Dermatology is the medical specialty concerned with the diagnosis, management and treatment of skin, hair and nail disorders.
Our state-of-the-art, modern Circle Health hospitals provide the relaxing space needed for medical consultations, diagnostic tests and treatment. Furthermore, our expert dermatologist is able to offer the full breadth of non-surgical and surgical interventions as appropriate. Our range of treatments include modern, non-invasive measures which use the very latest in technology such as laser/light treatments.
We strive to give our patients a unique understanding of their dermatology condition and all of the available management options. We then give our patients full control over their management plan, with follow-up appointments scheduled to monitor relevant disease markers and to make modifications to treatment plans where required.
There are a huge range of dermatological conditions with various causes. Some of the common causes include:
Autoimmune disorders are caused by a problem with the bodies immune system and manifest in many ways. Sometimes the faulty immune system can attack and damage the skin, nails or hair. Some common examples include psoriasis and lupus erythematosus, as well as certain types of alopecia (hair loss).
Allergies are a common complaint and often manifest in the skin. They can range from very mild symptoms to life limiting. Allergies can also be short-term (acute) or persistent (chronic) in nature. Common examples of types of allergic reactions to the skin include eczema, hives and contact dermatitis.
Benign growths and tumours are also common to the skin and the tissues directly beneath the skin. Causes can include trauma, exposure to toxins, genetic factors and infections. However, there may be no cause identified.
Skin infections have various causes, including:
Bacterial skin infections - xaused by a cut in the skin or an underlying condition such as acne which is characterized by blockages of the hair follicles.
Viral skin infections.
Fungal skin infections – often caused by lifestyle factors which increase the amount and time individuals spend sweating into clothes. Body mass and chemistry may also predispose some individuals.
Parasitic skin infections.
Initial consultation
Our dermatology expert consultants will firstly establish details about your exact symptoms, to help them to formulate a list of possible diagnoses before requesting any tests.
Particular aspects of the history and symptoms which our consultants may examine in greater detail include:
Whether you have self-referred to our dermatology unit or you have been referred by another doctor or healthcare professional, our dermatologists will always conduct an in-depth physical examination at your initial consultation. Once completed, our consultant dermatologists will request a range of diagnostic tests.
State-of-the-art diagnostics available for you
Unlike the majority of specialist medical areas, standard imaging techniques such as X-ray, MRI and CT scans are not routinely requested. In some circumstances, dermatologists will conduct a more thorough visual examination of areas of skin using microscopy or specialist lighting. This can enable more accurate, visual analysis of symptoms associated with pigmented lesions or other occult changes beneath the superficial skin layer.
Allergy tests can be conducted under certain circumstances, and may be achieved in two ways:
Skin biopsies are performed as non-invasive procedures where the superficial layers of the skin may be shaved, or as small invasive procedures where the deeper layers of skin are removed by punching underneath the skin or by excising tissue manually.
Some dermatology conditions are related to wider immune system disorders or other general health problems. Depending on the exact medical problems needed to be screened our dermatologists may run blood tests including:
The right treatment for you
Depending on the nature of the condition our consultant dermatologists may recommend the following treatments:
All of our screening, diagnostic procedures and treatments may be booked immediately following a consultation, and all utilise the very latest in pathology and interventional technology.
Peace of mind for you
We appreciate that undergoing necessary diagnostic interventions and treatment for dermatology conditions can be a stressful experience. Circle Health plans and carries out thousands of appointments and medical interventions each week.
Based on our experience, we have developed an excellence in both clinical and non-clinical care in order to relieve your worries and allow streamlined patient journeys from appointments to diagnostics, treatments and any onward referrals to other specialties.
Additional support when required
To support our expert dermatology consultants, our team also includes specialist nurses and our service is supported by expert pathology labs who are able to analyse any skin biopsies taken.
Circle Health is able to provide further specialist services related to dermatology within our hospitals when needed. This includes a UK leading rheumatology department when investigating possible autoimmune disease as well as leading oncology and radiotherapy services. The ability to gather opinions and further expert knowledge in-house leads to organised and stress-free transitions of care.
Not only is our dermatology clinical care second to none, your treatment will be conducted in a modern, clean facility which you are able to feel comfortable in throughout your treatment.
