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Skin cancer surgeon’s scary answer when asked how many sunburns can cause melanoma
Melanoma accounts for�only around 1% of skin cancers�but causes a large majority of skin cancer deaths – and many of those fatalities are avoidable.
Ultraviolet light, which comes from the sun and is used in sunbeds, is the main cause of melanoma, and it can only take a few sunburns to increase your risk dramatically.
How many sunburns can cause melanoma?
Speaking on TikTok, skin cancer surgeon Dr. Abby Waldman revealed that just one “bad blistering sunburn” when you are young will double your chance of melanoma. Five “normal non-blistering sunburns” at any point also double your chance of developing the skin cancer.
“So sun protection when you are young is the most important thing you can do to protect yourself in the future,” she said.
This information comes from a 2001 study which analyzed the timing of excessive ultraviolet radiation and melanoma. Researchers concluded that just “five sunburns doubled the melanoma risk, irrespective of their timing in life”.
Melanoma is a serious type of skin cancer that can spread to other areas of the body, the NHS explains. Things that increase your chances of developing melanoma include your age, having pale skin, having a lots of moles and a family history of skin cancer.
Avoiding using tanning beds, wearing sunscreen, keeping out of the sun where possible and wearing protective clothing such as a hat, t-shirt and sunglasses will all reduce your risk of melanoma. Don’t forget these often-forgotten areas when applying sunsceeen.
Melanoma symptoms to be aware of
The American Cancer Society reports that about 100,640 new melanomas will be diagnosed in 2024 in the US alone and about 8,290 Americans are expected to die of melanoma. Catching it early increases your chances of survival, so it’s important to know the symptoms of skin cancer.
Usually, the first sign of the deadly cancer is a change in the size, shape, color, or feel of a mole. Or, it could be a new mole appearing. Most melanomas have a black or black-blue area and the mole may be black, abnormal, or ugly looking, MedlinePlus explains.
The ABCDE method is useful to remember what to watch out for:
- Asymmetry: One half of the mole does not match the other
- Border: The edges are ragged, blurred or irregular
- Color: The color is uneven and may include shades of black, brown and tan
- Diameter: There is a change in size, usually an increase
- Evolving: The mole has changed over the past few weeks or months
If you notice any of these symptoms, it’s important to see a doctor as soon as possible. Surgery will always be the first treatment if melanoma is diagnosed to remove the affected area. Other treatments include chemotherapy, radiation, biologic, and targeted therapies.
Dr. Abigail Waldman (MD, FAAD) is a board-certified dermatologist and Mohs surgeon at Brigham and Womens Hospital in Jamaica Plain,�MA. She is also an assistant professor at Harvard Medical School and gained her medical degree from Yale’s School of Medicine.
