Skin cancer is the most common of all cancers.  The good news is that most cases are not life threatening.  However, about 3 percent of skin cancers are melanoma, the most serious type, and can be deadly if not detected early enough.

One way to protest yourself from skin cancer and especially from melanoma is to check your skin from head to toe at least once a month.  The National Cancer Institute recommends doing a skin self-exam after a shower or bath using a full-length mirror and hand held mirror.  Check for naything new, such as a new mole that looks abnormal; a change in the size, shape, color or texture of a mole or a sore that doesn't heal.

See your health care provider if you have a mole or growth that worries you.  And don't forget to limit sun exposure and wear tight weave clothing and wide-brim hat when under the sun.  Use plenty of sunscreen, apply it 30 minutes before heading outdoors and reapply at least every two hours when exposed to the sun.