A mother of two was shocked to learn that a small pimple on the side of her nose turned out to be skin cancer. The woman, who reportedly enjoys being tanned to the point where her skin was burnt, went to the doctor after the pimple "exploded" and wouldn't stop bleeding.
A Woman's Worse Nightmare
Janet Lujan first noticed a pimple during the summer of 2017 and initially dismissed it, thinking it would be harmless. Her husband Ray, who is a firefighter, suggested she get the blemish checked out, but Janet did not want to look like an idiot in front of doctors. Janet stated that the pimple did hurt but surmised it would be gone within a few days.
Two days later, the pimple combusted on its own and began bleeding, but Janet still did not think she had skin cancer. Janet went to the doctors and the bleeding continued for three weeks where she was informed she had basal cell carcinoma (BCC), which is a form of slow-growing skin cancer. BCC is a common form of skin cancer and does not spread to other parts of the body.
BCC, which usually starts as a scab or spot, can grow larger if not treated but it can be treated and removed successfully.
Janet's Humiliation
Janet, who is a radio presenter from Moore, Oklahoma, had surgery before Christmas in 2017 and had to undergo treatment for seven months. Though she did not receive chemotherapy or radiotherapy, Janet was left with a penny-sized hole in her nose. The 43-year-old decided to get reconstructive surgery, which involved rebuilding her nose by pulling a flap of skin from her forehead and attaching it to the right side of her nose.
Janet described the process as grueling even though she was reassured by the surgeons that her skin would look better. After six months, The Oklahoma native has praised the surgeons for the job they performed on her nose. Janet is also cancer free but has admitted that she is still addicted to sun tanning.
"It's important to be sun safe because this is a process which, even if you're lucky to catch it in time, like me, still involves six or seven months of stress and worry. I still miss tanning and feel a little bit jealous when people say they're going down to the lake, or to the park, to lie in the sun," Janet stated.
