With nearly 80,000 new cases per year in France, skin cancers (basal cell carcinomas, squamous cell carcinomas, and melanomas) are the most common types of cancer. They are also among those that have increased the most over the past fifty years. The most serious form, cutaneous melanoma, saw the number of new cases triple between 1980 and 2005. According to the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC), nearly 70% of cutaneous melanomas are believed to be caused by sun exposure. Recent epidemiological studies have confirmed the established link between melanoma and exposure to artificial UV radiation. The IARC meta-analysis published in 2006 concluded that there is a 15% increased risk of melanoma (RR = 1.15 with 95% CI: 1.00–1.31) for individuals who had used artificial UV radiation at least once in their lifetime. A 75% increase in risk was observed for a first exposure before age 35 (RR = 1.75 with 95% CI: 1.35–2.26). Advances in scientific knowledge regarding the carcinogenic effects of UV radiation (UVA and UVB) led the IARC, in July 2009, to classify artificial ultraviolet radiation as a Group 1 carcinogen for humans—meaning it is known to cause cancer—on par with solar radiation. The popularity of tanning, viewed in our societies as an aesthetic asset and a symbol of good health, makes preventing exposure to ultraviolet radiation (both solar and artificial) a major public health issue. This concern is specifically addressed in the 2009–2013 Cancer Plan (Action 12.5: Strengthen prevention of UV radiation exposure), which calls for new public awareness initiatives and regulatory changes in this area. The incidence and mortality rates associated with melanoma are discussed in the chapter on exposure to natural UV radiation. It should be noted that cutaneous melanoma has a favorable prognosis when diagnosed early, but that therapies remain insufficient to combat metastatic forms. [excerpt from chapter]