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Skin Cancer: Are You At Risk?

Every year, more than a million Americans are diagnosed with skin cancer. Most people think it’s caused by sun damage, whether from the real deal or tanning beds. While that’s true in many cases, there are other risk factors for all three forms of skin cancer. Even if you’re not fair skinned or a beach bunny, you might be at risk. What’s Basal Cell Carcinoma (BCC)? BCC is the most common skin cancer and it originates in the basal cells, found at the bottom of the epidermis (the skin’s top layer). What’s Squamous Cell Carcinoma (SCC)? The second most common type of skin cancer is SCC. It can be found in the squamous cells (just above the basal cells). It’s similar to BCC because it occurs mostly in areas exposed to UV light like your face, scalp, neck, hands, arms and legs. What’s Melanoma? Melanoma is the least common but the most dangerous form of skin cancer. Melanoma originates in the melanocytes (found in the lower epidermis with basal cells). Who’s at risk for skin canc