The closer you live to the equator, the more ultraviolet rays reach your skin, though scientists say a thinning ozone layer is causing increased risk everywhere. Some doctors say that even one sunburn puts you at a 50 percent greater risk than normal. So it's not surprising that about one in six Americans will have skin cancer in his or her lifetime, and around one million new cases are diagnosed each year. Not usually, but it can be. Last year, about 8,500 people died from the three most common types of skin cancer combined.
Most skin cancer is preventable, and is entirely treatable if caught early.
The three most common types are basal cell cancer, squamous cell cancer, and malignant melanoma. Basal cell and squamous cell cancer have a 95 percent cure rate if caught early. It's malignant melanoma that's particularly lethal if not caught early. About 800,000 people per year are diagnosed with basal and squamous cell cancer combined, and about 38,000 are diagnosed with malignant melanoma. Basal cell cancer is the least likely to spread throughout the body.