Skin Cancer Unit - Ingress Healthcare

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Enjoy your outdoor lifestyle but keep safe from the sun

Skin cancer is the most common type of cancer in South Africa with over 20 000 cases per year. In fact we have the second-highest incidence of skin cancer in the world after Australia.

To avoid skin cancer you need to be sun smart, especially in your youth and make sure you are regularly screened.

Being Sun Smart

We have fantastic weather and many of us enjoy an active outdoor lifestyle. But we need to be sun smart especially when we are young. Our skin is often damaged during our childhood and then skin cancer manifests later in our life.

So our top tips are:

Make sure than you use sunscreen when you go out, at least SPF 30. Remember SPF 30 would last for about 2 and a half hours.
Try and avoid being out in the sun in peak hours, which is between 10 am and 3 pm each day.
Make sure you wear appropriate clothing and have a sun hat, it’s a great fashion accessory.
Make sure you wear an appropriate pair of sunglasses, it’s important to protect your eyes from the glare.
Protect your lips and put on lip balm.
Try and avoid sunbeds and tanning salons.

Screening gives you peace of mind

It is important to have a regular screening of your skin by an expert, to ensure you do not have any signs of skin cancer. If you detect skin cancer at an early stage then it is easier to treat.

You may want to have your moles checked by an expert should you have:

Asymmetry, where a mole or mark has one half which is unlike the other, moles should be symmetrical.
Scalloped or poorly defined edges, common moles have smooth and even borders.
Colour variations and inconsistency, common moles are a single shade of brown or black.
Moles with a diameter of more than 6mm.

Meet Our Experts

Professor Carol Hlela

Prof Carol Hlela is a dermatologist with a Master’s in Science in Global Health Science (MSc GHS) and a PhD in Clinical Medicine from Oxford University. She is one of two paediatric dermatologists in the country and is a leading specialist in skincare.
As a dermatologist, she is an expert in caring for the skin, diagnosing skin cancer, as well as recommending the best course of treatment.

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Professor Don Hudson

Professor Donald Hudson is an internationally renowned plastic and reconstructive surgery expert. He has developed a number of specialist techniques for breast surgery, skin cancer as well as key cosmetic procedures.
Professor Hudson surgically removes cancerous and other skin lesions using specialized techniques to preserve your health and your appearance.

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