I was eight months pregnant when a ‘stubborn’ pimple appeared on my nose. Two weeks later pharmacists told me to see a doctor right away…

• Chelsea De Main found a strange pimple on her nose
• It turned out to be cancer 
• READ MORE: I was diagnosed with cancer despite having no symptoms

Chelsea De Main was eight months pregnant when a strange ‘pimple’ appeared on her nose, and despite her best efforts couldn’t be popped.

The mum-to-be ignored it for two weeks before going to the pharmacy for advice on the un-sightly bump.

And that’s when her complexion issue became an emergency. 

Speaking to FEMAIL she explained the pharmacists urged her to see a doctor, suspecting the pimple was actually cancer.

‘I remember trying to press it, but it had such an odd texture,’ Chelsea revealed.

‘It was December 2020 – there was so much going on with COVID lockdowns and my pregnancy. I didn’t really have it in me to care about a pimple.’

When the first biopsy came back normal Chelsea felt relieved. But her doctor wasn’t convinced and urged her to have more tests.

‘I didn’t think it was necessary because my results were fine,’ the salon owner from Hobart recalled. 

‘But the second biopsy revealed I had squamous cell carcinoma.’ She explained it was a type of melanoma, the deadliest of skin cancers.

Chelsea De Main was eight months pregnant when a strange ‘pimple’ appeared on her nose, and the pesky anomaly evaded all attempts at ‘popping’

The mum-to-be lay in wait for two weeks before going to the pharmacy and enquiring about the bump on her face – only to be hastened to her doctor because of suspected melanoma

Chelsea’s cancer diagnosis came the day before she gave birth to her son – turning a time of celebration into one of devastation.

She remembers spending the 24 hours preceding her delivery crying into a pillow.

‘I was so anxious, I couldn’t sleep at all,’ she said. ‘I just kept thinking about my son and what it would mean for him. 

‘My cancer was bigger than me – my entire focus was on my child and needing to be absolutely present for him.’

At first Chelsea couldn’t believe she had melanoma – she had only had three or four sunburns in her life.

But realised she had been blasé about using sun protection due to her tan skin and South African ancestry.

‘I just never thought sunscreen was important,’ she said. ‘Especially for me.’ 

The mum had to wait five weeks before the doctors cut into her nose and took out the cancerous lump.

She spent that time swinging between fear for her life and gratefulness that the doctors caught her cancer at an early stage.

Chelsea found out about her cancer the day before she gave birth and spent 24 hours crying into a pillow

Doctors were able to alleviate those concerns by operating – but following surgery Chelsea had a new demon to face.

‘The wound site was horrifying, there was a crater the size of a two dollar coin on my nose with ugly cross stitches all around,’ she said.

‘It was stupid to think about vanity in the moment – the best case scenario had happened, my cancer was gone.’

‘But god, it looked horrendous. It was funky and raised up on the sides, and my nose was several different colours.’

Even though Chelsea’s nose healed well eventually after a skin graft from behind her ear, she spent months thinking there would be ‘a giant crater’ on her nose for the rest of her life. 

Even though Chelsea’s nose healed well eventually after a skin graft from behind her ear, she spent months thinking there would be ‘a giant crater’ on her nose for the rest of her life

She said she wouldn’t have been able to ‘get off the ground’ after giving birth and having surgery if it weren’t for her friends and neighbours.

‘It was really hard to see people because it was during COVID times, but the community really rallied,’ she said.

‘My son’s father was a pillar – I couldn’t have done it without him. My friends and neighbours organised meal trains, my parents stayed with us for a few weeks, and I received these amazing hampers with chocolate, champagne, and natural oils.’ 

Chelsea claimed that her life has taken on a whole new meaning after her health journey and that she’s altered several of her daily habits.

‘It completely changed my perspective on everything,’ she said. ‘I’ve stopped sweating the small stuff and I let things go a lot more.’ 

Chelsea claimed that her life has taken on a whole new meaning after her health journey and that she’s altered several of her daily habits

She added, ‘I definitely wasn’t as cautious as I should’ve been, living in a place like Australia where the UV is so high.

‘I have a South African mum and we’ve never burned a lot. I think I’ve only had a couple of sunburns in my life, and only after intense days camping or on the beach.

‘But I’m a changed woman now – I wear sunscreen every day, even in the winter and if I don’t expect to leave the house.’

Chelsea shared that she’d gotten extremely sun smart and paranoid after her diagnosis and cancer journey.

‘I put SPF on my son every day and he hates it – but I hope the crying will stop eventually. It’s so important to be vigilant about your health and the lives of those around you.’ 

READ MORE: Jenaya, 21, was enjoying a dream holiday when her brain cancer symptoms began. This is how her world came crashing down and her urgent message

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