<p>Strategies for the management of skin cancer should concentrate on two issues: primary prevention - changing public attitude and behaviour towards exposure to ultraviolet light - and secondary prevention - to detect malignant changes in the skin and encourage early diagnosis and treatment. If the prognosis for patients presenting with skin cancer is to be favourable, the nurse must be able to recognise these changes and, in turn, to educate individuals to recognise changes for themselves. This article describes the techniques which nurses may draw upon and assesses their effectiveness.</p>