What increases the risk of nonmelanoma skin cancer?

A personal history of skin cancer is a strong predictor of future non melanoma skin cancers. Patients whose immune system is suppressed due to other diseases or medications are also at significantly increased risk for these types of skin cancer. Lastly, patients who receive radiation have a small increased risk of developing basal cell carcinomas (BCC), but not squamous cell carcinoma (SCC), according to a large study published by the Skin Cancer Prevention Study Group.

Risk factors (things that increase your risk) for nonmelanoma skin cancer include:

Sunlight, sun lamps or tanning beds. These expose you to ultraviolet (UV) radiation.

• UV radiation affects people of all skin types, but especially those with light skin color, freckles, blond or red hair and blue or light-colored eyes.
• Living where you get high levels of UV radiation. People living closer to the equator get more UV radiation. And people who live at higher altitudes, such as in the mountains, get more UV radiation.

A family history of skin cancer or a personal history of skin cancer. Or other things that affect your skin, such as: 

• Inherited genetic disorders, such as xeroderma pigmentosum.
• A history of severe sunburns, especially during childhood.
• Scars from severe burns or inflammatory skin conditions.

Being older than 40. 
Being male. Men develop skin cancer more often than women. 
Smoking. 
Repeated exposure to X-rays, certain chemicals (such as arsenic, coal tar, creosote), and radioactive substances (such as radium). 
Being infected with a certain type of human papillomavirus (HPV).

Basal cell and squamous cell carcinomas can occur in people with dark skin. But these cancers are much more common in people with light skin.

The risk of squamous cell carcinoma is higher in people who have weakened immune systems. This includes people who have had organ transplants and take medicines to prevent rejection of the new organ.