According to the American Cancer Society, over one million people in the United States alone will be diagnosed with skin cancer this year – and most of those cases will be sun-related. Melanoma, the deadliest form of skin cancer, is responsible for more than eight thousand deaths per year.

The good news is that skin cancer is almost totally preventable, and 95% of all skin cancers are treatable if found early. By checking your skin regularly and guarding it from the sun, you’ll not only prevent serious health problems – your skin will look younger and healthier, too!


Ways to protect yourself from skin cancer:

1. Use these tips to protect your skin from sun damage (see Garden Safety in the Sun)
2. Check out our selection of sun-safety products
3. Spend 15 minutes each month carefully checking your skin:
• Perform your self-exam in a well-lit room
• Stand in front a large mirror without clothing so you can see your whole skin at once
• Pay close attention to your face, neck, shoulders, arms, legs, back and the backs of your hands
• Enlist the aid of someone else to help check hard-to-see areas like your back
• Look for spots that look different from other spots around them, new or unusual-looking moles, freckles or sores, flat spots or moles, freckles and spots that have changed in color, shape or size
• If you notice anything new or unusual on your skin, see your doctor