Even those who tan easily need to use protection against the sun. The three main types of skin cancer are malignant melanoma, basal cell carcinoma and squamous cell carcinoma. The least common, but the deadliest, is malignant melanoma. Regardless of skin color, all people are vulnerable to skin cancer, although among African-Americans the incidence is very low. For African-Americans, squamous cell carcinoma, which can be fatal, is the most common.
Skin cancer is on the rise for several reasons.
One is the feeling that a tan represents sex appeal, health, affluence and positive self-esteem. Another reason is the increasing loss of the Earth's ozone layer that blocks the sun's damaging rays. Here are some tips for avoiding skin cancer. Examine your skin regularly so you will recognize new lumps and changes to moles. Stay out of the sun during the hottest part of the day.