11 Facts about Melanoma

Melanoma is a skin cancer that can spread earlier and more quickly than the other skin cancers.
Melanoma is the most common of all cancers in men and women ages 20-29.
Melanoma is the fastest growing cancer in the U.S.
In the U.S., there are as many new cases of melanoma each year as there are of AIDS.
If caught in the earliest stages, melanoma is entirely treatable, but because it spreads quickly, early detection and treatment is critical.
If untreated and allowed to spread, there is no known treatment or cure for melanoma.
Melanoma often starts out as a mole and can be removed if caught early. It can look just like a beauty mark though, so many people don’t notice until it’s too late.
Risk factors for melanoma include fair complexion, family history, severe sunburns as a child, and using a tanning bed ten times a year or more before age 30.
Tanning beds are no healthier than sitting in the sun. Actually, the UVA radiation used in tanning beds is three times the amount of harmful radiation emitted by the sun.
UVA rays from tanning beds penetrate deep into the skin; they destroy skin fibers and damage elasticity, causing premature aging, wrinkles and leathery skin.
The best ways to lower the risk of non-melanoma skin cancer are to avoid intense sunlight for long periods of time and to practice sun safety.