Skin cancer is the most common and most preventable of cancers. Exposure to the sun's ultraviolet radiation causes most skin cancer.

Recent research on the benefits of vitamin D (made by the skin from sunlight) indicates that just a brief exposure of your face, arms and hands to the sun is sufficient — about 15 minutes a day, three days per week.

AT RISK
 
 
People who have excessive exposure to ultraviolet (UV) light, usually from the sun (but also from tanning lamps and booths)
People who smoke
People who have blond, red or light brown hair, and blue, gray or green eyes
People with fair skin or freckles, or whose skin burns easily
People with a personal or family history of skin cancer
People with weakened immune systems
People who have had organ transplants and who take immuno-suppressive drugs.
People who are exposed to radiation
People who have several moles on their bodies, especially since birth, or who have unusual moles
People who have one or more large pigmented spots
People whose drinking water contains arsenic
Men are more likely than women to get non-melanoma skin cancer.

RISK REDUCTION AND EARLY DETECTION
 
Avoid sun exposure during between 10 am and 4 pm.
 
Always wear sunscreen with UVB and UVA exposure protective chemicals and with SPF 15 or higher, even on cloudy days.
 
Apply at least one ounce — about a shot glass full — of sunscreen at least 20 minutes before going out in the sun, and reapply frequently — at least every two hours if in continuous sunlight
 
Wear sunglasses treated to absorb ultraviolet (UV) radiation, use a lip balm with an SPF of at least 15, and wear tight-weave clothing with long sleeves and a wide-brimmed hat.
Have a routine whole-body skin check by a health care professional once a year.

Check your skin once a month for:
 
A sore that doesn’t heal
A growth you haven’t noticed before
Change in the border of a spot: spread of color, redness or swelling into surrounding skin
Itchiness, tenderness or pain from a mole
Change in sensation (painful, tender)
A brown or black colored spot with uneven margins or a new mole
A small, smooth, shiny, pale or waxy lump that may bleed
Large areas with oozing or crust
A flat red spot or a lump that is scaly or crusty
When looking at moles, remember the ABCDE rule: Asymmetry, Border irregularity, Color that is not uniform, Diameter greater than 6 mm (about the size of a pencil eraser), Evolving size, shape or color.

If you discover a suspicious growth, see your health care professional. Because risk increases with age, annual clinical examinations are more important after age 50.

TREATMENT

If found at an early stage, most skin cancer can be treated successfully. Treatment options depend on the type of skin cancer and the stage.

Common treatments for skin cancer:
 
Surgery
Various chemotherapies
Radiation therapy

Other possible treatments:
 
Immunotherapy (for melanoma skin cancer)
Photodynamic therapy (for non-melanoma skin cancer)