Introduction: skin cancer is a pathology with an important frequency in the world, it is generally divided as non-melanoma skin cancer (NMSC) or melanoma. The exact incidence of skin cancer is complex to establish due to lack of diagnostic criteria and sometimes underreporting. Objective: to detail current information related to skin cancer, etiology, epidemiology, pathophysiology, assessment, treatment, differential diagnosis and skin cancer in children. Methodology: a total of 32 articles were analyzed in this review, including review and original articles, as well as clinical cases, of which 23 bibliographies were used because the other articles were not relevant to this study. The sources of information were PubMed, Google Scholar and Cochrane; the terms used to search for information in Spanish, Portuguese and English were: skin cancer, melanoma, actinic keratosis, basal cell carcinoma, squamous cell carcinoma. Results: Skin cancer is found in all races worldwide. However, the risk is substantially higher in those with fair skin because of the photoprotective effects of epidermal melanin. In fair-skinned individuals, about 75% to 80% of nonmelanoma skin cancers are basal cell carcinomas and about 25% are squamous cell carcinomas. Immunosuppression significantly increases the risk of forming cutaneous squamous cell carcinoma throughout life. The incidence of melanoma in pediatric individuals has decreased in recent years. Childhood and adolescent melanoma is not common and accounts for only 1.3% of all cancer cases in individuals under 20 years of age. However, between 15 and 19 years of age, melanoma represents approximately 7% of all cancers. Conclusions: There is a high prevalence of skin cancers worldwide, sometimes going unnoticed and causing important consequences. The diagnosis and treatment of these neoplasms is a significant health problem, which can sometimes be prevented. The places most affected are those with the greatest exposure to the sun, so adequate sun protection is crucial to prevent skin cancer. In addition to knowing the pathology, its types and characteristics, it is important to perform a proper skin examination for the correct diagnosis, control and management. Currently there are multiple treatment alternatives such as surgical excision, cryotherapy, chemotherapy, immunotherapy and radiation, which show positive aspects against this pathology.