skincancer.org

You can use skincancer.org to learn a simple self-check routine: examine your skin head-to-toe once a month and look for spots that are NEW, CHANGING, or UNUSUAL. The site's "The Big See®" campaign is built around those three words, and it also provides melanoma warning signs, pictures of common skin cancers, and statistics on why early detection matters. This guidance is educational and does not replace a professional skin exam.

Start With the Three-Word Rule

The Skin Cancer Foundation's Big See campaign asks you to get to know your skin and check yourself once a month. When you find a spot, ask three questions:

• NEW — Did this spot appear recently?
• CHANGING — Is it growing, changing shape, or changing color?
• UNUSUAL — Does it look different from your other spots or from what you'd expect?

If the answer to any of these is yes, that is your signal to get it looked at by a doctor. The campaign's framing is deliberate: skin cancer is "the cancer you can see," so a monthly visual check is the core habit.

Learn the Melanoma Warning Signs

The site's "Know the Signs" section points to melanoma warning signs and explains how to spot this dangerous skin cancer early, when it is easiest to treat. The page also offers a separate resource answering "What Does Skin Cancer Look Like?" with pictures of common skin cancers.

A practical way to use these pages:

1. Read the melanoma warning signs page to understand what changes matter.
2. Look at the picture gallery so you know what common skin cancers can look like — not to diagnose yourself, but to calibrate what "unusual" means.
3. Compare any spot you're unsure about against those descriptions, then decide whether to book an appointment.

The site does not present a single checklist as a substitute for a diagnosis; the pictures and warning signs are there to help you decide when to seek one.

Do a Monthly Head-to-Toe Self-Exam

The Big See routine is a monthly, full-body check. A workable approach:

• Use a mirror and a hand mirror (or ask someone to help) to check areas you can't see easily — back, scalp, behind the ears, between toes.
• Note any spot that is new, changing, or unusual, and track it over time (a photo with a date can help).
• Repeat monthly so you notice change, which is often more informative than a single look.

The site's emphasis on "get to know your skin" is the point: the baseline you build month to month is what makes a change visible.

Know When to See a Doctor

The site's guidance is to act on the three words — a new, changing, or unusual spot is a reason to see a doctor, not to wait. Two supporting facts from the site explain why promptness matters:

• More than 9,500 people in the U.S. are diagnosed with skin cancer every day.
• The early-detection 5-year survival rate for melanoma in the U.S. is 99%.

The site also notes that having 5+ sunburns doubles your risk for melanoma, which is relevant context if you're deciding how closely to watch your skin.

Use the Rest of the Site for Context

Beyond detection, skincancer.org offers:

• Prevention — "Healthy Skin Is In! Protect Yourself Year-Round" and outdoor-worker sun protection guidance.
• Stats and facts — a "Skin Cancer Stats & Facts" page on the world's most common cancer.
• Support for the newly diagnosed — a "Newly diagnosed? Get guidance and support" entry point.
• A free screening and education program — the site invites visitors to follow it.
• A daily max UV index tool — the site displays a UV index for a city (for example, New York, NY) with a note that it is non-medical and for illustrative purposes only, not for preventing, diagnosing, or treating a condition.

The Foundation describes itself as a nonprofit 501(c)(3) that relies on donor funds and has set the standard for public and medical education about skin cancer since 1979 — useful context for judging the source, though it doesn't change how you should use the self-check guidance.

A Simple Monthly Workflow

The site's materials are educational; a suspicious spot should be evaluated by a clinician rather than judged from a webpage. Used that way, skincancer.org gives you a clear, repeatable habit and the vocabulary — new, changing, unusual — to describe what you're seeing when you make that appointment.

skincancer.org is the official website of The Skin Cancer Foundation, a nonprofit 501(c)(3) organization founded in 1979. It is an educational resource—not a clinic—offering medically reviewed information on skin cancer prevention, early detection, risks, causes, and treatment. It's worth using if you want to learn how to check your skin, understand warning signs, or find prevention guidance; it is not a substitute for a diagnosis from a healthcare professional.

Who runs the site

The Skin Cancer Foundation describes itself as having "set the standard for educating the public and the medical community about skin cancer" since 1979, with a focus on prevention through sun protection, early detection, and prompt treatment. The site states the Foundation is a nonprofit that relies on donor funds.

That matters for how you read the content: the material is educational and prevention-oriented, and the organization asks visitors to support its work. It does not present itself as a provider of clinical care.

What you can find there

The homepage organizes its main resources into a few clear paths:

The site also includes a UV index lookup by city, framed as a daily sun-protection prompt. Note the site's own caveat: the Daily Max UV Index is described as "non-medical opinion" for illustrative purposes and should not be used to prevent, diagnose, or treat a medical condition.

The numbers it cites

The homepage presents several statistics to frame risk:

• 20% of Americans will develop skin cancer.
• More than 9,500 people in the U.S. are diagnosed with skin cancer every day.
• Having 5+ sunburns doubles your risk for melanoma.
• The melanoma early-detection 5-year survival rate in the U.S. is 99%.

These are the Foundation's own published figures; treat them as the organization's educational messaging rather than independently verified data.

