Melanoma can develop within an existing mole or appear differently as a new mole. The most common form of cancer in the United States is skin cancer. The three prevalent types are: basal cell carcinoma, squamous cell carcinoma and melanoma. Melanoma is the deadliest of these three – which, according to the CDC, claimed the lives of 8,188 people in 2016. That's because it often and quickly metastasizes, damaging other areas of the body. Among adolescents, does restrictive legislation regarding the use of indoor tanning beds positively affect the rate of new melanoma cases compared to promoting preventive education alone? These laws are seen as a solution to slow and stop the increasingly alarming number of cases of melanoma among adolescents. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on “Why violent video games should not be banned”?Get the original essaySusceptibility to developing melanoma has non-modifiable genetic risk factors such as skin pigmentation, family history and hair and eye color (CDC, 2019). Modifiable risks include overexposure to ultraviolet (UV) radiation via sunlight, tanning bed use, and limited educational efforts about melanoma. For this reason, it is important to have regular skin checks by a dermatologist, especially if you have a genetic predisposition or environmental factors to developing melanoma. Raising awareness from an early age can help reduce the rate of diagnosis among adolescents. Evidence has shown a strong correlation with the development of skin cancer in people using tanning beds. In particular, when adopted as a practice during adolescence, it surprisingly increases the risk of melanoma by 75%. According to the World Health Organization (2014), adolescents are individuals aged 10 to 19 years. This is a sensitive period of development where education, awareness and the acquisition of experiences make it possible to assume adult responsibilities (WHO, 2014). Tanning bed use has been linked to cancer, but adolescents overlook the risks to their health and continually expose themselves by engaging in these practices. The question then arises: what determines the pace and intensity of execution of a melanoma control plan? Providing adolescents with the anticipatory guidance needed to make sound decisions throughout their lives should not be limited to primary healthcare professionals at diagnosis. Most notable is the misinformation that melanoma affects only one race while all races are susceptible to this type of cancer. In a study conducted by Williams et al. (2013), adolescents participated in a questionnaire to determine their level of understanding and attitude towards skin safety. Although they are aware of protection methods and the skin's vulnerability to UV rays, multiple factors play a role in their judgment. It includes family and peer influences, as well as beauty standards set by the media. Compared to natural sunlight, the body requires approximately 10 to 15 minutes to convert Vit D to its active form in the UVB range of 290 to 300 nm. UV damage manifests itself in tanning and sunburn, prerequisites for cancer. The tanning bed emits 320-400nm UVA which penetrates deeper into the skin, causing more associated damage.