What should you know about melanoma and sun exposure?

Ultraviolet radiation from sunlight and tanning devices can damage DNA in skin cells. Repeated exposure, intense exposure, and sunburns can add to melanoma risk, although melanoma can also occur on skin that receives little sun. A tan is a sign of skin response to ultraviolet radiation, not a protective treatment. Melanoma may begin in an existing mole or appear as a new mark. No visual check can confirm the diagnosis; a clinician may examine the lesion with magnification and recommend removal for laboratory examination.

Use shade, closely woven clothing, a broad-brimmed hat, and sunglasses when outdoors. Apply broad-spectrum sunscreen to exposed skin and reapply as directed, especially after swimming or sweating. Check your skin in good light, including the scalp, back, soles, and areas covered by clothing. Photograph a suspicious mark only to help track change; do not delay an appointment while monitoring it. If melanoma is confirmed, treatment may include surgical excision, additional staging, or medicines selected for the disease extent.

Book a dermatology appointment promptly for a mark that changes in size, shape, colour, or surface, or for a spot that repeatedly bleeds, crusts, itches, or does not heal. Seek urgent medical advice for rapidly worsening bleeding, marked swelling, severe pain, or a new visual problem near the eye. A clinician can decide whether examination, biopsy, or referral is needed.

Ask which features make this mark concerning, whether it should be photographed or removed, how your past sun exposure affects follow-up, and how to examine less visible areas of your skin.