MedlinePlus Medical Encyclopedia: Fair skin cancer risks

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Fair skin cancer risks

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Alternative Names	Information

Alternative Names

Skin cancer and fair skinned people

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Anyone who sunburns easily is at high risk for skin cancer. Other factors that increase your risk for skin cancer include:

Freckled skin
Blue, gray or green eyes
Blond or red hair
Multiple moles
Close relatives who have or had skin cancer
Multiple severe sunburns early in life
Slow, daily sun exposure (such as that received by those who work outside)
Excessive sun exposure without sunscreen

See also: Sunburn

Update Date: 2/5/2008

Updated by: Kevin Berman, MD, PhD, Associate, Atlanta Center for Dermatologic Disease, Atlanta, GA. Review provided by VeriMed Healthcare Network. Also reviewed by David Zieve, MD, MHA, Medical Director, A.D.A.M., Inc.

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