How often should you go for skin cancer screening?
People with statutory health insurance in Germany can take part in skin cancer screening free of charge every two years from the age of 35. Unfortunately, young people are also increasingly affected by skin cancer. Some health insurance companies cover the costs of skin cancer screening from the age of 15. Skin cancer screening should also be considered at a young age, particularly in the case of hereditary predisposition or very light skin types. The public health department also recommends monthly self-examinations - more than half of all skin cancer cases are discovered by those affected themselves.
Which sunscreen do you recommend for daily use?
The Federal Office for Radiation Protection recommends a sun protection factor (SPF) of at least 30 for daily use, but if you are in the mountains, on snow, by the water and in particularly sunny regions, you should use SPF 50+. This is generally recommended for children and particularly UV-sensitive people. It is also important that the sun cream also protects against UV-A radiation. This longer-wave UV component penetrates deeper into the skin and causes long-term damage such as skin ageing.
In order to achieve the specified protective effect of sun products, the cream should be applied 20 to 30 minutes before going out in the sun. Two milligrams per square centimeter of skin is recommended.For an adult, this is four heaped tablespoons for the whole body. A standard bottle of 200 milliliters should be used up after five applications.
How often should sunscreen be reapplied - even in everyday life without going to the beach/outdoor pool?
You should reapply every two to three hours, but this does not extend the protection time. Waterproof sunscreens should also be reapplied after swimming, as the product is lost through waves and abrasion when it dries.
What else is recommended for protection?
Textile sun protection, shade, sun hats, sunglasses, avoiding the midday sun and a parasol can provide additional protection.
How do I recognize the first signs of skin cancer or suspicious moles?
Even at an early stage, melanoma can be identified by certain changes or abnormalities in a pigment spot. The ABCDE rule is particularly helpful:
Asymmetry: A mole is irregularly shaped and not round or oval. Border: The border of a pigmented mole is irregular or blurred.
Colour: A mole has several shades of color - from brownish to reddish, bluish, grayish or blackish. Diameter: Pigment spots that have grown suddenly or are larger than 3 to 5 millimeters in diameter are considered suspicious. Elevation: The pigment mark protrudes more than one millimeter above the surface of the skin. Itching and bleeding are also warning signs.
Early signs of white skin cancer can vary greatly. In the early stages, a basal cell carcinoma can appear on the skin in the form of a nodule. The nodule may be glassy, whitish or reddish. It may have fine veins of blood and be sunken in the center. Often there are also sore, crusty areas of skin that do not heal and wounds that repeatedly fester.
What special precautions apply to children?
Children's skin is particularly sensitive - its own protection time is only about ten minutes. Therefore: no blazing sun for babies, no sun cream in the first year of life, textile sun protection, e.g. hat with neck protection, suitable sunscreen with SPF 50, avoid midday sun and apply sun cream at least 30 minutes before going out in the sun, as children's skin only has a self-protection time of 10 minutes. As small children still have a transparent lens, they should wear sunglasses.
Cancer prevention weeks coming soon in the Ludwigsburg district
The Health Promotion and Health Planning Department of the Ludwigsburg District Office is organizing the "Cancer Prevention Weeks" from the beginning of September to mid-October 2025 (week 36 to week 41). With numerous campaigns and information offers, the population will be made aware of the importance of prevention and early detection and motivated to lead a healthy lifestyle.
