Skin Cancer

What is Skin Cancer?

Skin cancer is the most common form of cancer in the United States today. What we call skin cancer is actually 3 types of disease: basal cell carcinoma, squamous cell carcinoma, and melanoma. Melanoma is the most dangerous.

Skin cancer is caused by ultraviolet (UV) radiation from the sun. UV radiation also comes from tanning booths or sunlamps. Anyone can get skin cancer, though people with light complexions are at greater risk.

With early detection and diagnosis, skin cancer is almost 100% curable. Check your skin regularly for new growths and other signs of cancer, and talk to your doctor if you find any changes.

Skin Cancer Risk Factors

A risk factor is something that may increase the chance of getting a disease. For skin cancer, the biggest risk factor is exposure to the sun, which can be avoided. Other risk factors cannot.

• Age: The risk of getting skin cancer increases as we age. Damage to your skin may have happened years earlier. Most skin cancers appear after age 50
• Blistering sunburns: If you had one or more instances of severe, blistering sunburn as a child or teenager, you are at increased risk
• Complexion: If you have fair skin that burns or freckles easily, have red or blond hair, and light-colored eyes (i.e., blue or green), you are at greater risk. However, people with dark skin can still develop skin cancer, get sunburn, etc., and should apply sunscreen when expecting prolonged sun exposure
• Family health history: Having two or more close relatives who have had skin cancer increases your risk of developing the disease. Roughly 10% of patients with melanoma have a family member with the disease
• Personal health history: If you developed skin cancer before, you are at greater risk of developing it in another area
• Sunburns: If you sunburn easily as an adult, you are at greater risk of developing skin cancer
• Unusual moles: Roughly one in ten people has an unusual mole (looks different than regular, round, brownish moles). If you have a large number of unusual moles, you are at greater risk of skin cancer
• Usual moles: If you have 50 or more ordinary moles, you are at increased risk of skin cancer
• Weakened immune system: If your immune system is challenged by certain cancers, drugs, or a disease like HIV, you are at increased risk of skin cancer

• Sun exposure: If you have (or have had) multiple cases of prolonged exposure to the UV rays of the sun without good protection, you are at greater risk
• Artificial sun: If you regularly use or have used tanning booths or sun lamps (both of which have UV radiation), you are at greater risk of developing skin cancer
• Where you live: If you live in an area with higher levels of UV radiation from the sun (e.g., desert areas, mountainous areas, areas closer to the equator), then you are at increased risk of developing skin cancer

Preventing Skin Cancer

The easiest way to prevent skin cancer is to limit sun exposure, and to protect your skin from the sun's rays and other forms of UV radiation.

• Stay in the shade as much as possible between 10:00 a.m. and 4:00 p.m.
• Cover up with long sleeves and a hat
• Use sunscreen with SPF 15 or higher
• Use sunscreen with both UVA and UVB protection
• Apply enough sunscreen when you use it (follow the guidelines on the product label)
• Wear sunscreen even on cloudy days (UV rays can still harm your skin through the clouds)
• Plan ahead: If you know you will be in the sun for long periods of time, put sunscreen on 30 minutes before you go outside
• If you wear very light clothing, put on sunscreen before you dress.
• Reapply sunscreen after you exercise, swim, or sweat
• Wear sunglasses to protect your eyes and the skin around your eyes from sun damage (this part of your skin is very sensitive)
• Apply sunscreen regularly to children, especially if they will be out in the sun during the day, so that they will not develop blistering sunburns
• Avoid sunlamps or tanning booths that expose you to extra UV radiation unless you are using increased sunscreen protection

Do a Skin Self-Exam Regularly

• Check your skin once every month
• Examine yourself in a well–lit room in front of a mirror
• Many people do their self-exam after a shower or bath
• Pick a day and mark it on your calendar so you don't forget
• Use a hand mirror
• Examine your skin from head to toe
• Look for changes in size, shape, and color
• Learn where your birthmarks, spots, and moles are and what they usually look and feel like
• Make a list so you can keep track of any changes
• Check the growths on your skin for changes in size, shape, color, or feel
• Check for anything new: a sore that doesn't heal, a mole that bleeds, or any new growths
• If you find any changes, see your doctor

If you find any changes that worry you, see a doctor or nurse right away. Most changes are harmless. But only a doctor or nurse can tell you for sure.

Skin Cancer Facts

Staying out of the sun and using sunscreen can also help prevent:

• Wrinkles
• Blotchy or spotty skin
• Other damage caused by the sun

There is no such thing as a sun tan. All sun-related or tan-related color changes to your skin are the result of sun damage to your skin. Protect yourself!

• What you need to know about skin cancer
• Skin cancer information for seniors

This is a support group for cancer survivors and people with cancer of all types.