How can I prevent skin cancer?

Protect your skin from the sun by seeking shade, avoiding peak sun hours (10a to 4p), using sunscreen with an SPF of at least 15 and using sun protection clothing (e.g., long sleeves, hats).  Kids need extra protection from the sun because their skin is more likely to burn. Be an example for them to follow. For a list of things that affect melanoma risk visit Your Disease Risk: http://www.yourdiseaserisk.wustl.edu/hccpquiz.pl?lang=english&func=show&quiz=melanoma&page=risk_list

Skin cancer is the most common form of cancer in the United States. The two most common types of skin cancer—basal cell and squamous cell carcinomas—are highly curable. But melanoma, the third most common skin cancer, is more dangerous. About 65% to 90% of melanomas are caused by exposure to ultraviolet (UV) light, an invisible kind of radiation that comes from the sun, tanning beds, and sunlamps.

A few serious sunburns can increase your risk of skin cancer. To protect your skin from the sun, seek shade or go indoors during midday hours; wear long sleeves and long pants, a hat with a wide brim, and sunglasses; use sunscreen with a sun protective factor (SPF) of 15 or higher; and avoid indoor tanning.

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The best way to prevent skin cancer seems to be to limit your exposure to intense sunlight, to wear protective clothing such as hats and shirts, and, perhaps, to apply sunscreen and avoid tanning facilities. Although the effectiveness of these practices has not been evaluated in clinical trials, both malignant melanomas and nonmelanomatous skin cancers have been linked to exposure to the sun.

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Here are a few helpful tips for protecting yourself from the sun's harmful rays:

• Apply sunscreen with an SPF of 30 or higher (and thats label states it provides UVA/UVB protection), 15 to 30 minutes before sun exposure, with careful attention to sun-exposed areas such as the face, hands and arms.
• Apply lip balm that contains a sunscreen to protect sun-sensitive lips.
• Avoid the sun between 10 a.m. and 4 p.m., when its rays are strongest.
• Wear a large (three-inch), brimmed hat and sunglasses to protect your scalp and eyes.
• Reapply sunscreen at least every two hours, but you should apply it more frequently if you have been swimming or sweating. Use about 1 ounce of cream -- about one shot glass -- to cover your entire body with each application.
• Stay in the shade whenever you can.
• Limit the time you spend in the sun.
• Be aware that the sun's ultraviolet rays can reflect off water, sand, concrete and snow, and can reach below the water's surface as well as burn on an overcast day.
• If you are taking an antibiotic or other medication, ask your healthcare professional if it may increase your skin's sensitivity to the sun and what you should do about it.

Watch as dermatologist Dr. Ellen Marmur shares her most important prevention tip for avoiding skin cancer.

Here are some tips for protecting your skin from the sun and reducing your risk of skin cancer:

• Slather up. Rain or shine, apply sunscreen every day. My darker-skinned patients think they’re automatically protected, but they’re not. They need to apply an SPF of at least 30 in the morning and then again throughout the day.
• Don’t rely on tinted moisturizers. Remember that foundations and tinted moisturizers with SPF are makeup, meaning that you apply it more heavily to some areas and lighter to others. For full sun protection, use a mattifying, oil-free sunscreen underneath any face makeup.
• See your dermatologist annually. Just don’t be burned when you come! To best analyze your skin, doctors need to see your skin as close as possible to its natural tone. This will allow her to get a better look at any abnormalities.
• Spray your feet, in addition your ears, nose, back, shoulders, and knees. People get accidentally burned in these places most often because this is where the sun is hitting them when they go outside for lunch. Keep a spray sunblock at your desk and apply it to these spots 30 minutes before escaping your cubicle for lunch.
• Keep sunblock in the car. The biggest hurdle to applying sunblock regularly is overcoming behavioral barriers. Keep face and body block in your car so it's handy whenever you feel the need for application. Over time you’ll just get accustomed to reapplying frequently.
• Don’t rationalize tanning with a need for vitamin D. Vitamin D deficiencies have been a hot topic in the dermatology world. Some people think that if they’re deficient, they have license to sit in the sun, but one person dies from melanoma every 62 minutes. You should be able to get the daily vitamin D intake you need from oral supplements and eating well.

Easy, everyday sun care tips and making just a few changes to your daily routine can make a big difference down the road for your looks and health. But no one is immune to skin cancer, so no matter how careful you are, if you notice a mole or mark that looks suspicious, see your doctor immediately.

To help prevent skin cancer:

• Protect your skin. This includes staying out of the sun during the midday hours and using sunscreen. Skin Cancer: Protecting Your Skin
• Examine your skin regularly, and have your doctor check your skin during all other health exams or at least once a year.

For more information, see:

• Skin Cancer Prevention, Melanoma — Patient Information [NCI PDQ]
• Skin Cancer Prevention, Melanoma — Health Professional Information [NCI PDQ]