| We mostly blame the sun for melanoma. UV | | | | blood relatives that have had melanoma, or who |
| radiation from the sun can damage the DNA in | | | | have previously had melanoma themselves are at |
| your cells. Sometimes the damage is to the | | | | a higher risk. Frequent sun exposure, fair skin, or |
| certain genetic code that controls how and when | | | | inheriting a gene mutation (or any combination of |
| your cells grow and divide. When that happens | | | | these) can put a person in a higher risk category. |
| cells begin to grow out of control and eventually | | | | Talk to your doctor if you have a history of |
| we call it a cancer (melanoma to be precise). | | | | melanoma in your close blood relatives, to |
| Causes of Melanoma | | | | determine if you should have a skin exam to |
| Most UV radiation is from the sun, but there are | | | | determine your risk factors. |
| other common sources of UV radiation. The most | | | | Others who commonly develop melanoma are |
| common source of UV radiation (aside from the | | | | those that have fair skin and they get sunburns |
| sun) is a tanning bed. Be careful when using a | | | | or freckles easily. Also those who have naturally |
| tanning bed - don't overdo it! | | | | red or blonde hair are at an elevated risk. Those |
| Most UV exposure that leads to skin cancer | | | | who had severe sunburns as a child or young |
| occurred to people in their childhood or young | | | | adult, or any type of cancerous or pre-cancerous |
| adult years. Children and young adults usually get | | | | spot on their skin at any age are also at an |
| a lot of intense sun exposure when they are | | | | elevated risk. |
| young, but the resultant cancer may not show up | | | | No one is immune to getting melanoma. Even |
| for years or decades! | | | | people with dark complexions who don't sunburn |
| If you have family members who had (or have) | | | | easily can still develop melanoma! Anyone can get |
| melanoma, then you are in a higher risk category. | | | | it! |
| Also, if you had a bad sunburn in your childhood, | | | | Places that have intense year-round sunshine are |
| then you are in an creased risk category. | | | | more likely to have people with melanoma. Think |
| Although most skin moles never turn into a | | | | about Florida and southern California. Also, just like |
| melanoma... there are still some that do. That is | | | | with most other cancers, the older you get, the |
| why its so important to detect changes in your | | | | higher your risk for developing melanoma. |
| skin and report them to your doctor immediately. | | | | Doctors used to believe that dark complexion |
| We still don't know why some moles turn into | | | | people with brown or black skin were immune |
| cancerous melanoma. We also don't know why | | | | from getting melanoma. That is not true. Anyone |
| having lots of moles on your skin or having | | | | can develop melanoma. When dark complexion |
| atypical moles increases your risk of getting | | | | people get melanoma it is usually on their palms or |
| melanoma. | | | | soles of their feet or under their nails. |
| Who Usually Gets Melanoma? | | | | Summary |
| Anyone can get melanoma. If you have skin, you | | | | Anyone can develop melanoma. There are certain |
| have a chance of getting melanoma! But there | | | | risk factors for getting this type of skin cancer. |
| are people who have a higher risk of getting | | | | Although it is not completely preventable, early |
| melanoma than others. | | | | detection is very easy. Of course, the earlier you |
| People who have lots of moles, irregular moles or | | | | can detect a cancer, the better the survival rates. |
| large moles are at a higher risk. People with close | | | | |