How to Prevent Skin Cancer

Skin cancer is the most common type of cancer diagnosed in the United States. One out of every five Americans receives a skin cancer diagnosis by the time they're 70 years old.

Some people are at a higher risk than others, but anyone can get skin cancer. The three main types of skin cancer are basal cell carcinoma, squamous cell carcinoma, and malignant melanoma.

Skin cancer is a serious condition that can cause cosmetic and functional issues and, in some instances, death. Most cases of skin cancer can be prevented by making lifestyle changes that protect the skin from natural or artificial ultraviolet (UV) light. When caught early, skin cancer is treatable and curable.

A person applying sunscreen to another person's back while sitting at a pool

Meeko Media / Getty Images

What Causes Skin Cancer?

The main causes of skin cancer are overexposure to the sun's ultraviolet (UV) rays and the use of artificial UV tanning beds and sunlamps.

Skin cancer results from changes in healthy cells that transform them into abnormal tumor cells. When unprotected skin gets exposed to UV rays, the cells within the skin’s outermost layer (epidermis) become damaged. If you’ve ever had a sunburn, your skin’s cells have incurred this type of injury.

Over time, damage to the DNA (genetic material) in skin cells accrues and can result in mutations (changes in the genes). Some mutations can cause the cells to proliferate and may result in them turning into cancer cells.

The location of the mutated skin cells determines the kind of skin cancer you have:

  • Squamous cells are found in the top layer of the epidermis. If these cells become malignant, cutaneous squamous cell carcinoma results.
  • Basal cells are located underneath squamous cells. Cancerous basal cells cause basal cell carcinoma.
  • Melanocytes are located in the lowest portion of the epidermis. Mutations in these cells result in the deadliest form of skin cancer—cutaneous malignant melanoma.

Risk Factors for Skin Cancer

Certain physical and genetic traits may increase your risk of getting skin cancer. In some instances, protecting your skin from UV rays can minimize the impact of these risk factors.

Skin cancer risk factors include:

  • History of childhood sunburns
  • Getting older
  • Light skin tone, although people with dark skin tone are at risk for acral lentiginous melanoma, a type of skin cancer that affects the soles of the feet, palms of the hands, and nail beds
  • Albinism (a group of genetic disorders in which the skin pigment melanin is not produced)
  • Previous diagnosis of skin cancer
  • Family history of skin cancer
  • History of radiation exposure
  • Having a weakened immune system
  • Certain genetic conditions, including xeroderma pigmentosum and Gorlin syndrome
  • HIV diagnosis
  • Exposure to certain chemicals, including coal tar and arsenic

What Are the Different Types of Skin Cancer?

The most common types of skin cancer are basal cell carcinoma, squamous cell carcinoma, and melanoma.

Basal Cell Carcinoma

Basal cell carcinoma (BCC) is the most common type of skin cancer. It most often affects light-skinned people, but people with any color of skin can get basal cell carcinoma.

BCC usually occurs after many years of overexposure to the sun. It can also result from frequent, long-term indoor tanning.

This type of cancer often appears in areas of the skin where UV exposure occurs. However, you can get a BCC anywhere on your face, head, or body.

Basal cell carcinoma is curable when caught early and is not considered fatal. However, untreated BCCs can spread into the nerves and bones, causing damage and cosmetic and functional problems.

Squamous Cell Carcinoma

Like BCCs, squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) typically affects light-skinned people. It is the second most common type of skin cancer. SCCs are treatable and often curable when caught early.

SCC sometimes develops from precancerous skin growths called actinic keratosis (AK), which are typically caused by UV exposure.

If you've had a lot of sun exposure or a great deal of indoor tanning, you may be at a heightened risk for AKs and SCCs of the skin. When squamous cell carcinoma affects the skin, it is sometimes called cutaneous squamous cell carcinoma.

In addition to the skin, squamous cells are located in the linings of hollow organs, like the lungs and cervix. Cancer can occur in squamous cells in these locations. These types of SCCs are not skin cancer. UV rays do not cause them.

Melanoma

Of the three types of skin cancer, cutaneous melanoma is the least common, and the most concerning. When melanoma isn't treated early, it can spread (metastasize) to other organs rapidly.

In addition to UV exposure, risk factors for melanoma include:

  • Having many moles on your face or body
  • Family history of melanoma
  • Having a weakened immune system
  • Having light-colored skin, light-colored eyes, and red or blonde hair

When caught early, melanoma is treatable and curable. Melanoma that isn't diagnosed until it has spread can sometimes be fatal.

What Can You Do to Reduce Your Risk for Skin Cancer?

Not all skin cancers can be prevented. However, 90% are caused by sun exposure. Protecting your skin from the sun is the best way to avoid skin cancer.

To enjoy the sun while protecting your skin, try these sun safety strategies and skin cancer prevention tips:

Wear Sunscreen

UV rays can penetrate clouds, fog, and rain and reflect off sand, ice, and snow. No matter the season, wear a broad-spectrum sunscreen with a sun protection factor (SPF) of 30 or higher outdoors.

Keep in mind that the higher the elevation, the stronger the sun's rays. Skiers and mountain climbers can get sunburned quickly without proper skin protection.

