Skin cancer. Dangerous spring sun in bald head

Skin cancer and sunburn: Spring sun dangerous for bald heads

18.04.2011

According to the experts of the skin tumor center at the University Hospital Münster (UKM), even the relatively mild spring sunshine of the past few days brings with it an increased skin cancer risk. Therefore, when staying outdoors, appropriate sun protection should be considered.

According to the experts, men with bald heads are particularly at risk from skin cancer, as they easily get sunburned on the scalp even in the relatively mild sun. The more frequently these sunburns occur during the course of life, the greater the risk of skin cancer. One possible consequence is the so-called white skin cancer, whose distribution has also increased massively in Germany in recent years.

200,000 Germans suffer from skin cancer every year
Skin cancer is becoming more prevalent in Germany. The more common form of white skin cancer among Europeans in this country affects more than 170,000 people a year in Germany, another 24,000 suffer from black skin cancer (malignant melanoma). Almost 200,000 people in Germany suffer from skin cancer each year. According to the experts of the University Hospital Münster, this is mainly due to the lack of sun protection. Many Germans seem to underestimate the radiation intensity of the sun. Even the spring sun, which is relatively mild at Easter, can trigger skin cancer on exposed parts of the body such as the bald head, bridge of the nose, cheeks and ears, favored by the currently very thin ozone layer over Europe. Therefore, when staying outdoors, sun protection is recommended. People with bald or thinning hair should wear a cap, other body parts should at least be rubbed with sunscreen. But beware: Absolute sunscreen does not provide sunscreen, no matter how high your sun protection factor is.

Protection against sunburn and skin cancer: avoid the sun
Especially for sensitive skin types, the most effective protection against sunburn and skin cancer is to avoid the sun. Hardly a Southerner would come to the idea to fry directly in the blazing midday sun. So the people in the Mediterranean region preferably stay in the cool shade when the sun is high. In addition, the body is covered for protection from the sun with sufficient, preferably permeable clothing. In Germany, however, the maximum protection afforded to the sun worshipers of their skin is usually a corresponding sunscreen and the use of moisturizing lotions. The sunscreen creams, however, offer only limited protection against the harmful rays of the sun and the effect of the protection factor is often only after some time. In addition, most sunscreen manufacturers use chemical UV filters, with the filter substances often containing additives such as titanium dioxide and zinc oxide. In addition, PEG / PEG derivatives are also used in some creams, making the skin more permeable to pollutants.

Surgery for skin cancer inevitable?
Since many Germans neglect the advice of dermatologists and oncologists, the number of skin cancers in this country has risen dramatically in the last 30 years. Here, white skin cancer with hundreds of thousands of illnesses annually constitutes a serious health threat. Especially older people over the age of 60 are affected by the disease. The first symptoms of white skin cancer, for example, may be slight tissue changes and keratinization, as well as spots, flaky skin, palpable hardening or thickening of the skin. Also referred to as epidermal cancer white skin cancer includes both basal cell carcinoma and squamous cell carcinoma and its precursors. Overall, it is significantly less dangerous than black skin cancer, since metastases are rarely formed. But surgical intervention is often necessary to prevent the proliferation of cells, even if in the early stages of the disease treatment alternatives based on topical agents exist. The cause of white skin cancer is UVA and UVB radiation, which is also present in sunlight. (Fp)

Read about:
White skin cancer is rapidly increasing
Dangerous black skin cancer
Sunscreen does not protect against skin cancer
Nanoparticles in the sunscreen

Picture: duxschulz