When Glynn first started coming to the clinic, his visits were every three months. "And then as they got to know me and the history of the moles, it widened out to six months. But since the diagnosis of the second melanoma, I'vebeen coming every three months," he said.

To protect yourself against the disease, Good Housekeeping has a few suggestions. "Researchers found that for every cup of caffeinated coffee you drink a day, there's a five percent drop in your chances of developing non-melanoma kinds of skin cancers," said Toni Hope, health editor, Good Housekeeping. "It may not be the most important thing you should do, but if you're already a coffee drinker, it’s another benefit."

Check your sunscreens to be sure they have UVA Ray protectors like Parsol 1789 or avobenzone, mexoryl, zinc oxide or titanium dioxide. And Dr. Polsky says don’t dismiss an odd-looking mole because it doesn’t look like a textbook example. "Occasionally, melanoma can show up in unexpected places, such as the palms and soles or even under the fingernails, and if patients see lesions that meet these criteria, go get them checked out by a dermatologist," he said.

The FDA may soon require sunscreen labels to tell you how well the products protect against harmful UVA rays. Some sunscreens are already doing this. But the labels are currently only required to tell you how well the sunscreens block UVB rays, the ones primarily responsible for sunburn. For more skin safety tips, check out the July issue of Good Housekeeping or visit www.goodhousekeeping.com.