More and more people are hearing similar messages from their doctors. Viewed as an undeclared epidemic by dermatologists, skin cancer is the most prevalent of all cancers, and it's increasingly common. About a million Americans will develop skin cancer this year. And there's no evidence that the epidemic has peaked. But there is a bright side.
Skin cancer is quite curable when treated early.
More than 90 percent of skin cancers are completely cured. Even better, it's largely preventable, simply by avoiding sun and sunlamp exposure. As more consumers become sun smart, they're finding new ways to protect themselves. For example, FDA has cleared for marketing one manufacturer's clothing for sun protection. Experts agree that sunlight, particularly the UV wavelengths, damages the skin.