Before you go outside, enjoying the sunshine and basking in the sun all day at the beach, there are a few things you should know about skin cancer. Some things can drastically increase your risk of skin cancer, including prolonged exposure to sunlight. Know your skin and what can happen if you don’t take care of it.

First, you have three layers of skin. These layers of skin are found on top of a layer of thin fat and your muscle tissues. Your outer layer of skin is called the epidermis. Did you know that several types of cancer cells can affect this outer layer of skin? Let’s focus on those:

Squamous skin cells– flat and thin, forming on the top layer of your skin

Basal skin cells – rounder and located just beneath the top layer of your skin or just beneath the squamous cells

Melanocytes – made of melanin, these cells give your skin its pigment. Exposure to sun produces more pigment; giving you that glorious tan you’re looking for.

The problem is, that tan can come back to haunt you. More young people today are being diagnosed with various forms of skin cancer, whether you’re a natural sunbather, or a tanning bed groupie.

When it comes time to treat that cancer, you should also know what it costs. Cost of skin cancer treatments depends on the type of cancer with which you’ve been diagnosed, as well as the stage of cancer growth, it’s location, and your proposed treatment and prognosis.

Travelers to Central Europe, Asia, Mexico and South America can save hundreds to thousands of dollars on skin cancer treatments, of course based on recommendations by an oncologist.