Melanoma Prevention

The main cause of melanoma is too much exposure to ultraviolet (UV) rays.

The best way to prevent melanoma is to reduce the amount of time you spend in the sun—especially at certain times of the day—and to make sure that you are well protected when you are in the sun.

You can also do a skin self-exam every 6 to 8 weeks. This helps ensure that you find suspicious moles early and have them checked promptly by your doctor.

Childhood is an especially important time for sun protection.

Glossary

Melanoma: A highly malignant type of skin cancer that arises in melanocytes, the cells that produce pigment. Melanoma usually begins in a mole.
UV Rays: Invisible rays from the sun. UV radiation can burn the skin and cause melanoma and other types of skin cancer. UV radiation that reaches the earth's surface is made up of two types of rays: UVA and UVB. UVA rays pass deeper into the skin and UVB rays are more likely to cause sunburn. Both kinds of radiation are believed to cause skin cancer and cause premature aging of the skin. People should use sunscreens that block or absorb both kinds of UV radiation.