A woman who developed what she believed to be a pimple was shocked to discover that it was a serious form of cancer.
Jess Pasco, 32, noticed a spot under her nose which instead of disappearing as a normal pimple would, left behind a small patch of dry and inflamed skin.
While she would not usually give the break out much thought, she decided to have her skin tested after a shock experience with melanoma a year earlier.
The Sydney native visited a doctor to be safe and she was stunned when she realised that her 'pimple' was actually a serious skin cancer called a Basal Cell Carcinoma.
Jess told News.com.au: "Like most people, I thought skin cancer was just a black mole.
"If I wasn’t conscious like I am now, I wouldn’t have thought anything of it and would’ve ignored it."
Had Jess ignored the issue, this could have developed into a much more aggressive form of cancer that would spread through her body.
And although the cancer was detected early, Jess still had to endure painful treatment.
As the cancer was on her face, she chose not to have it cut out to prevent it leaving a noticable scar.
Instead she was prescribed a cream for eight-weeks that causes the immune system to attack the cancer
But the civil servant had a severe action after the spot developed into a red and pus-filled sore - which was bigger than the cancer itself.
Despite the discomfort, Jess is relieved that she caught the cancer before it got worse.
Around a year previously she visited her doctor for a check up to inspect an unusual freckle on her leg, which was a level three melanoma.
This is the stage before it spreads elsewhere in the body, and would have to be completely removed.