Skin Cancer Prevention and Treatment Programme

Years of South African sun leave their mark. For many people it shows up as rough, scaly patches called actinic keratoses, or as wide areas of sun-damaged skin. The Skin Cancer Prevention and Treatment Programme at West-Med The Sanctuary in Somerset West treats that damage with a prescription topical treatment, and our team stays in touch with you every day until the course is done. That daily support is the point of the programme: a treatment that is stopped halfway does not do its job.

Who the programme is for

• People with significant sun damage, especially on the face, scalp, ears, forearms and hands.
• Anyone with several actinic keratoses, or new ones appearing year after year.
• Patients referred by their own doctor or a dermatologist for treatment of sun-damaged skin.

Not sure whether a spot is sun damage or something that needs a biopsy? Start with a mole check and we will tell you which route fits.

Why treat actinic keratoses?

An actinic keratosis is a rough, dry or scaly patch caused by long-term sun exposure. It is common, and on its own it is not cancer. Some actinic keratoses do develop into squamous cell carcinoma over time, and there is often more damage in the surrounding skin than you can see. Treating the whole affected area early deals with the visible patches and the damage around them, and is simpler than treating a skin cancer later.

How the programme works

1. Intake consultation and dermoscopy: with Dr Esther Scott, to check each lesion and rule out anything that needs a biopsy first. If a specialist dermatologist referred you, we start from their assessment.
2. Your treatment plan: a prescription topical treatment that you apply at home, with your plan reviewed daily by a dermatology-trained doctor.
3. Daily WhatsApp check-ins: our team asks how your skin feels every day and tells you what to expect at each stage, from the first redness to the peak of the reaction, including how to keep the treated skin out of the sun.
4. A clinic visit at the peak: when the inflammation is at its strongest, you come in for Dermalux LED light therapy to calm the skin, with pain relief if you need it.
5. Follow-up: a review once your skin has settled, to check the result and plan how to protect it from here.

Photodynamic therapy

For some patients, photodynamic therapy (PDT) is an alternative or an addition to the topical treatment. A light-sensitising cream is applied to the affected skin, and the area is then treated with Dermalux light, which activates the cream so it targets the damaged cells. Your doctor will tell you at your intake consultation whether PDT suits your skin.

For doctors

Referring a patient with actinic keratoses or extensive sun damage? Use our practitioner skin referral form. We send your patient's findings and treatment summary back to you, so you stay in the loop.

Medical aid and costs

What your medical aid pays depends on your scheme, your plan and which parts of the programme you use. Check whether we accept your scheme with the medical aid checker, and reception will confirm what is covered and what is self-pay before you start.

Who you will see

Dr Esther Scott

Dr Esther Scott is the clinical lead for the programme and does every intake consultation for patients who have not been referred by a specialist dermatologist. She is a GP with a special interest in dermatology and holds a Diploma in Dermatology from the Royal College of Physicians of Ireland.