While most of us know that we should get any strangely shaped blemish checked out by a doctor, with our busy schedules, actually getting around to this can easily fall by the wayside. Keely Daniel Jones, a North Carolina–based mom who works in the beauty indistry, shared her story with skin cancer to prompt others to follow through and see a doctor for any odd marks on their skin.
In a Facebook post, Jones, 40, shared how she's been recently diagnosed with basal cell carcinoma (BCC), one of the most common types of skin cancer.
The only visibly noticeable trace of the cancer was a "tiny dot" on the temple of her head, according to her post. Usually, BCC looks like an open sore, or like a red patch, pink growth, shiny bump, or scar, according to the Skin Cancer Foundation. Yet it affects over 4 million people each year in the United States.
Her removal procedures left her with a nickel-sized hole in her head, which required 20 stitches.
Once doctors started the Mohs micrographic surgery, which is the most effective process for her type of skin cancer, she ended up needing three more separate removals. It turned out that most of the cancer actually lived beneath the surface of the skin.
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It was actually the spa worker who gave Jones a recent facial who warned her about the blemish, advising her to get it checked out.
Jones told the Daily Mail that she didn't think she was at risk for skin cancer because she's usually so safe when it comes to sun exposure, avoiding tanning beds (though she admits she used them as a teen) and long hours out in the sun.
Thankfully, Jones's stitches are out, and she should only have a minimal scar leftover.
However, she'll still need regular checkups, since her chance of having another cancerous spot is now higher. For the next few weeks, she'll have to take it easy to have a full recovery, so she can't exercise, pick up her children, or even sleep on the right side of her head.
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"These photographs of me are more than unflattering, and as someone who works in beauty, I found it quite hard to share them," she told the Daily Mail. "But hopefully, it will help at least one person learn the importance of looking after their skin."
It's a stark reminder, but one that we should all keep in mind.
