Limit Sun Exposure

Skin cancer, including melanoma, is the most commonly occurring form of cancer, outranking all other cancers combined. Fortunately, there are protective measures you can take against the sun. In fact, about 90 percent of the more than 1 million new skin cancer cases diagnosed each year could be prevented.

"Melanoma is 100 percent curable in its earliest stage, but, after that, it goes down dramatically from there," says Dr. Barney Kenet, a dermatological surgeon at New York Presbyterian Hospital/Cornell Medical Center in New York City. "Many melanoma sufferers work indoors but have intense, short spurts of exposure to the sun, typically on weekends or vacations. This type of sun exposure during the first 15 years of life, especially when it results in a sunburn, increases the risk."

Follow these steps to help reduce your risk of skin cancer:

• When out in the sun, wear a long-sleeve shirt, pants, sunglasses, and a hat. Dark colors offer more protection than light colors.
• Avoid the sun between 10 a.m. and 4 p.m., when the sun's ultraviolet rays are most damaging. Keep in mind that sand, water, snow, and even porch decks reflect up to 85 percent of the sun's damaging rays.
• Wear broad-spectrum sunscreen with a Sun Protection Factor (SPF) of at least 15. Apply it liberally, and don't forget to reapply throughout the day.