at.
It was the PA (Physician’s Assistant) who actually examined me; this is a common practice in a dermatologist’s office and perfectly fine. (PAs are highly skilled practitioners.) As it turns out the PA said indeed it was potentially problematic. She recommended either keeping an eye on it and having another look in 3 months or take it off now and have it analyzed. I opted for the latter. Why? Because if it was “something,” she said the something it would be is melanoma, not a less deadly squamous cell or basal cell cancer. So off it goes!
My point in sharing this story is to let you know that even the slightest change in a mole can signal cancer or a precancerous growth. In my case the “dot” was new, I probably saw it 2 months ago and realized it was new back then—or at least I didn't remember ever noticing it before. It was also dark, almost black, which is another warning sign.
If you aren’t currently seeing a dermatologist or haven’t seen one in a while, I recommend getting a baseline full-body mole check if you are near or over 40, and especially if you’ve had a lot of sun exposure in your lifetime and if you have a lot of moles—no matter your age. Then see your dermatologist annually for mole checks. With the potential for skin cancer, it is always better to be safe than sorry.
For more information, see:
- My Skin Cancer Story—the results—for a continuation of this story
- Skin Cancer ABCs
- Melanoma—the deadliest skin cancer
Wednesday, July 8, 2009
The healing power of essential oils—lavender to the rescue!
Initially I put ice on it because I rode out to a restaurant and was unable to get to my arsenal of medications at home for a few hours. The ice did help and even numbed the area a bit, but I could still feel the heat of the burn deep into my calf. Once I got home I immediately put lavender essential oil on the spot and, as I knew it would, it took the burning pain away instantly.
Lavender has many attributes; one virtue is its quick absorption and healing ability. As with all essential oils, lavender has antibacterial properties. With any kind of skin injury, including today’s burn, keeping bacterial infection away is priority #1. Lavender is also soothing to cuts and scrapes as well as burns, whether it’s a sunburn or a burn from an oven, an iron, or a hot motorcycle muffler. In fact, lavender is said to be a contact healer, meaning that it soothes burns (and other injuries) on contact. I know this was definitely the case with me today.
- Lesson 1: Don’t lean into a motorcycle’s muffler (or burn your skin in any other way)
- Lesson 2: Use lavender essential oil if you do
This and many essential oils can be found in most health food stores. Lavender is in my personal medicine cabinet as one of the essential oils I reach for often.
The
next thing to do for my skin injury is to keep it covered, away from sun
exposure. Learn more about the importance of this and how to keep hyperpigmentation away:
- Do you have pigmentation or hyperpigmentation? Perhaps post-inflammatory hyperpigmentation? Why keeping UV rays off injured skin is important (coming soon)
Monday, May 25, 2009
Quincy Blu: My newest pack member
I am in love with The Dog Whisperer. I believe in the show’s host, Cesar Millan, and his way with “red zone” cases, which are basically dogs who have gone over the edge and have aggression issues. I also agree with his general mantra: exercise, discipline, and affection (in that order) and being the pack leader (vs. your dog being the leader of the pack). I have followed Cesar’s blossoming career from the beginning of the show, and you can usually find it on the National Geographic channel. It’s a great program if you have a chance to watch it.
Last November I decided to adopt a pup from the Boulder Valley Humane Society (BVHS). Actually, the day I went in and found my dog, I really wasn’t expecting (or ready) to adopt. I had gone to BVHS on previous weekends to see the dogs and cats and to just peruse. At the time I was still living in what is now my 1 bedroom rental with my 2 cats. I already felt cramped and wasn’t going to move into my new 2 bedroom condo for another 6 weeks.
Life truly does happen while we’re making other plans. And so was the case that wonderful day in November. I knew I wanted an Australian Cattle Dog. They have the kind of temperament and activity level I was looking for. They are termed Velcro dogs because they are very people oriented and tend to follow you around and stick by your side. Because my dog would be a hiking companion, this was just what I was looking for. Enter: Little Bit—my pooches name when I adopted him. I don’t get the name, but I was going to change it anyway, so it didn’t matter. But Little Bit? After a few days of being around him, Quincy Blu became his forever name.
The “Blu” in his name is an homage to his Australian heritage. I’ve heard that in OZ they call red-headed men Blue or Bluey. Since Quincy is a Red Heeler, I thought this was a fun way to keep his Aussie background in his name. Quincy? Not sure, it just came to me. He is a joy in my life and, although my cats are not so happy with me for bringing in a canine, he is a good and willing member of our pack.
The “Blu” in his name is an homage to his Australian heritage. I’ve heard that in OZ they call red-headed men Blue or Bluey. Since Quincy is a Red Heeler, I thought this was a fun way to keep his Aussie background in his name. Quincy? Not sure, it just came to me. He is a joy in my life and, although my cats are not so happy with me for bringing in a canine, he is a good and willing member of our pack.
In January he had bilateral (both) elbow surgery to remove bone fragments and a floating bone found during surgery. It has been an interesting recovery process and now, poor boy, he needs an additional surgery on his right elbow that hasn't responded to rehab. More bone spurs were found, so at the end of July he will have his second (and last!) surgery. Due to all of this, I sometimes refer to him as my million dollar dog!
UPDATE 7/2015
Please read my tribute to this wonderful pup who was a treasure every day he graced my life:
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| Quincy loved to roll and roll and roll :+) |
Sunday, March 1, 2009
Happy 15th Anniversary to Carolyn Ash Skin Care!
It has been wonderful having my own business(es), starting out in Dallas, then moving up to Chicago, and now living in beautiful Boulder, Colorado.
In all the cities I’ve worked and grown businesses, it has always been the warmth and support of my many clients that has kept me going, now to year 24. I love my work and look forward to many more years helping people with their skin.
I want to give a big shout out to all of you who have been so dedicated and have supported me all of these years!
Friday, January 23, 2009
Growing a Donation: Hair for Locks of Love
Some of you know last January (2008) I cut 12 inches of my hair off and
donated it to Locks of Love. Having spent this past year with my short
short hair, I was thinking about ways I could contribute to someone else’s
life, and I decided to grow my hair out again and donate it once
I’ve reached the minimum 10 inches.
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For me, my hair isn’t really an area of concern. I realize for many
people how their hair looks makes or breaks their day. Although the
growing out process has its moments, I feel good about my decision and
look forward to growing this donation mindfully.
For more information on donating your hair, please visit:
To read about my 2015 hair donation, see:
To read about my 2015 hair donation, see:
