I don’t know whether it is simply my Instagram algorithm doing its thing or something genuinely happening around me, but recently, several people I follow have announced that they have skin cancer. In more than one case, they found it almost by accident — and were lucky enough to catch it very early.

The obvious takeaway is also the scary one: get your skin checked. But beyond adding another appointment to your calendar, I had questions. Is skin cancer actually becoming more common, or does it just feel that way from my feed? How often should we really be getting checked — and at what point does “being careful” become obsessive? Does living under the Dubai sun put us at greater risk, or, unexpectedly, could we actually be better protected here? And could any of these changes be connected to something bigger, like global warming? Who knows!

The obvious, slightly dumb and genuinely unexpected questions — all answered here.

At its simplest, skin cancer happens when some of the cells in your skin start growing out of control. Normally, our cells grow, divide and eventually die in a fairly organised cycle. But when their DNA becomes damaged, that system can go wrong: abnormal cells keep multiplying when they shouldn’t, eventually forming a cancer.

And there isn’t just one type. The three main ones are basal cell carcinoma, squamous cell carcinoma and melanoma. Basal and squamous cell carcinomas often appear as a new growth, scaly patch or sore that doesn’t heal. They are by far the most common types and are usually highly treatable when caught early. Melanoma, meanwhile, often appears as a new or changing mole or pigmented spot. It is less common, but considerably more dangerous.

Very. In fact, skin cancers are the most commonly diagnosed group of cancers worldwide, with nearly 1.5 million new cases estimated in 2024. And the real number is likely higher: basal and squamous cell carcinomas, which are generally far less dangerous than melanoma, are so common that many cancer registries don’t routinely record them.

Melanoma is much rarer, accounting for only around 1% of skin cancers, yet it causes the large majority of deaths from the disease. In the United States alone, around 112,000 diagnoses and 8,500 deaths are expected in 2026.

Nice thought, isn’t it? And partly, yes. Better screening and sharper technology mean we are catching more cases than we used to. But detection alone doesn’t explain the rise: skin cancer rates have genuinely been climbing for decades.

Part of that comes down to how our relationship with the sun has changed. Cheap flights to warmer places, beach holidays, tanning culture and sunbeds have all added to our lifetime UV exposure. At the same time, we are living longer, which gives that damage more time to accumulate. Skin cancer becomes far more common in our 60s, 70s and 80s, and a diagnosis at 70 can be linked to UV exposure from decades earlier.

What makes melanoma so dangerous is its ability to spread beyond the skin — and to do so much more readily than other common skin cancers.

Basal cell carcinoma usually grows locally. Left untreated, it can become larger and damage the surrounding skin and tissue, but it very rarely spreads to other parts of the body. Squamous cell carcinoma has a greater ability to spread, although for most cases that risk remains relatively low.

Melanoma behaves differently. Its cells are much more likely to invade deeper layers of the skin and, from there, enter the lymphatic system or bloodstream. Once that happens, they can travel to the lymph nodes and eventually organs such as the lungs, liver, brain or bones. That process is called metastasis.

When it comes to skin cancer, UV radiation is the big culprit. Every time ultraviolet rays from the sun hit unprotected skin, they can damage the DNA inside your skin cells. Most of that damage gets quietly repaired by your body, but not always. Over time, those little mutations can add up, and some can eventually cause cells to start growing out of control.

Researchers reckon around 85–90% of melanomas are linked to UV exposure. And importantly, that doesn’t just mean lounging in the sun. Tanning beds expose your skin to carcinogenic UV radiation too, so getting your glow indoors isn’t the safer alternative it might seem. In fact, it can increase your risk of developing skin cancer.

UV isn’t the only piece of the puzzle, of course. Genetics and family history play a part, as do fair skin, having lots of moles, a weakened immune system and simply getting older.

Bad news, my friends: both raise your risk — just not in quite the same way.

Everyday sun exposure works like damage building up in instalments. You might never actually burn, but years of walking about in the sun, eating lunch outside or spending weekends out and about all mean the same skin cells take repeated doses of UV over time. This gradual build-up is particularly linked to basal cell and squamous cell carcinomas, the two most common types of skin cancer.

Sunburn works differently. If your skin turns red or starts to peel, that is a sign it is taking a large dose of UV in one short burst, damaging the cells acutely rather than gradually. A single sunburn won't cause cancer on its own, but getting badly burnt repeatedly — especially in childhood and adolescence — is linked to a higher risk of melanoma later in life.

Possibly, but indirectly. Heat itself isn’t the problem; UV is.

For decades, the ozone layer — which you have probably heard about in the same environmental conversations as global warming — was being depleted by chemicals such as CFCs. The ozone layer acts as a natural UV shield, so less of it meant more harmful UVB radiation could reach the Earth’s surface, adding to skin-cancer risk. The good news is that after those chemicals were phased out, the ozone layer began to recover.

So shouldn’t skin-cancer rates start falling too? Not immediately. Skin cancer can develop after decades of accumulated UV damage, meaning some of the cases we diagnose today reflect exposure from years ago. Climate change complicates things further because it can affect atmospheric conditions and how much time we spend exposed to the sun.

To an extent. More melanin gives the skin some natural protection against UV, so skin cancer is less common in darker skin tones — but definitely still possible. And when melanoma does occur, it can be found later, partly because both patients and doctors may be less suspicious of it in the first place.

Surprisingly, yes. Melanoma can turn up under your nails, on the soles of your feet, between your toes, even in spots that are permanently tucked away under clothing.

And speaking of nails: those claims that UV manicure lamps cause skin cancer aren’t quite as clear-cut as they sound. The lamps do emit UVA, but there is no solid evidence that the occasional gel manicure causes skin cancer. The sneaky part may actually be the colour on your nails — it can hide changes underneath, including a melanoma, for much longer than you might otherwise notice them.

Annoyingly, yes. It doesn’t always look like the dramatic dark mole you see on Google. Melanoma can be pink, red or almost colourless — and sometimes it can look remarkably similar to your other moles. Basal and squamous cell cancers can be just as unassuming, resembling a tiny spot, scaly patch or sore that simply refuses to heal. What matters most isn’t always how scary a mole looks, but whether it has started to change.

Because with skin cancer, “early” can completely change what the word cancer means in practical terms. When a skin cancer is found while it is still small and localised, treatment is often relatively straightforward: it can simply be removed surgically before it has had the chance to cause more damage.

With melanoma, the difference is particularly striking. If it is caught while still confined to the skin, the five-year relative survival rate is over 99%. If it has reached nearby lymph nodes or structures, that falls to around 76%. And once melanoma has spread to distant parts of the body, such as the lungs, liver or brain, it drops to around 36%.

It is far less dramatic than it sounds. The check can be done during a regular dermatologist appointment and doesn’t require any special preparation. Your dermatologist simply examines your skin from head to toe, looking closely at moles, marks and anything unusual, often with a dermatoscope to see details invisible to the naked eye.

Some clinics also offer mole mapping, where photographs of your skin are taken and kept on file. At your next check, they can compare them with new images and quickly spot anything that has appeared or changed over time.

There isn’t one magic schedule for everyone. As a starting point, think once a year — and more often if your dermatologist thinks you are in a higher-risk group, whether because of lots of unusual moles, previous skin cancer or a strong family history.