[Picture of a Microscope] [Man's Friend] [Man's Foe] [Teacher's
Guide] [Skin Cancer]  [What Skin Type Are You?] Skin cancer is a
disease in which cancer (malignant) cells are found in the outer
layers of your skin. Your skin protects your body against heat,
light, infection, and injury.   Sunburn and ultraviolet (UV)
light can damage your skin, and this damage can lead to skin
cancer. There are, of course, other determining factors,
including your heredity and the environment you live in.
However, both the total amount of Sun received over the years,
and overexposure resulting in sunburn can cause skin cancer.
Tanning is your skin's natural response to UV light. It is a
reaction, just like an allergic reaction, to prevent further
injury to your skin from the Sun though it does not prevent skin
cancer. Skin cancer is very slow to develop.  If there is a
history of skin cancer in your family, you have fair skin, or
you have a northern European heritage you are probably at a
higher risk. Also the elevation, lat