Skin cancer is a collective term for numerous cancer diseases that develop or are visible on the skin. The most feared skin cancer is the black skin cancer, the so-called malignant melanoma. It develops from the pigment cells of the skin, which is why it is usually black in color.
Much more common is white skin cancer, which includes basal cell carcinoma and squamous cell carcinoma and their precursors (e.g. actinic keratoses). White skin cancer mainly affects older people and tends to affect the upper skin layers. Squamous cell carcinoma occurs mainly on the face, as it is caused by long-term exposure of the skin to the sun. Especially the so-called “sun terraces” on the face, the auricles, the bridge of the nose, the eyelids and the lower lip, which are particularly exposed to a lot of sunlight, are affected. In addition, there are a large number of other skin cancers, some of which are very rare, but cancers of internal organs can also settle in the skin and lead to malignant changes.
Symptoms of skin cancer of the face
The symptoms associated with skin cancer of the face depend on the type of skin change. The black skin cancer initially causes no symptoms, it is characterized by birthmark like dark, black spots on the skin. Mostly the spots are asymmetrical, irregularly limited, large and irregularly colored.
A basal cell carcinoma or basal cell cancer grows slowly, visibly, usually painlessly, and is predominantly characterized by skin-colored or reddish nodular skin changes. Actinic keratosis is particularly visible on the face, as it develops in areas of the skin that have been exposed to sunlight frequently. Small reddish, rough spots appear, which can also be accompanied by itching.
Causes of skin cancer in the face
Probably, as with all types of cancer, a variety of factors lead to the development of skin cancer in the facial area. The best known and best influenceable risk factor is UV radiation from the sun and solariums. Above all the skin in the face is very frequently exposed to the UV-RADIATION, it comes to a damage of the genetic material (DNA).
This damage alters (mutates) certain genes that are crucial for the development of cancer. The fact that the skin of the white population is particularly unprotected against UV radiation is shown by the fact that sunburn occurs after only a few minutes to hours of sunlight. The severe damage to the genetic material of the skin cells leads to the programmed cell death of the affected cells.
This leads to sunburn with blistering, scaling and subsequent renewal of the skin. Pale skin and frequent sunburn are thus among the strongest risk factors for facial skin cancer. However, the total number of moles on the body also plays a role. Those who have more than 50 to 100 moles have an increased risk of black skin cancer.
