 News 
 
 Surgeon General issues call to action to prevent skin cancer 
 
 Skin cancer rates rising: most cases are preventable 
 
 Skin cancer, the most commonly diagnosed cancer in the United States, is a major public health problem that requires immediate action, according to a new Call to Action released today by the U.S. Surgeon General issues a report today warning Americans to protect their skin from outdoor and indoor UV light, as skin cancer cases are on the rise. Nearly 5 million people in the United States are treated for skin cancer each year, at a cost of $8.1 billion, the report says. Almost all of these cancers were caused by unnecessary ultraviolet radiation exposure, usually from excessive time in the sun or from the use of indoor tanning devices.” 
 
 Melanoma is the deadliest form of skin cancer. According to research cited in the Call to Action, more than 400,000 cases of skin cancer, about 6,000 of which are melanomas, are estimated to be related to indoor tanning in the U.S. each year. “Tanned skin is damaged skin, and we need to shatter the myth that tanned skin is a sign of health,” said Acting Surgeon General Boris D. Lushniak, M.D., M.P.H. “We want all Americans to lead healthy, active lives,” Dr. Lushniak said, “We all need to take an active role to prevent skin cancer by protecting our skin while being outdoors and avoiding intentional sun exposure and indoor tanning.” 
 
 The report calls on all sectors of Americans society, including the business, health care, education, government and nonprofit sectors, as well as families and individuals, to do more. Read the Call to Action to learn how to prevent skin cancer at www.surgeongeneral.gov.
– Your doctor, your mom, and your shade-obsessed friends have probably all told you already about the dangers of suntanning—and now the surgeon general is jumping on the anti-bronzing bandwagon for the first time. Boris Lushniak today called skin cancer a “major public health problem,” and pointed a finger at outdoor and indoor UV light, reports USA Today. His warning cites rising skin-cancer numbers as the push behind the official warning: The report says that nearly 5 million Americans are treated for the disease annually to the tune of $8.1 billion. That includes 63,000 new cases each year and 9,000 yearly deaths, reports the Washington Post. What's more, melanoma cases are increasing as other types of cancer are decreasing. The statement posted on the Department of Health and Human Services website implores people to take the usual precautions in the sun—including wearing sunglasses, a high-SPF lotion, and other protective gear—but Lushniak, a dermatologist, also places special emphasis on “completely avoidable” ultraviolet radiation exposure from indoor tanning beds and booths. The FDA piggybacked on Lushniak’s comments with its own official take today, reminding the public about its mandate for sunlamp labels “stating that they should not be used on anyone younger than 18 years.” The Indoor Tanning Association says in a statement that UV light from both the sun and sunlamps is “healthful in moderation,” as USA Today puts it, a claim that Lushniak disputes. “Tanned skin is damaged skin,” he says in the HHS statement. “We need to shatter the myth that tanned skin is a sign of health.”