If you are insured, you should speak to your insurer before you book your appointment. Your insurer will normally require you to have been referred by another doctor. They will provide you with an authorisation code for the consultation, which will need to be provided to Derma along with your insurance membership number.
To book a consultation, you can use the link at the top of the page to book online, or call or email Derma. If this is your first appointment, we will require you to provide some further details, which you can either do online or over the phone.
Sometimes, a consultation can take place virtually, either over the phone, or using video conferencing to diagnose a condition, but ideally, it should be face to face where possible.
You cannot undergo a medical treatment, even if it is for a non-surgical ‘cosmetic’ procedure, without first having a consultation.
What Happens During the Consultation?
Like any medical office, you may have to wait a few moments before your appointment begins, and our staff will ensure you are comfortable while waiting, and may offer you a tea or coffee. If there’s anything they can do to make your wait more pleasant, please ask, although they will not be able to answer medical questions.
Once you are brought through to the consulting room, you will meet your dermatologist, and before anything else, you’ll sit down to discuss your medical history. A consultation usually takes around 15 minutes, to allow the dermatologist time to get all your medical history, assess the skin condition and to discuss their analysis and proposed plan for treatment with you.
Your dermatologist will take a full medical history and ask you lots of questions to understand your medical condition, and they may make additional notes while you’re speaking.
You will be asked to explain the skin condition that’s causing a problem – depending on where it is on the body and how visible the issue is, you may show it to the doctor, or you may wait until they have asked to conduct the examination.
Some common questions the dermatologist may ask are:
- When did the condition first arise?
- How long has the condition been a problem?
- Has the condition always looked or felt the same, or has it changed?
- Have you noticed any patterns with the appearance of the condition – for example, is it triggered by eating a certain food, or when you do a certain activity?
- Does the condition tend to stay about the same, or does it get clear up and then return?
- Do you have any other medical issues, like hay fever, asthma, or a history of certain bacterial infections?
- Do you have a family history of skin disorders or disease?
Some people can find it helpful to bring along their own notes, or a ‘diary’ listing their symptoms or reactions – especially if the condition seems to be triggered or worsened by a particular food or environmental condition, such as the weather.
Consultation
The dermatologist may ask you additional questions about the condition during the examination, and this is because they will be using their medical expertise to exclude possible skin conditions that could have a similar presentation.
If treatment is appropriate, it may be possible to perform this on the day of the consultation. If you feel this may apply to your condition (such as a lump or lesion), you may want to bring along someone to the appointment.
If you do bring someone along, it is your choice as to whether or not they attend the consultation. They are very welcome to remain in the waiting room and make use of the facilities during your appointment.
Your dermatologist will explain all potential side-effects to enable you to select the best option for you, and will be happy to answer any questions you might have about the diagnosis or the treatment, and what each will mean for you going forward.
Depending on the treatment and the severity of your condition, further tests and follow-up appointments may be required to manage your treatment.
Related Specialists at Derma
Dr Charles Archer
Consultant Dermatologist
Dr Charles Archer is a registered specialist with the GMC and his NHS Consultant post is split between The Royal Berkshire Hospitals and Oxford University Hospitals.
Dr Sanju Arianayagam
Consultant Dermatologist
Dr Sanju Arianayagam is a Consultant Dermatologist and gained her dermatology experience at Cambridge University Hospitals, Oxford University Hospitals and the Royal Berkshire Hospital.
Dr Rima Clayton
Consultant Dermatologist
Dr Rima Clayton is a UK trained Consultant Dermatologist who practises in Reading and Oxford. She is fully trained in both paediatric and adult dermatology.
Dr Sabrina Khan
Consultant Dermatologist
Dr Khan consults on all general dermatology conditions such as eczema, psoriasis and acne.
Dr Rachel Fisher
Consultant Dermatologist
Dr Fisher consults on all general dermatology conditions such as eczema, psoriasis and acne.
Dr Inge Kreuser-Genis
Consultant Dermatologist
Dr Kreuser-Genis is a UK trained Consultant Dermatologist who practices in Reading and Oxford. She is fully trained in both paediatric and adult dermatology.
Professor Rubeta Matin
Consultant Dermatologist
Professor Rubeta Matin is a UK trained consultant dermatologist and honorary senior lecturer in Oxford since 2015. She is fully trained and on the GMC specialist register.
Dr John Reed
Consultant Dermatologist
Dr John Reed has been a UK trained consultant dermatologist and senior lecturer in Oxford since 2007
Dr Catriona Wootton
Consultant Dermatologist
Dr Wootton’s specialist interests include contact dermatitis and patch testing, tropical and infectious dermatology alongside both general dermatology and skin cancer.
Dr Antonia Lloyd-Lavery
Consultant Dermatologist
Dr Antonia Lloyd-Lavery is a UK trained Consultant Dermatologist and Honorary Senior Lecturer in Oxford since 2017. She is fully trained and on the GMC specialist register. She qualified from Oxford University in 2008.
Mr Andy Pay
Consultant Plastic Surgeon and Skin Cancer Surgeon
Andy is very experienced in the management of skin cancer, particularly melanoma, but also in the management of squamous cell and basal cell carcinomas and other skin and soft tissue tumours.