You might not be able to take back your sun exposure from childhood, but you can modify your risk going forward by limiting your time in the sun and by using sunscreen. An Australian study found that by wearing sunscreen daily over a 10-year period, the risk of melanoma was reduced by 50 percent.
A more recent 2018 Australian study published in JAMA Dermatology notes that those under 40 years of age who regularly used sunscreen throughout their childhood had a reduced incidence of melanoma, by up to 40%.
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