Research. Educate. Advocate.

To support medical RESEARCH for finding effective treatments and eventually a cure for melanoma. To EDUCATE patients and physicians about the prevention, diagnosis and treatment of melanoma. To act as an ADVOCATE for the melanoma community to raise the awareness of this disease and the need for a cure. Melanoma Research Foundation (MRF) is the largest independent, national organization devoted to melanoma in the United States. Committed to the support of medical research in finding effective treatments and eventually a cure for melanoma.

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The Facts

News, statistics and interesting sun and melanoma related facts!

Addicted

ADDICTED  If ever there was an argument for never trying tanning beds (I mean, besides the fact that they can give you cancer) it's that new research shows they are actually addicting!  A recent pilot study found that during indoor tanning sessions, people have similar brain activity to people who are addicted to drugs and alcohol.  Indoor tanning creates that reward-and-reinforcement trigger, much like gambling.  This study might partially explain why many teens and young adults continue to tan even though they know the risks.  Our brains actually respond to UV light...and I thought I just missed looking tan!  I'm sure more studies on this topic are still to come, but what this tells us is that tanning, like smoking, is a tough habit to break.  It is our responsibility to educate our kids and keep them away from tanning salons.  We need to think about tanning like we think about "trying" cigarettes.

Redheads and Melanoma

REDHEADS & MELANOMA If you're a redhead, you have an increased risk for melanoma even without UV exposure. It's that simple. Avoiding over exposure to UV rays - both indoor and out - is still crucial, but it's not the whole picture. Read more

Baby Blues

Sun protection is just as important for our eyes as our skin. A hat and sunglasses can go a long way toward preventing sun damage to the skin around the eyes and also to the eyes themselves. Read more

Teen Acne + Sun

Teenagers and the sun…at times it feels like a lost cause trying to get through to them about the risks! I get it. No teenager is happy with themselves - few are confident enough to embrace their natural skin tone or self-possessed enough to wear a sun-shirt when their friends are baking in a string bikini. Read more

FDA on SPF

Well, it's only taken the FDA thirty-three short years to require more clarification on sunscreen labels. So, are these new rulings gonna' actually help you? Yes and no. Here are the most relevant rulings which will be implemented by summer 2012... Read more