Myth Vs. Fact About Skin Cancer, Tanning Beds & More...

  • Skin cancer is the most common form of cancer in the United States.
  • More than 3.5 million skin cancers in over two million people are diagnosed annually.
  • Over the past three decades, more people have had skin cancer than all other cancers combined.
  • 1 in 5 Americans will develop skin cancer in the course of a lifetime.
  • From 1970 to 2009, the incidence of melanoma increased by 800% among women and 400% among men.
  • 1 person dies of melanoma every 57 minutes
  • Melanoma accounts for less than five percent of skin cancer cases, but the vast majority of skin cancer deaths.
  • 1 in 50 men and women will be diagnosed with melanoma of the skin during their lifetime.
  • 86% of melanomas can be attributed to exposure to ultraviolet radiation from the sun.
  • Melanoma is the most common form of cancer for young adults 25-29 years old and the second most common form of cancer for young people 15-29 years old.
  • Your risk for melanoma DOUBLES if you have had more than five sunburns at any age.​ 
  • Ten minutes in a sunbed matches the cancer-causing effects of 10 minutes in the Mediterranean summer sun.

SKINCANCER.org

Tanning Beds

  • Ultraviolet (UV) radiation is a proven human carcinogen.17
  • More than 419,000 cases of skin cancer in the U.S. each year are linked to indoor tanning, including about 245,000 basal cell carcinomas, 168,000 squamous cell carcinomas, and 6,200 melanomas.22
  • People who first use a tanning bed before age 35 increase their risk for melanoma by 75 percent.25

Men & Women

  • From ages 15-39, men are 55 percent more likely to die of melanoma than women in the same age group.29
  • An estimated 52,170 new cases of invasive melanoma in men and 34,940 in women will be diagnosed in the U.S. in 2017.2
  • An estimated 6,380 men and 3,350 women in the U.S. will die from melanoma in 2017.2

Skin Aging

  • An estimated 90 percent of skin aging is caused by the sun.26
  • People who use sunscreen with an SPF of 15 or higher daily show 24 percent less skin aging than those who do not use sunscreen daily.27
  • Sun damage is cumulative. Only about 23 percent of lifetime exposure occurs by age 18.28

References

The Skin Cancer Foundation, SkinCancer.org, (212) 725-5176
Last Updated: February 2, 2017

HOST A FUNDRAISING EVENT

See Some Examples