What happens when a harmless-looking pimple does not heal? For Rachel Olivia, a 32-year-old Australian woman, this seemingly small issue turned into a shocking diagnosis of skin cancer.

How did it all begin?

Rachel noticed a small red spot on her forehead, which she thought was just a pimple. However, when the spot began flaking and showed no signs of healing for over a year, she decided to seek professional help. According to news.com.au, Rachel said, “I left it for a year, but when it never healed, I pushed to get it reassessed by specialists. They did a biopsy and confirmed it was cancer.”

Rachel learned from the doctors that she suffered from basal cell carcinoma or BCC, a cancer originating from the damage inflicted upon the DNA of the basal cells in the epidermis, the most exterior layer of the human skin. BCC may seem like a waxy bump or scaly brown spot and is particularly disquieting when it presents in the face.

Rachel said that despite her precautions, she has had very bad sunburns in her teens. “I’ve never been someone to tan or sit in the sun. But I did have a few bad burns when I was younger, and that’s all it takes,” she shared.

Although Rachel was relieved her condition wasn’t melanoma—the most aggressive form of skin cancer—the diagnosis still came as a shock. She explained, “I was relieved it was not a melanoma, but also shocked to still have cancer. He told me I was young to get something like this. He also explained that Australia has the highest rate of skin cancer.”

Australia is famous for having a high rate of skin cancer, mainly due to its sunny climate and powerful UV exposure. According to experts, even a couple of severe sunburns in early life may drastically increase the risk of having skin cancer later in life.

Treatment:

Rachel is now undergoing treatment for basal cell carcinoma, but with it comes a road of recovery that is not very easy. She admitted that being a mother to a young child makes it hard to prioritize your health.

“Having an infant at home makes it particularly difficult to take care of myself,” Rachel shared.

This incident is a great reminder to take any new or persistent skin changes very seriously, as BCC can be treated if detected early.