What is melanoma skin cancer

This indicates that other factors may contribute to your risk of melanoma. Avoid the sun during the middle of the day. For many people in North America, the sun's rays are strongest between about 10 a. Schedule outdoor activities for other times of the day, even in winter or when the sky is cloudy. You absorb UV radiation year-round, and clouds offer little protection from damaging rays.

Avoiding the sun at its strongest helps you avoid the sunburns and suntans that cause skin damage and increase your risk of developing skin cancer.

Sun exposure accumulated over time also may cause skin cancer. Wear protective clothing. Cover your skin with dark, tightly woven clothing that covers your arms and legs, and a broad-brimmed hat, which provides more protection than does a baseball cap or visor. Some companies also sell protective clothing. A dermatologist can recommend an appropriate brand. Don't forget sunglasses. Become familiar with your skin so that you'll notice changes. Examine your skin often for new skin growths or changes in existing moles, freckles, bumps and birthmarks.

With the help of mirrors, check your face, neck, ears and scalp. Examine your chest and trunk and the tops and undersides of your arms and hands. Examine both the front and back of your legs and your feet, including the soles and the spaces between your toes. Also check your genital area and between your buttocks. Melanoma care at Mayo Clinic. Mayo Clinic does not endorse companies or products.

Advertising revenue supports our not-for-profit mission. This content does not have an English version. This content does not have an Arabic version. Overview Melanoma Open pop-up dialog box Close. Melanoma Melanoma is a form of skin cancer that begins in the cells melanocytes that control the pigment in your skin. Moles Open pop-up dialog box Close. Moles Moles are usually harmless. Melanoma Open pop-up dialog box Close. Melanoma The first sign of melanoma is often a mole that changes size, shape or color.

Request an Appointment at Mayo Clinic. Your risk of developing melanoma depends on many things including lifestyle factors and some medical conditions. You usually start by seeing your GP and they might refer you to a specialist and organise tests. Find out more about tests and screening for melanoma. The stage of a melanoma tells you how deeply it has grown into the skin, and how far it has spread.

Your treatment depends on where your melanoma is, how deep it is, whether it has spread anywhere else in your body and your general health.

Find out about the different treatments for melanoma. Getting practical and emotional support can help you cope with a diagnosis of cancer, life during treatment and life after cancer. Advanced melanoma means your melanoma has spread from where it started to another part of the body.

Find out where melanoma can spread to and about how treatment can control symptoms. Research is looking into the causes and diagnosis of melanoma, and whether new treatments are safe and better than those currently available. Read our information about coronavirus and cancer. About Cancer generously supported by Dangoor Education since After Treatment Find information about living well after melanoma skin cancer treatment and guidance on making decisions about next steps.

Easy Reading If You Have Melanoma Skin Cancer This short and simple guide will help you learn about melanoma skin cancer from what it is to how it is treated.

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