skin cancer

red head woman at the beach applying sunscreen to her face

10 Things You Must Know to Enjoy the Sun Safely

You don't have to avoid the sun entirely, but you must learn how to use sunscreen correctly and follow safe sun practices to avoid skin cancer and prematurely aged skin

What Is Melanoma? A Reel by Dr. Obioha

What Is Melanoma? A Reel by Dr. Obioha

HealthyWomen partnered with dermatologist Onyeka Obioha, M.D., to teach you how to best protect your skin from harmful UV exposure. Watch our reel.

true or false: sun safety

True or False? Sun Safety

How bright are you when it comes to sun protection? Take our quiz to find out.

photo Jocelyn Apodaca Schlossberg

I Grew Up Thinking I Was Immune to Skin Cancer Based on My Ethnicity. I Was Wrong.

As a young melanoma survivor of color, I advocate for awareness and sun protection for everyone

photo Jocelyn Apodaca Schlossberg

Crecí pensando que era inmune al cáncer de piel por mi etnia. Estaba equivocada.

Puesto que soy una joven sobreviviente de melanoma de color, promuevo la concientización y la protección solar para todos

woman wearing a bikini holding an umbrella with possible spots of melanoma on her skin

The ABCDEs of Spotting Melanoma

A few simple tricks can help you check for this deadly skin cancer

woman wearing a bikini holding an umbrella with possible spots of melanoma on her skin

El ABCDE para identificar melanomas

Unos trucos sencillos pueden ser útiles para detectar este tipo mortal de cáncer de la piel

Sadness of a woman in the dark

My Melanoma Was Dismissed as an Inflamed Hair Follicle

As a young woman of color, I was seemingly the last person who would be struck by the potentially lethal skin cancer

Close-up of a big mole on a young woman's neck magnified with a magnifying glass

Melanoma 101

Rates of melanoma — the deadliest form of skin cancer — have been on the rise for women. Learn the signs of this serious skin cancer.

Close-up of a big mole on a young woman's neck magnified with a magnifying glass

Melanoma 101

Los índices de melanoma, la forma más mortal de cáncer de piel, están aumentando para las mujeres. Obtén información sobre las señales de este grave cáncer de piel.

Why Are People of Color More Likely to Die from Skin Cancer?

Why Are People of Color More Likely to Die from Skin Cancer?

Melanoma isn’t a common cancer diagnosis for people with darker skin, but those who develop it are less likely to survive

¿Por qué las personas de color tienen más probabilidades de morir de cáncer de piel?

¿Por qué las personas de color tienen más probabilidades de morir de cáncer de piel?

El melanoma no es un diagnóstico de cáncer frecuente para personas con piel más oscura, pero aquellas que lo padecen tienen menos probabilidades de sobrevivir

woman putting sunscreen on the beach

It’s a Myth That Sunscreen Prevents Melanoma in People of Color – a Dermatologist Explains

In Black people, melanoma usually develops in parts of the body that are not exposed to the sun — and sunscreen will do nothing to reduce the risk

Wear Sunscreen sign

Fast Facts: What You Need to Know About Skin Cancer

Skin cancer affects 3 million people a year. Here's how to do your best to avoid being one of them.

Don't Ignore Changes in Skin Color

Don't Ignore Changes in Skin Color

A change in skin color typically means something's wrong in the body. Here are a list of changes to watch for.

Yes, Fingernail Cancer Is a Thing—Just Ask This Beauty Queen

Yes, Fingernail Cancer Is a Thing—Just Ask This Beauty Queen

Her diagnosis led to three surgeries and the eventual loss of the nail, but luckily, not the thumb itself.

New Therapy May Help When Melanoma Spreads to Brain

New Therapy May Help When Melanoma Spreads to Brain

A type of therapy that harnesses the immune system is giving new hope to people battling a once hopeless cancer—melanoma that's spread to the brain.

How to Do a Skin Cancer Body Check

How to Do a Skin Cancer Body Check

Every year, about 5 million Americans are treated for skin cancer—an abnormal growth of skin cells that most often develops on areas exposed to the sun.

skin cancer

Can You Recognize the Signs of Skin Cancer?

Learn the early signs of skin cancer.

Unexpected Places You Can Get Skin Cancer

Unexpected Places You Can Get Skin Cancer

Most of us know we can get sunburned when we go to the beach or the lake in the summer, so we slather on the sunscreen. But we need to remember to protect all exposed skin at all times of the year, because the sun can damage the skin anytime, anywhere. And skin cancer can show up in unexpected places on the body.

The 10 Biggest Sunscreen Mistakes

The 10 Biggest Sunscreen Mistakes

If you want to drastically cut your risk of developing melanoma, the most dangerous form of skin cancer, then you have to use sunscreen, plain and simple.