Private Consultant Dermatology

Private Consultant Dermatology

We’re delighted to work with four Consultant Dermatologists who each offer a range of bespoke private dermatology procedures, treatments and support. The Consultant Dermatologists are Dr. Naila Dinani, Dr. Kimberlee Lim and Dr. Charan Singh Thandi. Please note, we are an 18+ service only.

When registered with Dr. Dinani, Dr. Lim or Dr. Thandi, you remain their private patient throughout your care, and not of Cotswold Surgical Partners direct. These Dermatologists have been granted ‘Practising Privileges’ to practice from Cotswold Surgical Partners’ Care Quality Commission accredited and regulated skin care centre.

Cotswold Surgical Partners assist in liaising between yourself and the Dermatologist to arrange appointments, assist with any queries and facilitate any follow-ups required providing a clean, safe and welcoming facility.

Our administration team, based in our Skin Care Centre in Royal Wootton Bassett, are here to help you if you have any questions about registering with a Private Plastic Surgeon, what procedures can be provided and arrange appointments for you. You can get in touch through our ‘Contact Us’ page today. Private surgery is only provided from our centre in Royal Wootton Bassett.

What is Dermatology?

Dermatology is a medical speciality concerned with the diagnosis and treatment of skin conditions and diseases. These conditions can be of the skin, hair, nails and genitals. Examples of the (more than 3000) dermatological conditions which you may have heard of before including acne, eczema, psoriasis, alopecia, fungal nail infections, moles, warts and cysts, birthmarks, varicose veins and hyperhidrosis (excessive sweating). Dermatology also covers skin cancer in all its forms.

What is a Consultant Dermatologist?

A Consultant Dermatologist is a physician with specialist training in the diagnosis and treatment of skin, hair and nail conditions. It is also a protected title, unlike Dermatologist or Skin Doctor meaning that you can be confident in the care that you receive, with added peace of mind. Training to become a Consultant Dermatologist takes many years and they spend their professional life exclusively treating skin disease, giving them the highest level of expertise and experience in the field of Dermatology.  Consultant Dermatologists are also skin surgeons and routinely treat skin cancers including basal cell carcinoma, squamous cell carcinoma and malignant melanoma. They are also able to diagnose skin cancer and examine suspicious moles, removing them if necessary.

When to see a Consultant Dermatologist?

If you think you may have a skin condition that is causing you discomfort, embarrassment or worry, our Private Dermatology service can help. They can diagnose and treat a range of skin conditions, usually in many different ways, meaning treatment options can be tailored to your individual condition and circumstance. Sometimes your GP may not be able to diagnose you or may suspect you have a dermatological condition that needs quick assessment and treatment; this is where a Consultant Dermatologist can come in. As Consultant Dermatologists at our clinics work privately, you are able to see a professional very quickly. In many skin conditions, symptoms get worse the longer they are left, so getting a quick diagnosis and treatment, particularly in skin cancer, is vital. An accurate and early diagnosis is more likely to lead to appropriate treatment and improve the quality of a patient’s life, so if you are suffering from a skin condition, don’t wait to get in touch.

Whether you have recently noticed that a mole has changed shape or colour, are frustrated by an itchy rash that isn’t going away or would appreciate advice about treating severe acne, seeing an expert in skin health is the simplest, quickest way of getting the most appropriate treatment for your condition.

Why is skin health so important?

Your skin is the largest organ in your body and plays a crucial role in your health and how well your body is able to function. More than just a covering for the body, your skin also:

• Protects your body – from the elements and infection
• Helps to regulate your internal temperature – blood vessels near the surface of the skin may dilate (widen) to help heat to escape from the body in warmer temperatures or constrict (narrow) in order to reduce heat loss in cooler temperatures.
• Gives you your sense of touch – touch receptors in the skin generate electrical impulses that travel through the nervous system to the brain
• Synthesises vitamin D – essential for healthy bones, teeth and muscles, vitamin D is produced by the body when the skin is exposed to direct sunlight.

It can be quite easy to pay little attention to our skin until something goes wrong with it. Common problems including acne, eczema and psoriasis can all have an effect on physical, mental and emotional health, sometimes significantly so.

If you develop a skin problem in a more visible area of your body, like your hands or face, you might find yourself becoming quite self-conscious about how it makes you look. You may even start trying to cover up the affected area with clothing or make-up. While this may be a short-term solution, it does not treat the underlying problem. This is where our Dermatology service could provide you with much needed support. .

Unfortunately, skin can be damaged in a number of ways, including:

• Irritants and allergens
• Ultraviolet (UV) radiation – from the sun
• Injury
• Underlying disease
• Genetic factors
• Stress

A number of skin conditions may resolve themselves naturally over time or with simple changes to your daily skin care regime. Other skin complaints will need expert-led treatment to treat.

We created a ‘Skin Conditions‘ section that provides an overview to common skin concerns we can assist with in our Dermatology clinic, so please do take a look through these pages.

Consultations

Private Consultant-led Dermatology: A formal consultation is required before any surgical procedure or treatment can be organised. We can organise a consultation with a Consultant Dermatologist for a fee of £250.00, get in touch today and we’ll arrange this for you. We strongly recommend you bring a supportive friend or relative along to your appointment to help you think about all the information and discuss your treatment options. Please note we are an 18+ service only and kindly ask that children are not brought to your appointment.

