Malignant melanoma is the rarest and most deadly form of skin cancer. It affects the melanocytes (the cells that produce melanin, the skin’s pigment) and seems to be more prevalent among city-dwellers than among those who work outside. This seeming paradox is because scientific data indicates that episodic sun exposure resulting in burn is linked to melanoma, but constant exposure is not.
Melanoma does not necessarily occur in sun-exposed areas of the body which contributes to the belief that it is linked to brief, intense periods of sun exposure and a history of severe sunburn in childhood or adolescence.