Protect yourself from skin cancer by wearing protective clothing, including hats and sunglasses, wearing sunscreen rated SPF 30 or higher, and avoiding unnecessary sun exposure. Unusual moles, exposure to sunlight, and family history can affect your personal risk factors for developing melanoma.

Discovering and treating skin cancer before it has a chance to grow and spread is the best way to make sure it's cured. Dermatologists recommend that everyone perform a skin self-exam once a month, and have a full-body skin exam by a health-care provider once a year. Melanoma can run in families so if you have a personal or family history of melanoma, or if you have a history of atypical moles, your screening schedule may be different. Please check Huntsman Cancer Institute Melanoma Program's melanoma screening recommendations.

Related Information

Mole Mapping Brochure

What is Mole Mapping?