At the consultation, the Consultant Dermatologist will collect a thorough history of your medical health and background, including past health, medications, and operations. They will then ask you questions to get a clear understanding of what you are hoping to achieve and your expectations from any treatment. The Dermatologist will also undertake a detailed physical examination to assess your clinical situation and suitability for treatment. If you have a list of current medication, or previous letters/reports from past medical visits, please bring these along with you.

Your Consultant Dermatologist will then explain your options for any treatment or procedure and the process involved. You will be taken through a detailed explanation of the benefits as well as possible complications and risks of the surgery. While this is not meant to scare or alarm you, it is essential and part of ensuring you have all of the information required to make an informed decision.

At your initial appointment with your Consultant Dermatologist you will typically:

• Spend quality time with your Dermatologist
• Have your photos taken if clinically required
• Have a physical examination by the Dermatologist
• Find out more about your recommended surgical or treatment options
• Receive detailed information about your treatment and/or surgery
• Go through the possible complications and any risks
• Consider sizing options (for some procedures)
• Find out about the likely costs of any required procedure/s and available dates
• Ask any other questions you may have
• Please allow up to 30 minutes for your initial appointment

It is very important to establish a strong relationship with your surgeon prior to any surgery to ensure that you are happy to proceed.

Following your consultation, you will receive in the post:

1. Consultation letter summarising what was discussed, the procedure required and any relevant information
2. Detailed estimate of costs including the surgeon fee and the theatre costs

Treatments

Being right on the M4, we are easy to get to from across Swindon and Wiltshire, and even have patients travel from Bath, Bristol and Gloucestershire. Our comprehensive dermatology service includes the assessment and management with a Consultant Dermatologist of skin conditions such as:

• Acne – Typically presents at puberty, but can occur at any age. Acne can range in severity from mild to severe and may cause permanent scarring on the skin. While mild acne can often be managed with over-the-counter treatments, severe acne may need antibiotics or other treatments that are only available on prescription from a Dermatology Consultant.
• Isotretinoin for Acne – an oral retinoid used to treat severe acne and chronic forms of acne in adults.
• Eczema – A group of skin conditions that cause itchy, dry skin. While there is no cure for eczema, treatments can often help to successfully relieve symptoms.
• Psoriasis – A long-lasting genetically inherited skin condition which can present in a variety of ways. Inflammation of the skin and overproduction of the surface cells lead to the development of patches of red scaly skin, which can be anywhere on the body. Treatments can help resolve symptoms and to improve the appearance of the skin.
• Contact dermatitis – When certain substances come into direct contact with the skin, they can cause a rash to develop. These substances include certain chemicals and fragrances and are known as allergens. Identification of the problem and appropriate investigations are required to accurately diagnose and treat this condition.
• Rosacea – A facial rash, commonly seen in people who are prone to flushing and developing spots on the central face Good control is often achieved with a combination of topical and oral treatments.
• Hives (urticaria) – Urticaria can be caused by a number of triggers, including food and medication allergies and underlying infections. However, a cause is often not identified. Identification of possible triggers and discussion of good symptom control with antihistamines is usually achieved.
• Infections – Including athlete’s foot, ringworm and folliculitis (inflammation of hair follicles)
• Hidradenitis suppurativa (HS) – A very painful skin condition that can cause skin abscesses and scarring in severe cases. It usually occurs around the groin, genitals, anus, armpits or below the breasts. This can a difficult condition to manage, and early diagnosis and treatment may help to prevent symptoms getting worse. This is usually a general medical issue.

Other people visit us for help with skin ‘lumps and bumps’ including:

• Moles
• New skin lumps
• Growths caused by long-term sun damage
• Suspected skin cancers

Due to the wide variety of problems that can affect the skin, some types of skin surgery may be carried out by specialists in other fields, and may be referred to one of our Plastic Surgeons. If referral to another specialist is appropriate, this will be arranged for you.

Treatment will always be tailored to your specific requirements, and should you have any questions about treatment options at any stage, your Dermatologist will be very happy to talk through them with you.

Below are sample procedure costs, though we will discuss and quote appropriately for your individual concerns.

Procedures

More information on our surgical procedures can be found here.

Before deciding to have a surgical procedure you should be clear on the following:

• What are you going to have done?
• What you would consider a successful outcome and the likely result? This is important because if you decide to go ahead with surgery, your surgeon can tell you whether your expectations are achievable.
• Do you understand what could go wrong and could you cope if it did go wrong?
• Discuss your options with friends and family members to get their help and advice, but you should make the decision that is right for you.

Remember:

• Having surgery is a big decision, and you should never feel rushed or pressured into giving your consent to have surgery.
• Take as much time as you need to make your decision. Cotswold Surgical Partners suggest that you take at least two weeks after your consultation with the operating surgeon to think things through before surgery.
• You can change your mind at any point, and you can ask for a second opinion from another surgeon. There may be an additional fee for their time but we can confirm this with you before any decision is made.

Pricing

For further information on our pricing structure and guidance for those covered by Private Insurance, please click here.

Meet our Dermatologists

Private Dermatology at Cotswold Surgical Partners, meet our team:

• Dr. Naila Dinani – view bio
• Dr. Charan Singh Thandi – view bio
• Dr. Kimberlee Lim – view bio

Patient Support

Our Private Patient Co-Ordinator Jane will be your contact throughout your care with us. To discuss your dermatology concern, get in touch today.