Be Skin Smart is an awareness and prevention education program designed to increase awareness among students of the dangers of UV exposure. Encouraging them to adopt sunsafe habits is achieved through education and implementation of programmatic elements.
If you are a DIGA student and interested in bringing Be Skin Smart to a college campus, be sure to register with IMPACT Melanoma. Register today.
Facts

Tanning beds expose users to harmful UV rays that cause skin cancer.

Having more than five sunburns doubles your chance of malignant melanoma.

Melanoma is the second highest cancer among 15-29-year-olds.
Melanoma is the deadliest form of skin cancer.

Melanoma kills on average 1 person an hour in the US.
IMPACT Melanoma is the nation’s leading non-profit dedicated to significantly reducing the incidence of melanoma in the United States and saving lives.
What is Be Skin Smart?
Be Skin Smart is an appeal to
Be responsible,
Be accountable,
Be intentional.


The Misperception — A Cut It Out Cancer.
Skin cancer, including melanoma, is unfortunately commonly dismissed as a “cut it out” cancer; a minor cancer that is not a big deal. The facts indicate otherwise. It is serious… and deadly. Our mission and the focus of Be Skin Smart is to reach college students across the country to help eradicate this misperception, promote the adoption of healthy habits, and ultimately to save lives.
An Overview of Be Skin Smart
It starts with awareness.
Awareness
We offer an awareness tool kit ideal for on campus events such as orientation, homecoming, activity day for clubs on campus or for you to take to leverage in your local community to build awareness.
Our Be Skin Smart Tabling Kit includes:
- UV bracelets that turn color to notify you of exposure to UV rays
- Frisbees that turn color from exposure to UV rays
- Mole cards to increase awareness of skin changes to pay attention to.
- IMPACT Melanoma lip balm to protect your lips from UV rays.
- Our “How Skin Smart Are You?” online quiz; this quiz is brief, yet impactful in raising awareness of the risks of developing skin cancer and behaviors that earn a failing grade.
- Table signage includes the importance of avoiding tanning beds; including two acrylic frame holders.
- IMPACT Melanoma yellow plastic tablecloth

For only $30, the above Be Skin Smart tabling kit will be shipped to you to get started.
Prevention
As awareness is increased across your campus and community, there are more opportunities to expand Be Skin Smart. We recommend that champions are secured to build a sustainable program that includes additional funding. Champions may include the medical school, health center, athletic department, the band, or intramurals programs.
As momentum is built, additional Be Skin Smart program elements may include:
Signage and messaging to further extend awareness:
- Digital signage designs to co-brand with your college/university logo to extend awareness in the health centers, recreation centers, dining areas and student commons. The signage are reminders of ways to Be Skin Smart such as wearing sunglasses, sunscreen, hats, and protective clothing, and seeking shade.
- Access to designed posters to co-brand and have visible across campus and incorporate into ongoing campus life as ongoing reminders of how to Be Skin Smart. Downloadable to print locally.
Making sunscreen accessible across campus and in the community.
- Access to sunscreen is a primary reason that survey respondents share as to why they don’t wear or reapply sunscreen.
- A way to Be Skin Smart is to have free sunscreen accessible across campus and the community to encourage application and reapplication.
Portable shade structures to promote fun and safe outdoor activities.

Be Skin Smart. Be Informed.
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A study published in early November revealed a stronger than expected association between tanning beds and melanoma. The public health concern remains high for the accessibility of tanning beds and the increasing rates of melanoma over the past two decades, especially...
IMPACT Melanoma Symposium – Teenagers and Sunscreen Use
A CDC Grant Funds IMPACT Melanoma and Harvard School of Public Health Research Melanoma is the most common form of cancer and the most preventable. At IMPACT Melanoma we are dedicated to increasing awareness of the dangers of the sun’s UV rays and the importance of...
Father and Daughter: A Melanoma Story
Today, Leah Adams is an open book; sharing her story to help others learn from her and her Dad’s melanoma stories. 2019: The Beginning In August of 2019, Leah’s Dad was diagnosed with Stage 0 melanoma. Leah’s mom had noticed a mole on his upper back that did not look...
Are you ready to Be Skin Smart?
Be Skin Smart.
It’s a great time in your life. It’s time to adopt skin smart habits.
Be Skin Smart is an IMPACT Melanoma program that is being implemented across the country with DIGA (Dermatology Interest Group Association) students as the lead.


