There are many types of skin cancer. Some are very harmful, and some are not very harmful at all if treated right away. Usually skin cancer starts as a growth, or lesion. Most of the time these growths develop from moles. A mole is made of clumps of melanocytes, the cells that produce the brownish pigment melanin. Moles are usually smaller than the tip of a pencil eraser and are circular in shape. They are tan to dark brown and uniformly colored. Most moles show up before their host is twenty years old. If one notices irregularity in a mole that he or she has, they should get it checked out. The American Academy of Dermatology has developed a checklist for a person to check their moles with if they think that their mole might be cancerous. "A" stands for

Today, more and more people can afford to take holiday beach trips because the trips are cheaper than before. Most of the time these trips are taken during the winter, which means skin is more susceptible of a burn because the production of melanin in the skin is slowed in the winter.

Basal-cell cancers are the most common skin cancers, accounting for about 70 percent of total cases (Lamberg 65). They are the most easily treated. Basal-cell cancer affects the skin's fifth layer of skin, the basal layer. Basal-cell cancers occur mostly where the sun strikes the hardest. They start as a small bump and later may grow wider and more elevated, often with a depression in the middle. Their surface is shiny and pearly with tiny blood vessels. They seldom spread or grow, and they may develop into a crust or sore that does not heal.

A rare type of skin cancer, called Karposi's sarcoma, is one of the primary indications of AIDS (acquired immune deficiency syndrome). If one develops Karposi's sarcoma, he or she may develop bluish red or brown swollen areas that resemble bruises or moles. These growths often continue to develop into thickened bumps and even large tumors. Karposi's sarcoma is only rarely the cause of death in AIDS patients; usually they succumb to other infections.

In 90 percent of skin cancers, sunlight is regarded as the main factor (Lamberg 62). Most of the time, skin cancers develop on areas not covered by clothing, such as the face, ears, neck, and the backs of hands.

The depletion of the ozone layer is another reason that skin cancer is on the rise. The ozone layer is fifteen miles above the earth's surface. It absorbs UV rays from the sun, which is why skin cancer is on the rise. The ozone layer is disappearing at a rate of 5 percent a decade. One of the reasons is because of the commonly used industrial chemicals called chlorofluorocarbons and the emissions from the burning of auto fuel. The ozone hole is centered over Antarctica, but in recent years the fringes of it have brushed South America. In the winter, the U.S. is looking at an ozone layer that is ten to fifteen percent thinner than it was two decades ago. A 10 percent drop in ozone is said to case a 13-20 percent rise in total UVB (Roach).

Some people have a better chance to get skin cancer than others do. A lot of this depends on your skin type. A person who has skin that always burns easily and tans little or not at all has a better chance of getting skin cancer than a person who rarely burns and tans easily. Madhu A. Pathak and Dan L. Fanselow devised a skin-type classification scale on how different skin types react to 45-60 minutes exposure to an early June at sea level. Skin Type 1 always burns easily and severely, and tans little or none and peels. Skin Type 2 usually burns easily and severely, and tans minimally or lightly. Skin Type 3 burns moderately and tans moderately. Skin Type 4 burns minimally and tans easily and above average. Skin Type 5 rarely burns and tans easily and substantially. Skin Type 6 never burns and tans deeply. People with fair skin and blue or brown eyes have the tendency to burn more severely than people with brown skin and dark brown hair and eyes. (Lamberg 74) In 1930 a person's risk for developing malignant melanoma was 1 in 1,500. In 1988 a person's risk was 1 in 128, and in 2000 the risk was 1 in 90 (Lamberg 66). According to the American Academy of Dermatology, there are more than 1.3 million new cases of skin cancer in the U.S. They estimate that protecting the skin from the sun's rays could prevent 80 percent of these cases (Abramovitz). Mor

Some common words found in the essay are:
Academy Dermatology, UVA UVB, SPF SPF, UVB Roach, Skin Type, UVC UVA, Society Lamberg, Quick Tan, Australia Preventing, skin cancer, South America, ozone layer, skin type, skin cancers, uvb rays, uva rays, sunless tanning, skin cancer rise, uv rays, cancer rise, risk 1, getting skin cancer, types skin cancer, ears neck hands, rays infrared rays,
Approximate Word count = 2446
Approximate Pages = 10 (250 words per page double spaced)