Just Five Sunburns in Your Teens Could Double Melanoma Risk, Experts Warn

Five or more blistering sunburns during ages 15–20 can boost melanoma risk by about 80%, with risk rising with burn severity and age; sun exposure damages skin DNA, and while there’s no proven way to reverse damage after a sunburn, prevention—covering up, applying broad‑spectrum sunscreen generously 30 minutes before sun exposure, and reapplying about every two hours—is the best defense; with roughly 88 million U.S. adults experiencing sunburn annually, reducing exposure is crucial.