Can anyone get skin cancer?
Yes, anyone of any age can get skin cancer, but it’s rare in children and more common in older fair-
skinned people who have spent long periods in the sun or on a sunbed, especially if they’ve had
sunburn. Certain medical conditions, including solar keratosis and HIV, can also increase your risk, as
can medicines that suppress the immune system, radiation therapy, certain chemicals such as
creosote, and a family history of skin cancer, or having had skin cancer in the past.
Melanin is a natural protective pigment in your skin that protects it from sunburn. People who have
albinism (a condition that’s passed down in families where your skin doesn’t have any melanin) are
also at increased risk of skin cancer. The darker your skin, the more melanin protection you have
against most types of skin cancer. However, people with black skin can sometimes develop a rarer
type of cancer, Acral lentiginous melanoma, on their palms, nail beds, and soles of the feet.