What Is Melanoma and Why Are Melanoma Rates Increasing?

In the 1970s and ’80s, the smell of piña coladas wafted through the ocean breeze at every U.S. beach. In the summers before the invention of spray-canned sunscreen, my friends and I basted ourselves with tropical-fruit-scented tanning oils in a quest for the perfect tan. We felt smugly confident we were responsibly protecting our skin from the sun’s harmful rays. After all, our Hawaiian Tropic bottles boasted a sun protection factor (SPF) of 2. You don’t have to look too closely at the Polaroid pictures from this time to see that we were effectively and efficiently deep-frying ourselves in oil.

Some of us have paid for our tans (and, to be honest, a few sunburns) with sun-damaged skin. But was our youthful search for the perfect sun-kissed glow also behind the new alarming rates of skin cancer? This year, the American Cancer Society predicts the United States will reach a new, grim milestone: 2 million cancer diagnoses are expected for the first time ever. And the deadliest form of skin cancer, melanoma, is among the most quickly growing types of cancer.

Melanoma is the fifth most common cancer in the U.S., and it’s only getting more common. In fact, melanoma rates have risen by more than 320% in mostly fair-skinned countries since 1975. And in the 10 years from 2013-2023, there was a 27% increase.

So what’s behind this increase?

One study points to the rise in obesity rates as a factor. Obesity is a known risk factor for melanoma because it causes changes in the body, like ongoing inflammation and increased insulin levels, that can lead to cancer. And obesity rates have nearly tripled in women and quadrupled in men since 1975.

More research is needed but some evidence points to environmental factors playing a role as well. Climate change is suspected to be a factor in the rising cases of melanoma, and it’s estimated that a 10% reduction in stratospheric ozone will cause 300,000 additional skin cancer cases.

Indoor tanning bed usage could be another culprit. We can breathe a sigh of relief that indoor tanning usage has decreased in recent years. But the surge in usage in the 1990’s could be accounting for some of the cases we’re seeing today.

With as much progress as we’ve made getting the word out not to tan without protection, new social media trends could be putting this progress at risk. A recent TikTok trend encourages young people to tan during the highest UV indexes, when the sun’s rays are the strongest, which is the most dangerous time to be exposed.

Protecting your skin from melanoma

Ultraviolet (UV) exposure without protection has always been the biggest risk factor for melanoma, but skin color, eye color, freckles, weakened immune systems and family history also play a role. (Around 1 in 10 people diagnosed with melanoma have a close family member with a history of the illness.)

No matter what your risk for melanoma is, you can take steps to reduce it. The most effective way to do this is by making sun protection a habit and having regular screening.

Sun Protection: Despite what my friends and I used to think, sunscreen with an SPF of 2 is not really sunscreen. The Skin Cancer Foundation recommends using a product with an SPF ranging between 30 and 50, and using broad spectrum sunscreen, meaning one that helps to block both types of the sun’s UV rays: UVA and UVB.

And sunscreen use shouldn’t be limited to the beach. Anytime it’s light out, you need protection from UV rays. Sunscreens that are reef-safe do double-duty: While protecting your skin using titanium dioxide or zinc oxide to deflect the sun’s rays, these sunscreens are also safer for coral reefs, which play a role in climate balance by absorbing harmful CO2 gases and creating oxygen.

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), which regulates sunscreen, warns that no sunscreen is truly waterproof — just water-resistant — and no sunscreen completely blocks the sun’s rays. For the best protection, reapply your sunscreen frequently.

According to the Skin Cancer Foundation, SPF clothing is another very effective way to protect yourself against sun damage and skin cancer.

Regular Screening: You can screen your own skin for early signs of melanoma. It’s important to note that melanoma can appear on any part of the body, not just the parts you can see. It can form under toenails or hair, or in the membranes of the nose or mouth. Make a habit of regularly checking for skin changes in the mirror, taking care to investigate hard-to-inspect areas. Note the size and shape of moles and skin markings. You can measure a mole with a ruler or take pictures for comparison. You can also ask your hairdresser or barber to point out suspicious growths or moles on your scalp. The American Academy of Dermatology recommends that you see a board-certified dermatologist if you notice any suspicious changes or new growths that concern you, or if you have a wound that won’t heal.

Read: The ABCDEs of Spotting Melanoma >>

At your appointment, your healthcare provider will inspect your skin over your entire body, measuring and closely examining skin features such as moles and noting any changes from previous visits.

Skin cancer on skin of color

While people of color are less likely to get melanoma, they are more likely to get diagnosed with a more advanced stage cancer and are more likely to die from the disease. These disparities clearly outline the importance of prevention, screening and access to treatment.