Melanoma is attributed to lifestyle, environmental, and hereditary factors. Anyone can get melanoma. Certain risk factors increase your chances of getting melanoma. The more you know about the risk factors for melanoma and skin cancer, the more you can protect yourself.
Risk factors:

• Fair skin
• Light hair
• A large number of moles (greater than 50)
• Tendency to freckle
• Tendency to burn easily
• Family history of melanoma
• Sun exposure throughout life
• Blistering sunburns as a child or adolescent
• Presence of dysplastic nevi (a certain type of irregular mole)
• A weakened immune system
• Previous melanoma

You can't pick your genes, but you can control how much time you spend in the sun and how you spend your time in the sun. You can choose to perform monthly skin self-exams and to visit a dermatologist annually.