First it was the cinnamon challenge, then Kylie Jenner lips, and now the latest photo trend on social media channels is sunburn art. What is sunburn art, you ask? The idea is to create intricate designs on the body (similar to a tattoo) with sunscreen template cutouts, and then venturing out in the sun for an intense sunburn.

Dr. Marc Sanders, dermatologist at the Intermountain Memorial Clinic, urges people to consider the seriousness of sunburns, and to demonstrate their artistic and creative talent in a way that won’t cause skin cancer.  

“People must realize how risky this kind of sun exposure is,” Dr. Sanders said. “The risk for melanoma, the most dangerous kind of skin cancer, doubles in people who have had more than five sunburns, particularly when they are younger.” 

Intermittent, intense sun exposure causing burns is particularly risky for melanoma, but may increase the risk of other skin cancers also. Some experts indicate these intense sun exposure activities can increases chances of melanoma by 50 percent. Skin cancer rates are increasing dramatically because of increased exposure to ultraviolet radiation and these trends are not bending the curve.

If you think you might have signs of melanoma start with checking out a mole or other mark on your skin. Your health care provider will examine your skin with the ABCDE rules in mind. This means looking at:

• Asymmetry. One half of the mole does not match the other half.
• Border irregularity. The edges of the mole are ragged or irregular.
• Color. The mole has different colors in it. It may be tan, brown, black, red, or other colors. Or it may have areas that appear to have lost color.
• Diameter. The mole is bigger than 6 millimeters across, about the size of a pencil eraser. But some melanomas can be smaller.
• Evolving. A mole changes in size, shape, or color.

Your health care provider will ask you about the mole. Tell him or her:

• When you first noticed it
• If it hurts or itches
• If it oozes fluid or bleeds, or gets crusty
• If it’s changed in size, color, or shape