Health Information
Skin Cancer, Nonmelanoma
What Increases Your Risk
Risk factors (things that increase your risk) for nonmelanoma skin cancer include:
- Sunlight, sun lamps, or tanning beds. These expose you to Reference ultraviolet (UV) radiation.
- UV radiation affects people of all Reference skin types, but especially those with light skin color, freckles, blond or red hair, and blue or light-colored eyes.
- Living where you get high levels of UV radiation. People living closer to the equator get more UV radiation. And people who live at higher altitudes, such as in the mountains, get more UV radiation.
- A family history of skin cancer or a personal history of skin
cancer. Or other things that affect your skin, such as:
- Inherited genetic disorders, such as Reference xeroderma pigmentosum Opens New Window.
- A history of severe Reference sunburns, especially during childhood.
- Scars from severe burns or inflammatory skin conditions.
- Being older than 40.
- Being male. Men develop skin cancer more often than women.
- Smoking.
- Repeated exposure to X-rays, certain chemicals (such as arsenic, coal tar, creosote), and radioactive substances (such as radium).
- Being infected with a certain type of Reference human papillomavirus (HPV) Opens New Window.
Basal cell and squamous cell carcinomas can occur in people with dark skin. But these cancers are much more common in people with light skin.
The risk of squamous cell carcinoma is higher in people who have weakened immune systems. This includes people who have had organ transplants and take medicines to prevent rejection of the new organ.
| By: | Reference Healthwise Staff | Last Revised: Reference October 2, 2012 |
| Medical Review: | Reference E. Gregory Thompson, MD - Internal Medicine
Reference Amy McMichael, MD - Dermatology |
|
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