While you may already have a personal goal in mind to accomplish in 2012, have you thought about creating a New Year’s Resolution that can have a profound impact on others as well? You, just one person, can help lower the rate people are being diagnosed with melanoma, the most serious form of skin cancer, and save lives. This year, consider giving back by getting involved in a race for the cure, fundraise for melanoma research, or hold an event to help educate others about skin cancer and prevention. Our friends at Melanoma Research Foundation (MRF) have some suggestions to help you get started.

Melanoma, the most serious form of skin cancer, isn’t going away. In fact, The National Cancer Institute previously estimated in 2011 that 70,230 people would be diagnosed with melanoma and 8,790 would die of melanoma of the skin. While two major melanoma treatment advancements have made headlines over the past year, it’s even more important to remember that the best way to fight this disease is prevention.

Some stories are so powerful they need to be retold. This blog was written by Dr. Jessica Sparks Lilley, a pediatrician who learned the hard way that the risks of getting melanoma from using a tanning bed are real! Please do not use tanning beds. Please do not allow your children to use tanning beds. Help pass legislation to ban the use of tanning beds by minors.

The holidays create such excitement here at Coolibar. Chances are you’ve probably talked with one of our cheery customer service gals on the phone or chatted with our social fanatics on Facebook, but now we want to take a brief moment to let you get to know some of the people you’re dealing with (and we mean that in the nicest way). Let us preface this by saying we work VERY hard, but we like to have a little bit of fun while we get our work done.

Skin cancer is cancer that forms in the tissues of the skin, as defined by the Center for Disease Control (CDC). So when you hear about the most common types of skin cancer which include basal cell carcinoma, squamous cell carcinoma and melanoma, what does it really mean? What are the differences between these types of skin cancers?

Our 2011 Coolibar Athletes were more than inspirational. They demonstrated that it’s possible to reach goals beyond yourself and help others in the process. The athletic endeavors of Paul Ridley and Dr. Pamela Peeke take place in the “Great Outdoors” where protection from the sun is nearly nonexistent. They trusted Coolibar to keep them safe from UV, [...]

TRUE or FALSE – you’re more likely to sunburn in a snowy landscape than a grassy plain. Think about it. Ultraviolet rays from the sun reflect off of shiny surfaces such as sand, water and SNOW! When walking into any ski resort chalet you’ll notice bright red faces of snowboarders and skiers fresh off the hill. Now the only question is, are the rosy cheeks and nose from windburn or sunburn?

If you had the resources to tell hundreds of thousands of people around the world about skin cancer and prevention would you? Director and Cinematographer Stan Kozma did and decided to take action. All is revealed about skin cancer and melanoma in his film “More Than Skin Deep: Skin Cancer in America”. This landmark film has so many elements that we decided to speak with Stan and get the reasoning behind his creation of the film.

Soft adventure travel, travel that combines physical activity, cultural exchange and engagement with nature, is the fastest growing segment of the exploding travel industry. Linda Ballou, soft adventure travel writer, has hiked, biked, kayaked and ridden horseback through untouched country. Linda also knows the importance of carefully preparing for every excursion, including packing sun protection. Given Linda’s years of adventure travel experience, Coolibar decided to have Linda put our Women’s Travel Sun Shirt to the test.

According to a recent survey by the American Academy of Dermatology, the answer is yes for many teens and young adults in the United States. When asked if they think people look more attractive with a tan, a large percentage of respondents (66 percent) answered yes, especially indoor tanners (87 percent).