Dermatology

Skin cancer screening – skin screening at the ethianum heidelberg

The incidence of skin cancer has been rising steadily for decades. In Germany, more than 15,000 people are diagnosed with malignant melanoma, or black skin cancer, and around 90,000 people with light skin cancer every year.

Skin cancer is a collective term for various malignant skin tumors. Black melanoma is one of the most well-known diseases. However, there are also a large number of other skin tumors, some of which are only noticeable due to their rough surface. The good news is that the chances of curing skin cancer are very good if it is detected early. It is therefore advisable to have regular skin screening carried out by a specialist.

However, you should urgently consult a specialist if

• a birthmark changes
• rough, non-healing spots are found on sun-exposed skin
• light-colored, growing nodules are visible
• scaly red patches are detected..

At the ETHIANUM Clinic in Heidelberg, Amira Ballout, a specialist in dermatology and venereology, carries out skin screening for skin cancer prevention. As a state-of-the-art clinic, we offer computer-aided skin cancer screening using the FotoFinder Vexia system. We have summarized how this skin screening works. You can also read how high your risk of skin cancer is and find information on determining your skin type.

Our doctors

The specialist for dermatology and aesthetic medicine

Amira Ballout is the head dermatologist at the ETHIANUM. Get to know this dedicated and friendly specialist better.

Amira Ballout is a specialist in dermatology and venereology. She has acquired special expertise in the field of aesthetic medicine and treatments with biologic therapies for chronic inflammatory skin diseases. As a specialist in the field of aesthetic and classic dermatology, Ballout knows how to treat her patients in the best possible way

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DermatologY

Skin cancer prevention – what skin type are you and how high is your risk?

Doctors distinguish between four different skin types. These are:

• Phototype I: Red/blond hair, blue/green eyes, very light complexion, freckles, skin does not tan, gets sunburnt very quickly
• Phototype II: Blonde hair, blue/green eyes, skin hardly tans, often gets sunburnt
• Phototype III: Dark hair, brown eyes, well-tanned skin, rarely gets sunburnt
• Phototype IV: Brown/black hair, brown eyes, skin tans well, almost never sunburns

The darker your skin is, the better it can protect itself from damage caused by UV light. You can find out how high your risk of skin cancer is based on the following factors. The more of these factors apply to you, the higher your risk of skin cancer and the more important regular skin screenings are.

• You belong to skin type (phototype) I or II
• You were often sunburnt as a child or teenager
• You like to sunbathe often or have done so extensively in the past
• You have a job or hobby where you are often exposed to the sun
• You use sunbeds
• You have many pigmentation marks such as moles or liver spots

Dermatology

Skin screening – the screening process

Professional skin screening begins with a detailed preliminary consultation. The entire skin is then carefully examined for suspicious changes. The hairy scalp and mucous membranes adjacent to the skin are also examined. A further step is the assessment of the pigmentation marks using a reflected light microscope. Our dermatology specialist, Amira Ballout, documents particularly conspicuous moles and skin changes.

The aim of skin screening is the early detection of skin cancer or its precursors. In this way, skin cancer can be prevented. It also increases the chances of recovery and avoids serious complications. For example, conspicuous moles can be removed quickly and easily.

The ETHIANUM Clinic Heidelberg offers state-of-the-art medical equipment for skin screening. We offer our clients computerised skin cancer screening using the FotoFinder Vexia system. In addition to photo documentation, the FotoFinder Vexia system also supports artificial intelligence, which can be used to generate an additional risk assessment. For this purpose, the images of the skin are compared with a digital database and analysed.

If the results of the skin screening show that a skin tumour needs to be treated, our specialist will discuss all further steps with you in detail.