When Joy Yaffe noticed a spot on the right side of her nose, the 59-year-old regarded it as nothing more than a minor annoyance - and simply covered it up with concealer.
'I don't mind admitting that like most women I am a touch vain. When this bothersome spot surfaced on my nose last year, all I could think was how to get rid of it and hide it,' says Joy, an international fashion brand consultant.
'To me, it was certainly nothing sinister - just an annoying, random spot on my nose.'
Joy was surprised to get the blemish because her skin was usually clear.
Joy's apparent spot was actually a squamous cell carcinoma - the second most common form of skin cancer
To her relief, thanks to a fastidious skin-care routine, the pimple disappeared within a week.
However, the zit came back six months later, in July 2012, in the exact same area of her nose - then disappeared again.
However, the zit came back six months later, in July 2012, in the exact same area of her nose - then disappeared again.
The blemish reappeared again in mid-December last year and, instead of vanishing as it had previously, after a few days the spot changed texture and appeared scaly and 'strange' - looking different from how it had before.
'Even my most effective concealers were not managing to cover it - but the thought never even came into my head that it could be anything potentially life-threatening.
'I work in fashion where image, whatever your age, is greatly valued. I spend time and money preserving my looks.'
Luckily for Joy, who was born in Manchester but now splits her time between the UK, Italy and the U.S., her vigilance over her skin paid off. But not in the way she expected.
In late December, she contacted the office of a French cosmetic beauty doctor, and mentioned the recurring spot. She was told not to touch it and to come in as soon as possible.
After making a closer inspection, the doctor told her he didn't like the look of it and advised her to have a biopsy.
After the tumour was removed, Joy was instructed to go to New York to see a plastic surgeon
'I was horrified and in a panic,' says Joy. 'It was just days before Christmas and getting an emergency appointment for a biopsy was a nightmare. Plus, due to the demands of my job, I had to be in Milan and then New York with work in the new year.'
Joy was initially seen in early January by a skin cancer dermatologist at the Institute of Tumours in Milan.
Upon observation, he suspected Joy's apparent spot was actually a squamous cell carcinoma - the second most common form of skin cancer after basal cell carcinoma (BCC) and wanted a biopsy taken to confirm this.
'This came as a huge shock, especially considering the fact I'd avoided the sun for many years,' says Joy. 'I had got burnt before, in my teens, but have protected my face with products containing sun protection for many years.
'However, apparently skin damage even from many years ago can cause skin cancer.'
As she was due in the U.S., Joy set up an urgent biopsy appointment at the Laser & Skin Surgery Center of New York.
The biopsy confirmed a squamous cell carcinoma and she underwent Mohs surgery, a specialised microscopic operation ideal for patients with this type of skin cancer. In this procedure, a surgeon removes thin layers of skin and tissue, which are examined under a microscope, until only healthy cells remain. It's time-consuming, but it limits scarring and there is a low recurrence rate.
After the tumour was removed, Joy was instructed to go to New York University hospital, where a plastic surgeon was standing by. She underwent a procedure under local anaesthetic that involved seven injections and more than 20 stitches to cover the 6mm-by-6mm wound site.
'Afterwards, my nose was a swollen, hideous, bloody blob with black stitches. The tears just started to flow,' she says.
Earlier this year, a shocking report revealed that skin cancer is nearly as common as all other cancers put together in the UK, with more than 200,000 cases of basal cell carcinomas diagnosed each year.
Cases of this form of cancer, which is treatable by surgery, have risen by 80 per cent in a decade.
Joy's type (of which 10,000 cases a year are diagnosed in England and Wales) is a fast-spreading skin cancer that develops on the surface level of the skin and is commonly found on sun-exposed areas - the face, lips, ears and scalp.
Joy's type (of which 10,000 cases a year are diagnosed in England and Wales) is a fast-spreading skin cancer that develops on the surface level of the skin and is commonly found on sun-exposed areas - the face, lips, ears and scalp.
'If treated early, the prognosis is very good, but keeping a vigilant eye on your skin for any changes is very important. Most early-stage tumours have a 90 per cent five-year survival rate'
It is more common in Caucasian and older people, with over-75-year-olds 35 times more likely to have it than those aged 50 to 55. It makes up 20 per cent of non-melanoma skin cancers (these are slow-growing cancers that develop in the upper layers of the skin - 80 per cent are caused by basal cell carcinoma).
Despite the prevalence of skin cancer, 40 per cent of people deliberately burn their skin to get a deeper tan, according to research this year by Macmillan Cancer Support.
A quarter of the 1,000 people surveyed believed burning in the sun was the only way to go brown - despite the fact that getting a painful sunburn just once every two years can triple the risk of skin cancer. Although the traditional message about skin cancer is to pay attention to irregular moles, men and women must also be vigilant about unusual spots and pimples, says Dr Tamara Griffiths, consultant dermatologist at the Greater Manchester Dermatology Centre and Salford Royal NHS Foundation Trust.
'Squamous cell carcinoma typically develops on the face - most commonly on or around the ears or lips and what we call the V of the neck - the exposed area below the neck. However, any area of skin can be affected,' says Dr Griffiths.
'The three key signs to watch for in all skin cancers are a new growth or sore that won't heal, a spot, mole or sore that itches or hurts and a mole or growth that bleeds, crusts or scabs. In the case of squamous cell carcinoma, a cancer lesion typically starts as a small crusted or scaly area or skin with a red or pink base. It may grow into a lump, which may look like a wart.
'Basal cell carcinoma, the most common type of skin cancer, grows locally, very rarely spreads and does not feed on other organs.
'In contrast, some strains of squamous cell carcinoma are dangerous and can spread aggressively into other areas such as the lymph nodes. It can shorten a person's life if left untreated.
She underwent a procedure under local anaesthetic that involved seven injections and more than 20 stitches
'If treated early, the prognosis is very good, but keeping a vigilant eye on your skin for any changes is very important. Most early-stage tumours have a 90 per cent five-year survival rate.'
Known causes are sun exposure, sunburn in childhood and the use of sunbeds. 'There is no such thing as a safe tan, ever,' adds Dr Griffiths, who is also a spokesperson for the British Skin Foundation.
'Joy's cancer on her nose may have appeared to vanish, but to an experienced dermatologist it would have still been there but just less visible - that is why we advise people to check not just moles but any strange lesions, including pimples.
'Fortunately, most of these lesions are nothing to worry about, but the advice is if you have a worrying pimple that feels irregular and is crusting or ulcerating, see your GP.
69 per cent
The proportion of people who don't know the symptoms of skin cancer
'You can be referred to a specialist and a biopsy taken to check its exact nature. Do not panic. There is so much research now into skin cancer and many advancements in treatments and surgery.'
Reassuringly, the skin around the cavity on Joy's nose began to heal within weeks of her operation and now Joy can hardly see the scar.
'I have been given the all-clear but have to have checks regularly on the area to check it is healing properly. I'm hugely grateful to have caught it before it spread further,' she says.
'Now I am still careful about protecting myself from the sun, and was advised by my plastic surgeon to wear SPF 50 on my face every day. During summer, I also wear a hat to cover up.
'My passion now is in raising awareness for cancer. So many people are not aware of the risks and dangers.'
Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/health/article-2409499/Annoying-spot-nose-It-cancer.html#ixzz2dqiOnNMV
Follow us: @MailOnline on Twitter | DailyMail on Facebook
