Small Pimple Turned Into Deadly Cancer That Destroyed Women's Face

#1 Marisha Dotson's spot on her nose turned out to be cancer

Marisha Dotson noticed a spot on her nose that appeared to be a pimple. Nothing worth raising an alarm over, she treated it as normal. However, the pimple began to get worse, signifying a much more serious problem.

After discovering the mark on her nose, she used selfies to document her journey and the mark's progression, which turned into a disease that destroyed her face and caused her to have to smile with a mouthpiece.

#2 The 28-year-old had squamous cell carcinoma, a type of cancer. It cost her her nose, eight of her teeth, and parts of her jaw.

While visiting a doctor in 2014 she was told she had squamous cell carcinoma, an aggressive form of skin cancer. She said: ‘To me, it looked like a regular pimple, it was slightly red and like a blemish, but after it continued to grow I knew it wasn’t a spot. ‘It started to hurt, continued to swell and I started coming down with fevers, leading me to get help from a dermatologist who officially diagnosed the cancer.’

#3

Doctors had only given Marisha a 20 percent chance of survival due to the type of cancer. The cancer that formed from her pimple is an extremely aggressive type with low survival rates.

Luckily, Marisha beat the odds. However, the disease left permanent damage to her face. She now uses a dental implant to smile and talk, Daily Mail reports. Nonetheless, Marisha says she's just happy to be alive.

#4

The cancer first made an appearance three years ago in the form of a pimple. Doctors were quick to brush off the blemish as simply common facial acne. However, they did note it was like nothing they had ever seen before.

Marisha became convinced her pimple wasn't normal when it doubled in size and started to make her feel ill. It was a dermatologist who diagnosed her with the aggressive form of cancer.

#5 Her nose had to be removed.

An aggressive cancer means aggressive treatment. According to Daily Mail, "Surgeons operated on her for 15 hours in different stages to remove layers of the cancerous tissue and most of her nose."

#6 Her nose was reconstructed

During the surgery, they realized that the cancer had spread further than they thought. "My tumor was like a jellyfish with cancerous tentacles reaching deep into my face," Marisha says as reported by Daily Mail.

#7 Marisha continued:

"After a couple of hours into surgery my reality shifted, the tumor was much deeper than surgeons thought and it was very painful. Despite having 300 shots of anesthetic to my face it still hurt as they continued to cut and burn each layer, so close to my nerves and sinuses."

#8 The surgery left Marisha with no nose, which surgeons worked to cosmetically repair.

"Surgeons took skin from the crown of my head, shaved off a piece of hair and took the skin then flapped it over my nose and took cartilage from my ear. To keep the blood supply, they dragged the skin over my nose and it was left hanging off my forehead for a month," Marisha says.

#9 More spots began to appear causing Marisha's nose to have to be rebuilt TWICE.

This also left her with new skin grafts due to the marks popping up on more spots of her face.

#10 It took 30 surgeries to fix the damage.

"After a total of more than 30 surgeries to remove all of the tumours, reconstruction and fit in a temporary mouth piece to allow her to talk and eat, she is finally cancer-free,"

#11 Through it all she has tried to remain positive.

Marisha admits that sometimes she feels sad, but when she thinks about all she's been through she's proud of how hard she fought and what she overcame. She makes an active effort to remain positive.

#12 She had undergone 30 surgeries to remove all the tumours and reconstruct her face.

Ms. Dotson was given the all-clear three months ago and decided to share selfies of herself during her three-year battle with cancer so others would be inspired.

#13 She wants everyone to know that they should never give up.

The trainee counselor added: ‘I earned these scars and should be proud of them as they area testament of my will to live, the blood, sweat, and tears I shed to survive. ‘The damage I have now I will live with for the rest of my life, I’ve given up on the cosmetic side of things and just feel so lucky to be alive.’

#14 All this work has been very expensive for her.

Ms. Dotson praised the doctors who had helped her overcome her illness but despite their willingness to work for lower-rates, she was left with large medical bills. She is now raising money to cover her costs and pay for a new permanent mouth guard.