Everything I've read about skin types etc. says that if you have dark hair and eyes your risk for skin cancer goes down. My skin is very pale, my father is a redhead w/blue eyes and our skin is the same color, however, my hair is almost black and my eyes are brown. Does hair and eye color really matter if your skin is very pale? Im super paranoid about skin cancer, I really want to avoid it. Honestly, I don't remember ever being severly burned as a child, never had blisters, because I've always worn sunscreen, but I have been burned a few time when I was an adolecent, I live in Massachusetts, its only sunny here a few months out of the year, I don't lay out in the sun nor have I ever been in a tanning bed (I kind of like my pale skin, when I was younger my family used to call me snow white lol) now to the point, Im 20 yrs old and I have a freckle on my shoulder that has become a bit raised, like a little bump, Im going to have my doctor check it at my physical in october, but it keeps worring me. should I make an appointment sooner or am just being paranoid?

I think that you should just have it checked at your next appt - no rush. Your history of sun exposure isn't excessive and you take care to wear sunscreen so you are probably okay. But if you are concerned about something, you should get it checked when you can.

Also, any skin color can and does get melanoma. Black, white and anything in between.

Keep on being smart with your skin - use sun screen and limit your sun exposure & get checked by your derm. :)