Health Tip: Risk Factors for Melanoma

Who is more likely to get this deadly cancer?

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(HealthDay News) -- Melanoma is an often deadly form of skin cancer. Protecting yourself from sun damage can help protect your skin.

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The American Academy of Dermatology offers this list of common risk factors for melanoma:

• Having fair skin or skin that is otherwise sensitive to the sun.
• Having red or blond hair with blue or green eyes.
• Having more than 50 moles.
• Having abnormal or irregular moles, often that are typically large.
• Having a history of using tanning beds or being sunburned frequently.
• Having a family history of melanoma.
• Having a weakened immune system.
• Having a personal history of melanoma or other form of skin cancer.
• Being 50 or older.

-- Diana Kohnle