Skin cancer is the abnormal growth of the cells in the skin. This type of cancer can be found anywhere on the skin’s surface, but most commonly occurs on areas such as the palms of the hands, soles of feet, and in the nail beds. The cause is most often found to be exposure to the sun, specifically from UV exposure from sunbathing or tanning beds. However, skin cancer can also affect areas that are not exposed to sunlight. There are three major types of skin cancer:

1. Squamous cell carcinoma
This type of skin cancer occurs in regions exposed to the sun such as the ears, face, and hands. People who have darker skin are more susceptible to squamous cell carcinoma in areas that are not exposed to the sun.

2. Basal cell carcinoma
This type of skin cancer usually occurs in regions that are exposed to the sun such as the face or neck. Cancer may appear as a waxy or pearly bump and leave brown scars.

3. Skin cancer (non-melanoma)
This type of cancer refers to all types of skin cancer that are not included under melanoma. It is the most dangerous and serious type of skin cancer.

4. Facts about the different types of skin cancer that one should be aware of:

• Over 90% of the cases of skin cancer are due to exposure to sunlight.
• Non-melanoma skin cancer is caused due to unprotected exposure to UV rays. It can be due to sunlight or even from tanning booths.
• According to statistics, 2,800 people die of non-melanoma and 8,000 people die of melanoma in the country every year. This can be prevented by taking precautions against exposure to UV rays.
• Those affected by skin cancer account for over 50% of all cancers combined. It is the most common type of cancer diagnosed in women and men.
• The most deadly type of cancer for Latinos, Asians, and African Americans is skin cancer. Although the risk factor is low, it is the most deadly type of cancer for these groups.
• On average, if a person has had more than 5 sunburns, it doubles the chances of him/her developing skin cancer. If a person experiences a blistering sunburn in childhood, it doubles the chances of developing skin cancer later in life.
• It was found that men are diagnosed with skin cancer more often than women. Based on studies, men are more likely to develop skin cancer than women. It was found to be more common than colon cancer, lung cancer, and prostate cancer in men over the age of 50. This is the most common type of cancer in men over the age of 50.
• Ultraviolet radiation is proven to be a carcinogen. Indoor tanning beds that use UV rays for tanning purposes have caused over 419,000 cases of skin cancer in the country. It was even found that more than 90% of people who have skin cancer have used tanning beds. Tanning beds are banned in most countries.