Preventing Melanoma: Avoiding Sun Damage Is Priority Number One Everyday Health MenuNewslettersSearch Melanoma Preventing Melanoma Reducing Sun Exposure and Damage Is Key By Pamela KaufmanMedically Reviewed by Thomas Urban Marron, MD, PhDReviewed: July 18, 2022Medically ReviewedAvoiding melanoma means avoiding sun damage. ShutterstockThere is no 100 percent effective way to prevent melanoma, the most serious form of skin cancer, but there’s a lot you can do to lower your risk. Most strategies aimed at preventing melanoma are geared toward reducing sun exposure and preventing sunburns and the damage they cause. People who are already at higher risk because of factors beyond their control — they have pale skin that burns or freckles easily, say, or a family history of melanoma — should follow these protective measures with extra care. But even those of us who might seem to be at low risk need to take precautions. For instance, people of color are at much lower risk than Caucasians of developing melanoma — but when they do get this cancer, it is more deadly. One study found that Black patients were more likely than white patients to be diagnosed with melanoma at a later stage and to have a poorer prognosis. (1) Seek Out Shade About 95 percent of melanoma cases are caused by ultraviolet (UV) exposure from the sun or indoor-tanning devices. (1) There are many ways to protect yourself outside. The best overall strategy generally involves combining a number of different methods. Finding shade, especially between the peak UV hours of 10 a.m. and 4 p.m., can go a long way but that’s not far enough. You may still get a significant amount of UV exposure even if you’re sitting in a sheltered spot under a tree. UVB rays (considered the most harmful) can reach the skin indirectly by bouncing off UV-reflective surfaces like concrete. Umbrellas also block fewer UV rays than you might think. The amount of UV underneath a beach umbrella, for instance, might be up to 84 percent of that in sunlight because of rays reflected from the sand or water. (2) Cover Up More skin cancers develop on the head than on other parts of the body. Faces (especially noses) are trouble spots; for men, ears are a melanoma danger zone, presumably because their ears are less likely to be covered by long hair. Melanoma of the head or neck is twice as deadly as melanoma on other parts of the body. Wearing a hat is key. One with a broad rim all around that points downward will block UV rays best. The rim needs to be at least 3 inches wide to shade the nose and cheeks. Sunglasses are also critical, as UV rays can cause conditions ranging from cataracts to, rarely, ocular (eye) melanoma. Look for styles that cover the eyelids and as much of the surrounding skin as possible and that have a tag confirming the glasses block 90 to 100 percent of all UV radiation. When it comes to clothing, the more covered up you are, the better. Tightly woven, loose-fitting, and dark or bright fabrics are especially good — red or black clothes are better than pastels or white, because darker colors absorb more UV rays. Synthetic or semisynthetic materials, like polyester and rayon, are better than bleached cotton or crepe. (3) Slather on the Sunscreen Sunscreen is an essential part of any sun-protection strategy. It is not sufficient on its own, however: Some UV rays still get through. Even a sunscreen with a high SPF (sun protection factor) doesn’t mean you can safely stay outside in the sun longer, use less, or reapply less frequently. Look for sunscreens with broad spectrum protection, meaning they block both UVA and UVB rays. The Skin Care Foundation recommends SPF 15 and higher; the American Cancer Society advocates SPF 30 and up. The SPF number on the bottle indicates the amount of protection against UVB rays — the kind that causes sunburn. An SPF 15 sunscreen filters out 93 percent of UVB rays; an SPF 30, about 97 percent. An adult needs about 1 ounce of sunscreen (about 2 tablespoons or a palmful) to cover the arms, legs, neck, and face. Reapply every two hours or more frequently if you’ve been swimming or sweating heavily. (4) Sunscreen should be applied 30 minutes before UV exposure to allow it to fully bind to the skin. Sunscreen is safe for babies after the age of 6 months. Before then, keep infants out of direct sunlight, covering them with hats and protective clothing. (5) Don t Get Burned If you or your family find yourselves outside without any sun protection on a day with a high UV Index, don’t delay: Hightail it indoors. While this may seem extreme, blistering sunburns can significantly increase melanoma risk later in life. Researchers have found that even one blistering sunburn as a child or adolescent doubles melanoma risk later in life. Having five or more blistering sunburns between the ages of 15 and 20 increases melanoma risk by 80 percent. (6) Avoid Tanning Beds and Sun Lamps While tanning salons promote themselves as a safe way to tan, research soundly disproves this. Studies have found that even a single indoor tanning session can increase melanoma risk, and that danger increases with each use. (7) The risk goes up higher the younger you are. A recent study discovered that women 30 years old and younger who tanned indoors were six times more likely to develop melanoma. (8) Do Regular Skin Self-Exams An annual skin examination by a doctor and regular skin self-exams can help you stop early-stage melanoma from spreading. Caught early, melanoma is 99 percent curable, according to the Skin Cancer Foundation. Check yourself thoroughly from head to toe (and underneath your toenails, too) using a full-length mirror and a small hand mirror to help you see areas like the back of your neck. It’s even better to have a partner help you check hard-to-see areas of your body. Once you get the hang of it, a complete skin self-exam should take no longer than 10 minutes. (9) NEWSLETTERS Sign up for our Healthy Skin Newsletter SubscribeBy subscribing you agree to the Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. Editorial Sources and Fact-Checking Dawes SM, Tsai S, Gittleman H, et al. Racial Disparities in Melanoma Survival. Journal of the American Academy of Dermatology. November 1, 2016.Skin Cancer. American Academy of Dermatology. April 22, 2022.Healthy Skin: Made in the Shade. Skin Cancer Foundation. January 18, 2019.Sun-Protective Clothing: A Safe, Simple Way to Keep the Rays at Bay. Skin Cancer Foundation. June 2019.How Do I Protect Myself From Ultraviolet (UV) Rays? American Cancer Society. May 22, 2017.All About Sunscreen: Why You Need It. How It Works for You. Skin Cancer Foundation. May 2021.Indoor Tanning. American Academy of Dermatology. June 21, 2022.Lazovich D, Isaksson Vogel R, et al. Association Between Indoor Tanning and Melanoma in Younger Men and Women. JAMA Dermatology. March 2016.Self-Exams Save Lives. Skin Cancer Foundation.Additional Source Skin Cancer Facts and Statistics: What You Need to Know. Skin Cancer Foundation. 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