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.

Take Action

The Facts

News, statistics and interesting sun and melanoma related facts!

Killer Tanning Beds

KILLER TANNING BEDS  When I was in high school, going to a tanning salon before a school dance was a given.  I can still remember that sickly sweet smell of coconut mixed with sweat- I think all tanning salons must smell the same.  Looking back, I'm embarrassed at how naive I was to believe some oiled-up proprietor boasting of the "benefits" of indoor tanning.  I mean, the beds look like coffins for goodness sakes!  And the lamps are blinding...! With all the current research and information out there about the dangers of tanning beds, it's shocking that almost 36% of young women and 12% of men are still tanning!  These young people either don't know about the risks or just plain don't care.   Young people feel immortal, I get it, but this is why tanning beds need to be banned for minors.  If kids under 18 can't make the right choice on their own, we need to help them along with a ban.  Here are some disturbing statistics...  
  • Indoor tanners are 74% more likely to develop melanoma than non-tanners.
  • UVA radiation from tanning beds is 10-13 times more concentrated than that of the sun.
  • Tanning beds are associated with an increased risk of early on-set melanoma.
  • Tanning beds emit mostly UVA radiation which plays no part in our bodies ability to produce vitamin D (only UVB radiation helps with vitamin D production).
  • Chronic UVA exposure accelerates the aging of our skin by as much as 7 years.
  • Tanning beds are addicting, literally!*
  *For more on tanning bed addiction check out my post entitled Addicted.  

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