May Is Skin Cancer Awareness Month: Why Florida Residents Face the Highest Risk

May is Skin Cancer Awareness Month, and for Palm Beach County residents the timing is more than symbolic. Florida consistently ranks among the top three states in the nation for melanoma incidence, and within Florida, the southeastern coast carries some of the highest rates. The combination of year-round sun exposure, an older demographic, and a population that often spends decades outdoors creates a perfect storm for skin cancer development.

A Cancer of Numbers

Skin cancer is the most commonly diagnosed cancer in the United States, with more cases each year than breast, prostate, lung, and colon cancers combined. In Florida, an estimated 1 in 5 residents will develop a skin cancer in their lifetime, and the rate of new diagnoses in Palm Beach County has climbed steadily over the past decade.

The three principal types are basal cell carcinoma, squamous cell carcinoma, and melanoma. Basal cell carcinomas are the most common and the least dangerous, rarely spreading beyond the skin. Squamous cell carcinomas are more aggressive but still highly treatable when caught early. Melanoma is the least common but by far the most deadly, accounting for the majority of skin cancer deaths despite representing only a small fraction of cases.

Why Floridians Are at Higher Risk

The Florida sun delivers ultraviolet radiation at intensities that residents in northern states experience only during peak summer months, and our radiation lasts year-round. Many Palm Beach County residents have spent decades accumulating sun damage through outdoor work, beach time, golf, boating, and gardening. That cumulative exposure, often stretching back to childhood, is the single biggest driver of local skin cancer rates.

Demographics compound the problem. Older adults developed their tans before sunscreen was a daily habit and before the public understood the link between UV exposure and cancer. Many of today's diagnoses reflect damage done thirty or forty years ago, which is why screening matters even for those who have become diligent about sun protection in recent years. The technical name for this phenomenon, photoaging-associated carcinogenesis, captures what dermatologists see clinically every day: cancers emerging from skin that was sunburned long before patients understood the consequences.

What to Watch For

The American Academy of Dermatology recommends the ABCDE method for evaluating moles and spots that may be melanomas. Asymmetry, where one half of a mole does not match the other. Border irregularity, with edges that are ragged or poorly defined. Color variation within a single spot. Diameter larger than a pencil eraser, though smaller melanomas certainly exist. And Evolving, meaning any change in size, shape, color, or sensation over weeks or months.

Beyond moles, residents should be alert for new growths that do not heal, sores that bleed and scab repeatedly, scaly patches that persist, and any spot that simply looks different from the surrounding skin. The face, ears, scalp, neck, forearms, and lower legs are particularly high-risk locations because of their cumulative sun exposure.

Prevention Strategies That Actually Work

Daily broad-spectrum sunscreen with SPF 30 or higher is the foundation of skin cancer prevention. The key word is daily, not just at the beach or pool. UV exposure during routine driving, walking the dog, and outdoor lunches accumulates over time and contributes to cancer development.

Wide-brimmed hats provide better protection than baseball caps, particularly for the ears and neck. UPF-rated clothing has become widely available and offers an additional layer of defense for outdoor activities. Sunglasses protect against eyelid skin cancers as well as cataracts and macular degeneration. And avoiding peak UV hours between 10 in the morning and 4 in the afternoon, when possible, dramatically reduces exposure during the most damaging part of the day.

Local Screening Resources

Most dermatology practices in Palm Beach County offer annual full-body skin examinations, which insurance typically covers as preventive care. Several practices participate in free skin cancer screening events during May as part of Skin Cancer Awareness Month, and the American Academy of Dermatology maintains a directory of these events on its website.

Residents without a regular dermatologist can request a referral from their primary care physician or contact major health systems including Cleveland Clinic Florida, Baptist Health, and Tenet Healthcare for screening appointments. Patients with multiple risk factors, including fair skin, a personal or family history of skin cancer, more than fifty moles, or a history of significant sun exposure, may benefit from more frequent screenings.

Self-examinations are an important complement to professional screening. The American Cancer Society recommends a thorough self-exam every month, ideally in front of a full-length mirror with a hand mirror for hard-to-see areas. Familiarity with your own skin makes it far easier to notice when something has changed.