“Bob Marley died at age 36 from a melanoma that started under a toenail and spread to his brain,” says Maryland dermatologist, Dr. Noelle S. Sherber. “Lesions in these areas tend to grow horizontally and spread out on the skin’s surface, so early detection is key.”

Non-melanoma skin cancers are also on the rise. The milder, basal cell carcinoma is predominantly found among Caucasians, Hispanics and Asians, while the more aggressive squamous cell carcinoma most commonly strikes the African American and Asian Indian communities and can metastasize to other organs quickly.

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