How to use it well

1. Start with the self-check framework. The Big See's three words—new, changing, unusual—give you a concrete filter for what to notice on your skin.
2. Use the image guides for orientation, not diagnosis. Pictures of common skin cancers help you understand what clinicians look for, but skin cancer has many appearances.
3. Take a concerning finding to a professional. The site's stated purpose is early detection and prompt, effective treatment—the detection step is yours, the diagnosis is not.
4. Check the blog for updates if you want recurring prevention and awareness content.

What it is not

skincancer.org does not appear to offer appointments, personalized medical advice, or treatment. If you have a spot that is new, changing, or unusual, the appropriate next step is seeing a qualified healthcare provider—the site's guidance supports that decision rather than replacing it.

Protect your skin year-round by combining daily sun protection with a habit of checking the UV index for your city before you go outside. The Skin Cancer Foundation's site (skincancer.org) frames this as "Healthy Skin Is In! Protect Yourself Year-Round," and its homepage includes a daily maximum UV index lookup for cities such as New York. Use that check to decide how strict your protection needs to be that day, then apply the protective practices below. Note that the site labels its UV index display as non-medical and for illustrative purposes only, so treat it as a planning prompt rather than medical advice.

Why daily protection matters

The Foundation's core message is that skin cancer is "the Cancer You Can See," and that prevention through sun protection plus early detection is the standard it has promoted since 1979. Two figures from the site make the case for making protection routine rather than seasonal:

• 20% of Americans will develop skin cancer.
• More than 9,500 people in the U.S. are diagnosed with skin cancer every day.
• Having 5+ sunburns doubles your risk for melanoma.
• Melanoma early detection 5-year survival rate (U.S.): 99%.

The takeaway: cumulative exposure and sunburns both matter, and catching problems early dramatically improves outcomes. That is why the site pairs prevention with self-checking.

Step 1: Check the daily maximum UV index

The homepage offers a city-based UV index lookup (the example shown is New York, NY, at UV Index 0.3, "Low"). The workflow is simple:

1. Enter or select your city in the UV index tool.
2. Read the daily maximum UV index and its category label (e.g., Low).
3. Use the level to set your protection for the day — higher index means more emphasis on shade, clothing, and timing outdoor activity.

Because the site itself flags this display as illustrative and not for preventing, diagnosing, or treating a condition, don't rely on it as a clinical tool. Use it as a daily reminder that UV exposure varies by day and location.

Step 2: Apply year-round protective practices

The Foundation's prevention guidance centers on sun protection as a daily habit, not a summer-only concern. Practical actions consistent with its messaging:

• Cover up: clothing and hats reduce direct exposure, especially for people who work outdoors — the site specifically calls out protecting yourself while working outdoors.
• Seek shade and limit peak exposure: plan outdoor tasks around the UV index you checked.
• Make it routine: the "year-round" framing means cloudy days and cooler months are not a pass.

The site does not publish a specific SPF number or application schedule in the material available here, so follow the general principle of consistent sun protection rather than a number quoted from this page.

Step 3: Pair protection with monthly self-checks

Prevention is only half of the Foundation's approach; early detection is the other. Its THE BIG SEE® campaign asks you to:

• Get to know your skin.
• Check yourself head-to-toe once a month.
• Remember three words: NEW, CHANGING, UNUSUAL.

If a spot is new, changing, or unusual, that is your cue to act. The site also offers a free screening and education program, and dedicated pages on melanoma warning signs and what skin cancer looks like if you want reference images.

When to use which resource on the site

Common sticking points

• Treating UV checks as medical advice. The site explicitly says its UV index display is non-medical and illustrative. Use it to prompt protection, not to make health decisions.
• Protecting only in summer. The Foundation's framing is year-round; the 5+ sunburns statistic shows why occasional lapses matter.
• Skipping self-checks. The 99% early-detection survival figure only helps if you actually look for NEW, CHANGING, UNUSUAL spots monthly.

For anyone who wants a single starting point, begin with the UV index check each morning, apply protection accordingly, and set a monthly reminder to do a head-to-toe self-check.

Skin cancer is the most common cancer worldwide, and about 20% of Americans will develop it in their lifetime, according to the Skin Cancer Foundation. More than 9,500 people in the U.S. are diagnosed every day. The main modifiable risk factor is ultraviolet (UV) exposure, and the foundation's core message is that early detection matters: melanoma caught early has a 99% five-year survival rate in the U.S.

The Numbers at a Glance

These figures come from skincancer.org, a nonprofit 501(c)(3) founded in 1979 that describes itself as setting the standard for public and medical education on skin cancer prevention, early detection, and treatment.

What Drives Risk

UV Exposure Is the Central Modifiable Factor

The foundation frames sun protection as the primary lever people control, and its site states plainly: "You Need Sun Protection Every Day." UV exposure is not limited to sunny summer days—the site's own UV index tool shows daily maximum levels by city (for example, New York, NY at 0.3, Low, on the day captured), reinforcing that protection is a year-round habit rather than a seasonal one. Note that the site labels its UV index display as non-medical and for illustrative purposes only.

