Skin Cancer

Kate Neale was young, pretty and poised to take on the world — until her tanning obsession led to a melanoma diagnosis at age 21. Now she's trying to save other women from a similar fate.

With skin cancer rates on the rise, it's alarming how many people still hit the tanning salon for a pre-vacation primer.

A new study has found a dramatic increase in skin cancer among women under the age of 40. Though the lifetime risk of melanoma has traditionally been higher for males, "we found that women in their 20s and 30s today are 2.3 times more likely than men to be diagnosed with it," says Mayo Clinic dermatologic surgeon and lead researcher Jerry Brewer.

It's time to amp up how you protect yourself from sun damage. Here's the latest news from the science world

If one cancer charity gets its way, the distinctive buzz of tanning beds could soon become harder for Ontario teens to hear. With melanoma becoming increasingly common in Canadians aged 15 to 29, the Canadian Cancer Society is asking Ontario to ban teens under 18 years old from using indoor tanning beds in the province. Nova Scotia and the city of Victoria already have similar bans in place, and Sarnia is considering one. Should this one be left to personal and parental discretion, or is it time to change the rules?