The risk of malignant melanoma may double if severe sunburns are experienced during childhood. Because children are exposed to sunlight for the longest period of time before age 21, regular use of sunscreen can reduce a child's lifetime risk of developing skin cancer. Therefore, preventive education is vital for parents of infants, preschool and school-age children, and adolescents. By assessing a child's risk factors, health care providers, teachers, and child-care professionals can incorporate preventive sun-safety education into their practice. This effort needs to occur at the community, state, and national level for widespread preventive sun safety and protection. In collaboration with the Healthy People 2000 project and in compliance with the United States Preventive Service recommendations, health care providers can help reduce the incidence of skin cancers in the American population.