
38. Frequent flying can increase your chances of cancer.
Whether you’re a flight attendant, a pilot, or a jet-setting businessperson, you are at a much higher risk of a variety of cancers. Female flight attendants have a 50% higher risk of breast cancer than women in other professions, and frequent flyers are four times more likely to get non-melanoma skin cancer.

Cabin crews are also at an increased risk of cervix, thyroid, colon, liver, and stomach cancer. One possible explanation for these increased rates is that flight attendants are exposed to many known and potential carcinogens within their work environment. One of these carcinogens is cosmic ionizing radiation, which is elevated at higher altitudes. This type of radiation is particularly damaging to DNA. However, if you’re not a frequent flyer, you likely won’t be exposed to enough ionizing radiation to matter.