Medical and Surgical Dermatology

Dermatology covers all areas of the skin, nails and hair. The skin being the largest organ of the body is susceptible to various conditions that can impact not only its appearance but also overall health.

Such examples of common dermatological conditions include acne, rosacea, eczema, psoriasis and dermatitis.

Professional dermatological care is important to accurately diagnose and manage such conditions using a multidisciplinary approach and treatment modalities tailored to individual patient needs. Such interventions range from topical medication, biologics and phototherapy to minimally invasive surgical procedures and laser.

A skin check is a full-body skin examination and assessment of your skin from head to toe. Recommended as a a preventative method for detecting and treating skin cancers.

Having a range of available skin cancer treatments is optimal for tailoring to patient specific needs and successful treatment. These approaches will be determined by the type of skin cancer, size and location. Non-surgical approaches range from cryotherapy, topical medications or photodynamic therapy (PDT) which also minimise the outcome of scarring. Surgical approaches such as excisional surgery are often employed in more localised and invasive cases.

Benign skin lesions are usually growths or abnormalities such as a mole, cyst, skin tag or lipoma and pose no immediate threat to health but may cause discomfort or aesthetic concerns. Surgical approaches for successful removal involve excisional surgery, shave excision and curettage which are non-invasive surgical techniques which can be performed under local anesthesia and typically results in minimal scarring.

All benign lesions that are removed are sent to pathology as a precautionary measure to ensure there are no harmful elements present.

Paediatric dermatology refers to the diagnosis and treatment of skin conditions in infants, children and adolescents. The physiology of the skin in paediatrics presents distinct challenges and considerations compared to skin in adults and is critical to tailor appropriate treatment measures determined on the patients age and tolerability for successful and safe outcomes.

Phototherapy is a non-invasive dermatological treatment method that typically involves the use of Narrow-band Ultraviolet B (NB-UVB) light at 311-312nm to treat inflammatory skin conditions such as pruritis (itch), eczema, dermatitis, urticaria, psoriasis and vitiligo.

Photodynamic therapy (PDT) is an innovative treatment option targeting sun damaged skin such actinic keratosis and skin cancers which can effectively remove and prevent future damage or cancers from forming.

This is achieved by using a photosensitising solution that is applied topically to the treated area and when exposed to light (laser) it reacts and destroys any abnormal cells (cancer) whilst minimising any damage to surrounding healthy skin tissue.

This treatment is well tolerated by most individuals. There is minimal downtime depending on the severity of treatment indication and typically results in minimal to no scarring.