A mum alerted to a tiny spot on her eye while getting her lashes done was diagnosed with skin cancer - and had to have her eye SEWN SHUT to treat it.<br /><br />Chloe Boulden, 28, was told she had a tiny spot on her lash line when she went to get eyelash extensions in October 2022.<br /><br />The spot beneath her left eye continued to grow and become red over the next few months - and Chloe became more concerned.<br /><br />In October 2023 a skin check up led to her being booked in for an urgent appointment with a specialist.<br /><br />A biopsy revealed the mum-of-four had basal cell carcinoma - a form of skin cancer caused by sun exposure.<br /><br />Chloe had to have the cancerous part of her eye cut away and a skin graft taken from her neck to replace it, in a full eye reconstructive surgery.<br /><br />Then she had to have her eye sewn shut for weeks to get an established blood supply to the graft.<br /><br />Now Chloe wants to remind others of the importance of sun protection - and to warn people to "take skin cancer seriously".<br /><br />Chloe, a baker, from Adelaide, Australia, said: "When I went to my skin check, the doctor said 'I don't mean to scare you, but this doesn't look good.'<br /><br />"It sunk in when I went to the plastic surgeon and he confirmed it was cancerous. <br /><br />"To be 28 years old and need a full eyelid reconstruction is pretty devastating - when I went for the surgery I was very emotional.<br /><br />"Unfortunately I found out the cancer had spread and I need another surgery, but fingers crossed that'll be it then.<br /><br />"I never thought anything like this would happen to me - people seem to think skin cancer isn't as dangerous as other cancers, but it can be.<br /><br />"And it can happen to anyone - no matter your age or gender."<br /><br />Since becoming a mum to Aaliyah, 10, Amaya, eight, Orlo, five, and Meadow, three, Chloe had adopted a good attitude towards sun safety.<br /><br />But in her teenage years she would sunbathe for hours with no protection - lying on the beach until she was "red raw" and hoping the redness would turn into a tan.<br /><br />She would even apply tanning oil with no SPF to help tan her further - not realising the damage she might be doing.<br /><br />But years on, Chloe didn't think much of the small spot on her eye when it was first alerted to her.<br /><br />She got it checked out anyway, but the optometrist reckoned it was just a blocked tear duct and prescribed an ointment.<br /><br />She went to A&E in March 2023 when her eye turned "really red" but again doctors didn't piece it together.<br /><br />But in October 2023, during her yearly skin check, the doctor spotted it.<br /><br />Chloe said: "He checked my face and asked how long I had the lump on my eye.<br /><br />"He said 'I don't mean to scare you, but this doesn't look good.'<br /><br />"I was oblivious and in shock - I didn't even think it could be cancerous."<br /><br />She was referred immediately to a top plastic surgeon - who "took one look and instantly knew."<br /><br />A biopsy was taken which confirmed it was basal cell carcinoma and she was told she would need surgery.<br /><br />On May 8 this year, she had a full eyelid reconstruction surgery where a sp
