Skin cancer is one of the more common forms of cancer that people can get. It is generally treatable too, if caught early enough. This means that it is important to inspect your skin and get annual skin cancer screening sessions from your health care professional. Of course a better way to deal with skin cancer is to prevent it ever happening to you. A good way to do this is to understand the risk factors for skin cancer and modifying your exposure to things that will cause the disease. This article will cover how a family history of skin cancer is a important risk factor for skin cancer and how it should influence how you care for your skin.



To give this a point of reference, risk factors do not prove one way or the other that you will get skin cancer but they can certainly inform you on how to care for your skin and what may happen if you don't take skin care seriously.

Even so, if you are fortunate enough not to have a family history of skin cancer then don't think that you can treat your skin poorly and dismiss skin cancer. It is one of the most common cancers in the world today and is increasing at a rapid rate. Everybody should be alert when it comes to skin cancer. General advice is to have an annual screening for any moles or marks on the skin. Better still you should examine your body regularly and see your doctor if you find new moles or existing ones changing shape or color.

Cancer is no different to many diseases in that the genes of a person can predispose them to it. A family history of skin cancer will increase the chances of getting the disease. It is thought that there is a one in ten chance of getting a melanoma (the worst form of skin cancer) if one of your family have already had it. And the odds increase the closer in the family that person is to you. Thus if your mother or father had a melanoma then the chances increase by 50% that you may get a melanoma. Thus if your health care provider becomes aware of this situation they will advise you to take extra preventative steps against skin cancer and be more diligent in monitoring any marks on your skin. They will also suggest a regular screening session.

Familial Atypical Multiple Mole Melanoma Syndrome (FAMMM) is another condition that health professionals take notice of in family members. People with this syndrome typical have dark brown to black moles on their body. Although they are not cancerous they may change their size, shape and color and this could be a precursor that they will become malignant.

Therefore if your relatives have this type of skin then you are at greater risk to developing skin cancer too. You may even have the same noticeable moles on your skin too. If this is so, your health care professional will ensure that you inspect your body more often for new moles or changes to the current moles. They will also advise that you get screened annually by a professional.

Having fair skin or skin with lots of freckles is also a risk factor to getting skin cancer. Spending too much time in the sun or on a sun bed are activities that can put you at risk. These factors and a family history of skin cancer can increase your chances of getting the disease. If you are aware of this information then you are better prepared to prevent the disease from affecting you.