Background Melanoma, an invasive and potentially fatal form of skin cancer, is estimated to account for 5.0% of new cancer cases and 1.4% of cancer-related deaths in 2024 alone.2 Survival rates are closely linked to the stage at detection, with thicker tumors at initial diagnosis associated with reduced overall survival rate.3,4 Increased distance to healthcare providers creates barriers to early detection. Moreover, disparities in sun exposure and healthcare access between rural and urban populations underscore the need for targeted interventions to address these inequities. This review aims to bridge the knowledge gap regarding the relationship between rurality or distance to health providers with melanoma staging at detection, informing policies and interventions to improve outcomes in at-risk populations. Methods A search was conducted of the PubMed and Embase databases, following the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analysis (PRISMA) guidelines.23 The studies included were those that compared melanoma staging or Breslow thickness in rural areas to urban areas as well as studies doing the same comparison with distance to healthcare providers. Results In this review, six cross-sectional and seven retrospective cohort studies were included, with international and U.S.-based studies represented. The scopes of these studies were hospital-wide, regional, and countrywide, with samples mainly consisting of all patients of the specified region with a diagnosis of primary melanoma. Most studies utilized population-based cancer registry data, while hospital-wide studies relied on electronic health records. Studies examining the influence of rurality on melanoma staging and Breslow thickness yielded inconclusive findings, largely due to statistically insignificant results in related papers. However, consistent results were reported in studies evaluating the impact of distance from the provider on staging and tumor thickness at initial diagnosis. Increased distance to the provider is shown to have a significantly positive correlation with advanced staging and thickness. However, the limited sample representation poses the risk of biases affecting the reliability of such conclusions. Conclusion This review highlights the critical impact of healthcare accessibility on melanoma outcomes, particularly emphasizing the influence of distance to healthcare providers over rurality in determining Breslow thickness and tumor stage at initial diagnosis. The findings across studies evaluating provider distance underscore the necessity of reducing geographic barriers to dermatological services to improve early detection and management of melanoma. This reinforces the importance of ensuring equitable access to dermatological services regardless of region.