Although, just like me, you can be genetically predisposed toward skin cancer, most skin cancer can be prevented by practicing sun protection, according to numerous research studies. Research also shows that not only does sun protection reduce one's risk of developing skin cancer; sun protection also may decrease the likelihood of recurrence.
Even if you have spent a lot of time in the sun or developed skin cancer, it's never too late to begin protecting your skin.

1. Avoid deliberate tanning. Lying in the sun may feel good, but the end result is premature aging (wrinkles, blotchiness, and sagging skin) as well as a 1 in 5 chance of developing skin cancer. Tanning beds and sunlamps are just as dangerous because they, too, emit enough UV radiation to cause premature aging and skin cancer. If you like the look of a tan, consider using a sunless self-tanning product. These products do not protect skin from the sun, so a sunscreen should be used.
2. Get vitamin D safely through a healthy diet that includes vitamin supplements. Don't seek the sun.
3. Generously apply sunscreen to all exposed skin every day. The sunscreen should have a Sun Protection Factor (SPF) of at least 15 and be broad-spectrum (provides protection from ultraviolet A (UVA) and ultraviolet B (UVB) rays). Most people do not apply enough sunscreen to help protect against harmful ultraviolet (UV) radiation. One ounce, enough to fill a shot glass, is considered by the Academy to be the amount needed to cover the exposed areas of the body properly. Prefer sunscreen for babies, with total protection: it has good screen, good smell and you won't feel like putting white paint on yourself!
4. Wear protective clothing, such as a shirt, pants, a wide-brimmed hat, and sunglasses, where possible. Clothing protects your skin from the sun's harmful rays. The tighter the weave, the more sun protection provided. In fact, clothing plays such an important role in sun protection that clothing designed specifically to protect against the sun as well as laundry additives created to boost clothing's protective function are available. Your dermatologist may be able to provide you with more information about these products.
5. Seek shade when appropriate. The sun's rays are strongest between 10 a.m. and 4 p.m.
6. Use extra caution near water, snow, and sand as they reflect the damaging rays of the sun. This can increase your risk chance of sunburn.
7. Check your birthday suit on your birthday. If you notice anything changing, growing, or bleeding on your skin, see a dermatologist. Skin cancer is very treatable when caught early.

A diagnosis of melanoma can bring with it a range of emotions, including fear, panic and sadness. It is important to keep in mind that once diagnosed with melanoma the future is not always grim. When caught early, surgical removal shows a cure rate of approximately 95%. Even patients with more advanced cases should have hope as the cure rate continues to rise.

A patient's course of therapy is largely determined by the thickness of the primary tumor and stage of the cancer, as every stage requires different treatment. In the earlier stages, surgery is used to remove the primary tumor and determine if all the cancerous cells have been removed.

Once melanoma is confirmed by the biopsy, additional tissue is generally surgically removed from the same site as the original biopsy to determine if any cancer cells remain. Excisional surgery is the procedure most commonly used, but the size of the tumor or location on the body may make another surgical procedure more practical. The thicker the melanoma, the more tissue removed. The removed tissue is sent to a laboratory for microscopic examination to determine if any cancer cells remain. When a melanoma is thin and has not spread beyond the original site, this is frequently the only treatment required.
In my case, as often happens with melanomas that are larger than 8mms, I was treated with lymph node dissection, too. It is not used to remove the primary tumor. Rather the procedure, also known as a lymphadenectomy, involves removing one or, in the worst cases, all of the lymph nodes in a region, such as the armpit or groin, and examining them for cancer.
A lymph node is a mass of lymphatic tissue surrounded by connective tissue. Lymph nodes filter bacteria and other foreign particles, such as cancer cells. If melanoma has begun to spread, it may be possible to find it in the nearest lymph nodes and remove it before it spreads further.
A biopsy is generally performed to find out if the melanoma has spread to the lymph nodes. The biopsy used will depend on several factors, including whether or not a lymph node feels particularly hard or enlarged.

Missing a lymph node won't cause you any living problem! A lymph node is no bigger than a pea. The scar is minimal and you won't feel any "internal loss". Of course, you'll have to avoid any physical activity for a couple of weeks, and then avoid hard physical activities for a couple of months, but you won't have any collateral effects.
I went home by car, accompanied but sitting, had a small walk and then stayed at home for a couple of weeks, going around the house and working on my Mac.
If more than a lymph node is taken away, you could have some collateral effects, such as developing allergy to some creams.

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