Skin Cancer Risk Factors & Prevention

Any person can get skin cancer, regardless of sex or race. However, certain groups get it more often than others.

Risk Factors for Skin Cancer

• Men are two times more likely than women to develop basal cell carcinoma, and three times more likely to develop squamous cell carcinoma.
• Non-Hispanic white people are 30 times more likely of a skin cancer diagnosis than non-Hispanic Black people or those with Asian/Pacific Islander descent.
• The most common cancer among people under 30 years old is melanoma.

Your risk of developing skin cancer is increased if you:

• Spend a considerable amount of time working or playing in the sun.
• Get easily sunburned or have a history of sunburns.
• Live in a sunny or high-altitude climate.
• Tan or use tanning beds.
• Have light-colored eyes, blond or red hair and fair or freckled skin.
• Have many moles or irregularly shaped moles.
• Have actinic keratosis.
• Have a weakened immune system.
• Have skin inflammation lasting long periods of time.
• Have received radiation treatments.
• Take medications that suppress or weaken your immune system.
• Have been exposed to UV light therapy for treating skin conditions such as eczema or psoriasis.

Skin Cancer Prevention

There are many ways to lower your risk for skin cancer. In many cases, skin cancer can be prevented.

How can I lower my risk?

• Broad-spectrum sunscreen with a skin protection factor (SPF) of 30 or higher. Broad spectrum sunscreen protects against both UV-B and UV-A rays. Apply sunscreen 30 minutes before going outside. It’s important to wear sunscreen every day, including the winter months and cloudy days. Also, remember to reapply sunscreen every 90 minutes or after swimming or sweating.
• Provide your children with sun protection.
• Wear hats with a wide brim to protect your face and ears.
• Protect your arms and legs by wearing pants and long-sleeved shirts.
• Consider wearing clothing with added UV protection (UPF). You can buy clothing that is made with added UV protection. There are products that can be added to your laundry that add extra UV protection to your regular clothes.
• Wear sunglasses to protect your eyes. Polarized or glasses with UV-A and UV-B protection are a great option.
• Protect your lips using balms containing sunscreen.
• Avoid peak hours of sunlight, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.
• Avoid excessive tanning or tanning bed usage.
• If you’re taking any medications, speak with your physician or a pharmacist to check if any of your medications make you prone to sensitivity with the sun. Medications can make individuals sensitive to the sun such as fluoroquinolone antibiotics, statin cholesterol-lowering drugs, antifungal agent griseofulvin, and more.
• Self-examinations. Check your skin regularly for any changes in size, shape or color of any growths or developments of new skin spots. Feel free to schedule a skin cancer screening with a dermatologist at our cancer center.