Melasma – What Is It?

No, melasma (or chloasma is its other name) is not a condition of spotty eggs!   It is a common condition which affects the skin on the face of women.    I even had it at one point, I think after the birth of my second child.  It came on in the summer months and […]

Basal cell carcinomata (BCCs) – Painless pink papules

The vast majority of our workload at the Dermatology department at Orpington Hospital deals with skin cancer and by far and away the commonest skin cancer we deal with is called a basal cell carcinoma (BCC).  Its other name is ‘rodent ulcer.’  Indeed in my adult general clinic today nearly all my patients had a […]

Choosing the right sunscreen – Part 2

Carrying on from ‘Choosing the right sunscreen – Part 1’, I had a lot more to say about sunscreens to that particular mother in the school playground but time and children did not permit.   What I wanted to explain was that there are essentially two types of suncreens – chemical absorbers and reflectant or […]

Strawberries and eczema

My family and I love strawberry picking.  So much so, that a friend remarked that we should all be weighed in and weighed out at the strawberry farm; the children (especially the littlest) often can’t help scoffing the odd one or two (or three or four) as we go along the rows.   Thankfully, none […]

Changing Moles

Needless to say it is the time of year when we are all becoming a bit more aware of our skin.   More people come to dermatology services at this time of year with changing moles, probably because generally warmer weather should mean shorter sleeves and skirts and more skin, (and therefore moles), is on view. […]

The Sun And Your Skin

Believe it or not, it is now summer!  We were just talking in the dermatology department at Orpington about the unpredictability of the weather.  That day, one of the team had turned up to work in a summer dress, thick opaque tights, wellington boots and a raincoat! However, despite the weather, it is still that […]

Choosing The Right Sunscreen – Part 1

The other day I had a mum in the playground asking which sunscreen I would recommend for her son who has eczema.  It’s actually a hard question to answer, even for a Consultant Dermatologist, because sunscreen use is largely linked to personal preference, much like choosing a moisturizer.  Also, the choice of sunscreens nowadays, can […]