Are skin cancer rates rising because more people tan today than in the past?
Actually, skin care rates rose steadily during the 1900’s and society today spends less time outdoors now than ever before. Our sun exposure patterns are more-and-more intermittent, which makes sunburn more likely if one is not smart about their suncare habits. Remember, most people worked outdoors until the industrial revolution in the late 1800’s. It could be theorized that the fact that people don’t receive as much regular sun exposure as they used to which makes them more susceptible to sunburn when they do go outside may be linked to the increase in skin cancer now.
