I spotted a barely visible 'pimple' on my forehead after changing up my skincare routine at 31. Then the doctor's office called and delivered the bad news...

When Cera Byrum noticed a barely there 'pimple' on her forehead in December, 2023, skin cancer was the last thing on her mind.

But just four months later, she was handed the grim diagnosis halfway through her shift as a teacher.

The young mum, 31, from Dallas, was in the classroom when she received a phone call from a nurse who told her the little bump was cancerous.

'I vividly remember it. It was an awful day already and I was told I had to give up my only break during the school day to cover another teacher,' Cera told FEMAIL. 

'My phone rang and I knew it was the doctor's office. I remember telling my friend, "Well, at least I have some good news today. I bet they're telling me my biopsy was clear." I answered and the nurse on the other end said it was skin cancer.' 

Mum Cera Byrum (pictured with her daughter) was diagnosed with basal cell carcinoma, a type of skin cancer, last month 

She spotted a tiny bump on her forehead which a biopsy confirmed was cancerous (pictured)  

As a child, Cera would play in the sun for hours. She admitted she also used tanning beds throughout her late teens because she was ashamed of her pale skin.

She also has a family history of skin cancer, with her parents and brother being previously diagnosed.

Cera was first diagnosed with basal cell carcinoma at the end of 2021 after spotting a 1.5cm 'flaky patch of skin' under the bra strap on her shoulder.

She had it removed and had two layers of stitches.

'I wasn't allowed to lift my baby for three weeks. I don't think I understood how something so small could have such a large effect on my daily life,' she said.

After that diagnosis, she was diligent with skin checks and wore sunscreen every day. However, this did not erase the damage that was done when she was younger.

'If I had never gotten my first skin cancer and made annual visits, I would never have had it checked out,' she said. 

'As a few months passed, the fleshy bump took on a translucent, pearly sheen to it. I assumed it was forming a pimple,' she said. 'Unfortunately I was never able to pop the "pimple" and it stuck around. She then went to a dermatologist 

Cera was first diagnosed with basal cell carcinoma at the end of 2021 after spotting a 1.5cm 'flaky patch of skin' under her bra strap on her shoulder. She had it removed and had two layers of stitches (scar pictured on her shoulder) 

A dermatologist conducted a biopsy and two weeks later Cera was diagnosed while teaching a class full of students (pictured with her husband and daughter)  

Cera spent the years after surgery trying to 'love and embrace' her pale skin and avoided going into the sun or tanning. She also started researching skincare and moved towards a daily dose of tretinoin and sunscreen.

In December, she noticed a small bump on her forehead above her eyebrow and thought it would disappear.

'As a few months passed, the fleshy bump took on a translucent, pearly sheen to it. I assumed it was forming a pimple,' she said.

'Unfortunately I was never able to pop the "pimple" and it stuck around. I hated the way this bump stood out even more underneath my luminous makeup.'

In April she decided to see a dermatologist and assumed the bump was due to clogged pores and would only require a cream to get rid of it. 

The expert grabbed a light and lens to examine the spot closely before conducting a biopsy.

'She said the pearlescent sheen was a telltale sign of basal cell carcinoma. I could not believe it,' Cera recalled.

The dermatologist said it would take up to two weeks for the results to come back, but it took slightly longer and she thought she was 'in the clear'.

As a child Cera would play in the sun for hours then during her adolescence she would use tanning beds as she was ashamed of her pale skin

Then the dreaded day came when she was told the cancer had returned and she needed surgery.

Upon hearing the news, Cera left the classroom and cried.

'I walked back into the classroom and told my colleague and my best friend. The kids knew I had been crying and were so sweet to me. I never told them about it until I came back to school with a line of stitches down my forehead,' she added.

'I had no idea that the years of UV radiation from my time lying out in the sun or going to tanning beds was stored up inside waiting to be released. I felt guilty because I did this to myself,' she said.

'It was a consequence of my own stupid decisions from my youth and early adolescence.'

The young mum also felt guilty and sorry for herself. 

'If it's "just skin cancer", it's easily treatable, then why in the world was I so sad about it?' she recalled.

'I guess I just assumed that since the first round of carcinoma, I had followed all the rules and did everything I was supposed to in order to prevent this.'

Cera had two surgeries: one to remove the bump and another to remove additional surrounding tissue which wasn't removed before.  

'Skin cancer is like an iceberg - what appears on the skin above the surface is usually much deeper and wider below,' she said.

'Skin cancer is like an iceberg - what appears on the skin above the surface is usually much deeper and wider below,' she said (pictured recently) 

Now Cera wishes she could turn back the clock and tell her younger self what she knows now

Cera wishes she could turn back the clock and tell her younger self what she knows now.

'I wish I could go back in time and really warn myself about the effects of the sun. I used to go to tanning beds in my youth knowing the risks. I know, I am so ashamed of it now,' she said. 

'I used to get made fun of for having such pale skin, even now I have still had grown women make comments about how I need a tan or how they can see my veins through my skin. 

'But despite my insecurities, I know that my pale skin is beautiful. I won't bully my body in order to reach some superficial beauty standard.' 

Back then Cera assumed if she did get skin cancer it would be an 'easy fix' and she would catch it immediately. Though she had no idea how the UV rays touching her skin were slowly causing cancer.

'I had no clue that once I had skin cancer it could show up anytime and anywhere else on my body. When you go for a skin check, your doctor will check EVERYWHERE,' she said. 

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'If there is skin there, they're checking it. Every crevice of my body gets thoroughly examined. My doctor once told me she found melanoma in somebody's mouth! 

'I think there is a misconception that skin cancer can only show up on the parts of the body that are frequently exposed to the sun.' 

Cera shared her story in a popular Facebook group to urge others to be diligent with skin checks and sunscreen. 

'Education is key. Prevention is key. Access to knowledgeable dermatologist is key. I may not be able to change several of those factors, but I hope my story can help to educate others and bring awareness to skin cancer,' she said.