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 … [Read more...] about Basal cell carcinomata (BCCs) – Painless pink papules

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 … [Read more...] about Choosing the right sunscreen – Part 2

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, … [Read more...] about Strawberries and eczema

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 … [Read more...] about Changing Moles

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 … [Read more...] about The Sun And Your Skin

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 … [Read more...] about Choosing The Right Sunscreen – Part 1