Woman left with a hole in her face after mistaking skin cancer for a stubborn spot

A mum-of-two has been left with a hole in her face after mistakenly believing skin cancer was just a “stubborn spot.”

When Keely Jones, 40, visited a local beauty salon for a facial, her beautician spotted a red blemish on her face and advised her to get it checked out by a dermatologist.

But convinced that the mark on her temple was just a spot, Keely didn’t do so immediately.

It was only after being tested two months ago that Keely was actually diagnosed with basal cell carcinoma – a type of skin cancer that can cause disfigurement if left untreated.

Thankfully doctors were able to successfully remove the growth, but the wound required over 20 stitches to close and has left Keely with a hole on the side of her forehead.

Speaking about her ordeal Keely explained that she never imagined what she thought was a harmless spot would turn out to be skin cancer.

“I don’t usually have blemishes on my face, so it was unusual for me to get a spot,” she says.

“I thought it was just a stubborn one, so I just continued to pick it and every time it would just scab over and bleed.”

Keely says it took months to get referred to a clinic, where a biopsy was eventually taken.

“After seeing the dermatologist, they decided to do a biopsy on my temple, as it looked concerning. A week later, I received a call and was told that I had cancer,” she continues.

Kelly went on to have three more surgeries to remove the spot from her temple and ensure all of the cancer was removed. Doctors said it was lucky that Keely was diagnosed when she was as the cancer could have easily spread to the rest of her face

“When it was removed and I saw the massive hole on my temple I was so shocked – the spot was so little, but they needed to remove so much more skin.”

After the procedures, it took 20 stitches to close the 5p-sized hole left behind.

“The hole was then stitched together, but luckily I had these stitches removed just last week and it’s unlikely that I will need any more surgery,” she said.

Now the mum, who works in the beauty industry, wants to warn others about the dangers of skin cancer, even those, like her, who don’t believe they are at risk.

“Skin cancer can happen to anyone — I hardly used tanning beds, and always avoided the sun, and I still managed to end up with skin cancer,” she says.

“Working in the beauty industry it does make me very self-conscious, but I hope that my story can show people the real dangers of skin cancer.”

“For the next few weeks I can’t exercise, pick up the children or sleep on my right hand side,” she continues.

“These photographs of me are more than unflattering, and as someone who works in beauty I found it quite hard to share them.

“But hopefully it will help at least one person learn the importance of looking after their skin.”

Keely isn’t the only woman who dismissed skin cancer as a spot. Former sun worshipper and mum-of-five Kari Cummins assumed a mark on her face was just a spot, but after finally seeing a dermatologist, Kari was told that she had squamous cell carcinoma; a type of skin cancer that could have spread to her organs if left untreated.

And just like Keely, Kari wants to stress to others the importance of looking after their skin in the hope that a similar thing can be prevented from happening.

“It just shows that this can happen to anyone,” she says.

“Unfortunately, I neglected my skin and now I am facing the consequences. It’s also really important for people to be more conscious of what creams and lotions they are putting onto their bodies. Some are filled with toxic chemicals and these are just as bad for you.”

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