Dr. Mitchell Elliott Bender

Right now, one in five American adults will develop skin cancer, 20%.

When in 1930, the incidence of melanoma, the most serious kind of skin cancer, was one out of 1,500.

The present rate of melanoma is one in 60.

So in almost 100 years, we've gone from 1 in 1,500 to 1 in 60.

That will give you an idea about the rapid rate of increase.

And melanoma can be a very, very serious tumor.

And the bad news about melanoma is that the rate is increasing pretty rapidly.

The good news is that the mortality rate is staying even, I think, because people are going in for skin checks.

They're getting their tumor diagnosed early when it's very fixable, rather than waiting until it spreads and becomes more of a complication.

So I think

One point that I'd like the viewers to take away is that sunscreen and hats are your friend.

I liken it to wearing a seatbelt in a car.

No one prevents you from driving, but the intelligent driver is going to wear a seatbelt.

And just be cautious, and that's what sunscreen is.

And one other misconception, people are worried about not getting enough vitamin D if they use sunscreen, maybe avoid going in the sun.

And I myself take supplemental vitamin D every day.

The body doesn't care whether you get it by supplement.

I think the official supplement is 800 international units per day.

I take 2,000 units per day.

You will not become vitamin D deficient with a well-balanced diet.