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Causes of Skin Cancer

Sunburns & Ultraviolet (UV) Light
Sun exposure and UV light are the leading cause of skin cancer. Tanning is the skin's defense response to the sun's damaging rays (UV light), but tanning does not prevent skin cancer. Most people receive 80% of their lifetime sun exposure by the age of 18. One severe sunburn can increase your risk of skin cancer by as much as 50%. Sun damage to the skin accumulates over many years of exposure, and about 90 percent of sun-induced skin cancer occurs in the areas that have the greatest exposure, namely the head, neck, and forearms.

Heredity / Genetics
People with a family history of skin cancer are at an increased risk of skin cancer. Individuals with fair complexions develop skin cancer more frequently than those with dark skin. The tendency to develop skin cancer is inherited and certain ethnic groups, such as the Scots, Irish, and Northern Italians, are particularly prone to developing skin cancer because of their fair skin. Several genetic defects, which are linked to skin cancer, have recently been described. Patients with a family history of melanoma have a significant increased risk of developing melanoma.

Other
Other known causes of skin cancer include exposure to X-rays, radioactivity, coal tar and pitch derivatives, chronic arsenic exposure, and infection by some human papilloma viruses.