Who is at risk for skin cancer?
Virtually anyone is at risk, but these particularly individuals are most susceptible:

• Those with fair skin and red or blond hair
• Those with light-colored eyes (blue, green)
• Those with a history of sunburning easily
• Those who have many moles, freckles or birthmarks
• Those who work or play outside a great deal
• Those who were in the sun a great deal as a child
• Those who have had a serious sunburn in the past
• Those with family members who have skin cancer
• Those using a sunlamp or tanning both for tanning, as these still release UV rays. Makers of the booths claim that they use "harmless" UVA rays, but both UVA and UVB rays cause skin damage. UVA rays take longer than UVB rays to damage the skin, but they go deeper into the skin than UVB rays.
  

Where is skin cancer most likely to appear?
Obviously, those parts of the body repeatedly exposed to sun, such as the head, neck, face, ears, hands, forearms, shoulders, back, chest and lower legs.

What are the signs I should look for?
We follow the ABCDE rule for skin cancer:

• Asymmetry: if a mole or raised spot doesn’t look the same if it were divided in half
• Border: if the edges are blurry or jagged
• Color: any changes in color of a mole or raised area
• Diameter: If the mole or raised area if larger than ¼” in diameter
• Elevation: If the mole is raised above the skin and has an uneven surface

The most important tip we can share is to watch for any changes in a mole that you already have, or the appearance of a new one. Most moles have already appeared by age 30. If you notice a new mole or raised spot after the age of 30, we suggest that you watch this carefully and bring it to our attention.

Here are some photos of skin cancers:

	Basal cell cancer in the skin
	Many, but not all, skin cancers appear as raised bumps
	Not all skin cancers are red!
	Some skin cancers bleed, or develop a scab or crust