Recent studies have found that men are almost twice more likely to develop skin cancer than women. Skin cancer is actually more prominent than prostate, lung and colon cancer in men over fifty years old. In fact, the majority of people diagnosed with skin cancer are white males over the age of 50.
The American Society for Dermatological Surgery (ASDS) claims that men are more prone to developing skin cancer because they are less likely to take protective measures like wearing sunscreen and protective clothing and they are more likely to work outdoors. Additionally, many men wait too long before they visit a doctor to have their moles checked out. This decreases the chances of early detection of melanoma, which has a percent survival rate if detected early enough.
In order to avoid getting skin cancer, older and younger men alike must take better precautionary measures against the harmful rays of the sun. Wearing protective clothing, sunscreen with a high SPF and visiting a dermatologist yearly to check moles will help prevent and detect any signs of melanoma.