Sunburns Compound Risk

A history of five or more sunburns doubles melanoma risk. This makes prevention during childhood and early adulthood especially consequential, since cumulative exposure and burning events both feed into lifetime risk.

Early Detection Changes Outcomes

The 99% five-year melanoma survival rate applies to early detection in the U.S. The foundation's THE BIG SEE® campaign asks people to check their skin head-to-toe once a month and watch for three signals: NEW, CHANGING, UNUSUAL. The logic is simple—skin cancer is "the cancer you can see," so regular self-checks can catch lesions while they are easiest to treat.

How to Use This Information

If you want to gauge your own risk and act on it, the foundation's site organizes resources around a few entry points:

• Know the signs – melanoma warning signs and how to spot them early.
• See examples – pictures of common skin cancers to compare against your own skin.
• Check the UV index – look up daily maximum UV for your city before outdoor activity.
• Follow screening guidance – the foundation offers a free screening and education program.

For anyone newly diagnosed, the site also provides guidance and support resources.

Practical Takeaways

• Treat daily sun protection as the default, not a summer-only measure.
• Avoid sunburns, especially repeated ones—each additional burn history raises melanoma risk.
• Do a monthly head-to-toe self-check and flag anything new, changing, or unusual.
• Seek prompt evaluation of suspicious spots; early-stage melanoma is highly treatable.

The statistics above describe population-level risk, not an individual diagnosis. For personal concerns about a specific spot or your own risk profile, consult a qualified clinician rather than relying on website figures alone.

Start with the homepage's "Newly diagnosed? Get guidance and support" link. It is the site's dedicated entry point for people facing a new diagnosis, and it sits alongside the Foundation's other main pathways: "Learn how to spot skin cancer," "Protect yourself while working outdoors," and the free screening and education program. From there, you can branch into treatment and prevention education, the free screening program, and ways to support or contact the Foundation. The site is a nonprofit 501(c)(3) educational organization, not a clinical service, so treat it as a starting point for understanding your situation rather than a substitute for your care team.

The newly diagnosed pathway

The homepage presents this as one of its primary "We Can Help" routes. The Foundation describes its mission since 1979 as setting the standard for educating the public and medical community about skin cancer, including prevention through sun protection, the need for early detection, and prompt, effective treatment. For a newly diagnosed reader, that framing tells you what to expect: plain-language education on what skin cancer is, how it is detected, and how it is generally treated — not personalized medical advice.

Use this pathway first if you want orientation. If you are still in the "is this something?" stage rather than diagnosed, the spotting guidance below is the better fit.

Educational content to work through

The homepage surfaces several content tracks that are useful after a diagnosis:

• Know the signs — melanoma warning signs, framed around spotting the disease early "when it's easiest to treat."
• What does skin cancer look like? — pictures of common skin cancers, useful for understanding what you or your care team are looking at.
• Skin cancer stats and facts — background on the world's most common cancer, including the figure that 20% of Americans will develop skin cancer and that more than 9,500 people in the U.S. are diagnosed every day.
• The Big See® campaign — encourages a monthly head-to-toe self-check using three words: NEW, CHANGING, UNUSUAL. This is a practical habit you can keep after treatment, and it gives you a shared vocabulary for describing changes to a clinician.

The site also notes that having 5+ sunburns doubles your risk for melanoma, and that the melanoma early detection 5-year survival rate in the U.S. is 99%. These figures are most useful for understanding why early detection matters, not for estimating your own outcome.

Free screening and education program

The homepage invites visitors to "Follow our free screening & education program." This is the route to check if you want to know about screening options and public education resources. The page does not spell out eligibility, locations, or scheduling on the homepage itself, so follow the link to see current program details before making plans.

Sun protection and daily prevention

Prevention content is woven throughout: "Healthy Skin Is In! Protect Yourself Year-Round," guidance on protecting yourself while working outdoors, and a daily max UV index lookup (the homepage example shows New York, NY at 0.3, Low). The site is explicit that the UV index display is a non-medical opinion for illustrative purposes and should not be used to prevent, diagnose, or treat a condition — so use it as a general prompt to protect your skin, not as a medical tool.

Supporting or contacting the Foundation

The Foundation states it relies on donor funds and invites visitors to "Support our work." If you want to give back or stay connected, that link is the entry point. The homepage also promotes a monthly newsletter and a "Sun & Skin News" blog, which are reasonable ways to keep up with new content. The page evidence does not list a direct phone number or contact form, so use the site's own navigation for contact details rather than assuming one.

A practical order of use

1. Open the "Newly diagnosed? Get guidance and support" link for orientation.
2. Read the treatment and prevention education pages it leads to.
3. Review "What does skin cancer look like?" and the melanoma warning signs so you can describe changes accurately.
4. Check the free screening and education program for what is available to you.
5. Adopt the monthly NEW, CHANGING, UNUSUAL self-check and year-round sun protection.
6. Use the newsletter or support link if you want ongoing updates or to contribute.

Keep expectations calibrated: skincancer.org is an education and advocacy organization. It can help you understand your diagnosis and ask better questions, but decisions about your treatment belong with your own clinicians.