Continued exposure over time can cause damaged skin to become cancerous. Three different types of skin cancer are linked to sunlight exposure.
Malignant melanoma is rarer, but also more likely to be fatal if treatment is delayed.
Most of the 10,000 Americans who die from skin cancer each year are victims of malignant melanoma. The risk of developing skin cancer increases with the amount of time over the years you spend without protection in the sun and the intensity of the sun's rays you are exposed to. Intensity is greater in the summer, from 10 am to 2 p.m., at high altitudes and in southern locations. Brick masons may have higher risk because concrete can reflect up to 50 percent of the sun's radiation. The main thing you can do to reduce your risk is reduce your exposure to the sun.