Sunscreen wears off and washes off, even if it's water-resistant. When outdoors, it should be reapplied liberally every two hours. If you're swimming or sweating, reapply as soon as you dry off.

It's easy to miss sections of skin when you're applying sunscreen. The tops of your ears, tops of your feet, and underarms are all good examples of skin that sometimes gets forgotten. To avoid this, try slathering on sunscreen before getting dressed.

Don't forget your lips. Lip balms with a high SPF can help you avoid skin cancer in this sensitive area. Make sure to reapply often.

Wear UV-Protective Clothing

UV-protective clothing is designed to block UVA and UVB rays. Cotton clothing that has a tight weave is also a good choice for protecting skin. A hat with an all-around 3-inch brim is a good option for shielding your scalp, ears, neck, and face.

UV-protective clothing is a wise option for babies under 6 months old who are too young to wear lots of sunscreen.

Ocular melanoma is skin cancer of the eyes. You can protect against it by wearing sunglasses that offer 99% UV protection.

Practice Sun Safety

If you choose to, you can limit your time outdoors or stay in the shade when the sun's rays are at their strongest. This is usually from around 10 a.m. until 2 p.m.

Another option for practicing sun safety is to lounge under UV-protective beach umbrellas and cabanas.

Avoid Tanning Beds

Tanning beds, sunlamps, and other indoor tanning devices generate UV radiation that can burn the skin and cause skin cancer. Like the sun, tanning beds also age skin prematurely and can cause eye damage.

The UV lamps used in nail salons only pose a moderate risk. However, the Skin Cancer Foundation recommends using sunscreen on your hands before getting manicures that require drying under a UV lamp.

If you want your skin to look tanned, consider using a sunless tanning lotion rather than a tanning bed.

Get Skin Cancer Screenings

Anyone can benefit from getting regular skin checkups from a healthcare provider. Skin cancer screenings are especially important for people with risk factors for this disease.

Skin cancer screenings are not invasive. They are visual exams performed by a skin specialist, such as a nurse or dermatologist.

Your skin will be examined from head to toe. The healthcare provider will look for birthmarks, moles, and pigmented areas of skin that look suspicious. They will check your full scalp and other hard-to-view areas.

If any suspicious spots are found, your healthcare provider will recommend a biopsy. With a biopsy, a sample is taken to analyze in the lab.

Can Retin-A and Vitamin B3 Protect Your Skin?

People have questions about how Retin-A and vitamin B3 are used and whether they offer skin protection. They are not substitutes for protecting your skin from the sun or UV exposure.

Retin-A

Retin-A (tretinoin) is a form of vitamin A. Its primary purpose is to reduce dark spots and wrinkles. It can also treat acne.

Retin-A's active ingredient is tretinoin, a retinoid. Tretinoin is an effective treatment for fading actinic keratosis.

Retin-A increases the skin's sensitivity to UV rays. Always apply sunscreen with this product.

Vitamin B3 (Nicotinamide)

Nicotinamide is also referred to as niacinamide. It is a water-soluble form of vitamin B3 that is similar to niacin. When taken orally, nicotinamide can reduce instances of nonmelanoma skin cancers by 23%.

The recommended dose is 500 milligrams taken twice a day.

Taking vitamin B3 is not a form of sun protection. If you are concerned about skin cancer and photoaging of the skin, you should still use sunscreen and other protective measures.

When to Contact a Healthcare Provider

Skin cancer is highly treatable and curable when caught early. If you notice any suspicious areas of skin, see a healthcare provider, like a dermatologist, right away. This includes changes to moles and birthmarks, as well as new or unusual spots.

How to Spot Skin Cancer

The most serious complications of skin cancer can be mitigated through early detection. Knowing and noticing the signs can help you seek diagnosis and treatment early. The appearance of skin cancer lesions varies based on the type you have:

  • Basal cell carcinomas may look like bumps or pearls that are the same color as your skin or may be differently colored. They may also be flat or depressed in the center.
  • Squamous cell carcinomas can look like scaly patches or firm bumps. Red or pink are the most common colors, but they may be violet, purple, gray, brown, or black. They can also take the form of sores that continually heal and reopen.
  • Melanomas can start as dark spots on the skin or as changes in an existing mole.

You can use the ABCDE guide to warning signs to spot melanoma, which is as follows:

  • A (Asymmetry): One half of the spot looks different from the other half.
  • B (Border): The spot has a poorly defined, uneven border that may take on a scalloped shape.
  • C (Color): The colors within the spot vary from one area to another.
  • D (Diameter): Larger than 6 millimeters (about the size of a pencil eraser).
  • E (Evolving): New signs and symptoms, or changes in shape, size, or color.

Summary

Around 90% of all skin cancers are the result of sun exposure. You can prevent these instances of skin cancer by protecting your skin from the sun's UV rays.

Sunscreen and other protective measures are the best way to prevent skin cancer.

19 Sources
Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read our editorial process to learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.
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  15. Harvard Health Publishing. Do retinoids really reduce wrinkles?

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  18. American Academy of Dermatology. What are the signs and symptoms of squamous cell carcinoma on the skin?

  19. American Academy of Dermatology. What to look for: ABCDEs of melanoma.

Corey Whelan

By Corey Whelan
Whelan is a health and wellness writer and patient advocate specializing in cancer and infertility content.