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How Can I Prevent It?

If you are at risk for skin cancer, take the following precautions whenever possible:

• Avoid intense sun exposure by staying out of it from late morning through early afternoon.
• Outside, wear a hat, long sleeves, trousers, and sunglasses that block UV radiation.
• Use a sunscreen with a sun protection factor of 15 or higher whenever you are outside.
• Consider taking a B-complex vitamin; B vitamins contain a compound called PABA, the active ingredient in many sunscreens.

Report suspicious skin lesions to a doctor at once, especially if you have abnormal-looking moles or a family history of melanoma.