evidence: The messaging can be confusing, says skin cancer specialist and dermatologist Dr. Larisa Geskin, who works to raise awareness of skin cancer prevention and sun safety. "People should enjoy being outdoors and spending time on the beach and in the sun, but you have to be protected." Sun exposure is a major risk factor for skin cancer, the most common form of cancer, with an estimated 9,500 people in the U.S. diagnosed each day. A small percentage of these diagnoses are melanoma, a form of skin cancer that is a potentially fatal disease. Today, melanoma is the fifth most common cancer among men and women, and recently there has been an increase in the incidence of melanoma affecting individuals aged 15 to 39 years. To raise awareness for skin cancer prevention, Dr. Geskin and her colleagues in the Department of Dermatology at Columbia University Vagelos College of Physicians & Surgeons are always looking to share key facts on what the public should know about sun safety and sunscreen. Here’s what they had to say.