Private dermatology in Reading: skin clinics, mole checks and skin surgery

Spire Dunedin's skin treatments page is one of the most detailed dermatology listings in the area. The conditions named are skin cancer, eczema, psoriasis, acne, vitiligo, rosacea, skin-based lymphoma and generalised itchy skin. That covers the common inflammatory problems that fill most clinics, as well as less common conditions such as vitiligo, a loss of pigment in patches, and cutaneous lymphoma, a rare cancer of the immune cells in the skin that needs specialist assessment.

On procedures, the page lists removal of moles, cysts, warts and skin tags, scar revision, treatment for excessive sweating (hyperhidrosis), phototherapy, thread vein treatment, dermabrasion, chemical peels, iontophoresis, camouflage make-up and mole screening, plus biopsies and excisions. Phototherapy uses controlled ultraviolet light for conditions such as psoriasis and eczema. Iontophoresis uses a mild electric current in water to reduce sweating from the palms or soles. Corrective cosmetics, or camouflage make-up, are used to cover scars and pigment differences.

The hospital also mentions scarring from burns, injury, surgery and chickenpox. A patient who wants evidence of experience with a particular procedure can ask how many of that type a consultant performs each year.

The Berkshire Independent Hospital lists dermatology, cosmetic surgery, general surgery, gynaecology and other specialties in its treatments and services. Its page does not break dermatology down into conditions or procedures, so the question to put to the hospital is which skin procedures are done on site; its day surgery suite is described as suitable for minor surgery, which is the setting for mole or lesion removal.

Royal Berkshire Private Healthcare treats insured and self-funding patients at the Royal Berkshire Hospital on London Road and at West Berkshire Community Hospital, with free parking at the former and not the latter. Its page does not itemise specialties. Because the NHS trust's dermatology service sits on the same campus, a private patient who needs a more complex skin cancer pathway may find continuity there, but confirm what is offered.

The trust's dermatology department describes assessment, diagnosis and treatment for a wide range of skin, hair and nail conditions in adults and children, with eczema, psoriasis, acne, rosacea and complex skin disorders named. Treatments range from creams and tablets to phototherapy and biologic therapies, with procedures such as biopsy, cryotherapy, surgical removal and curettage. It is based in Outpatients 2, South Block, at the Royal Berkshire Hospital, Reading (RG1 5AN).

The department places particular emphasis on skin cancer. People with a concerning mole can be referred through the NHS urgent suspected cancer pathway by their GP, and the department says referrals come only from GPs or other healthcare professionals, not as self-referrals. In England the NHS says cancer should be confirmed or ruled out within 28 days of an urgent referral, and the maximum wait for non-urgent consultant-led treatment is 18 weeks. The area's board is NHS Thames Valley ICB.

Spire Dunedin is on Bath Road, Reading (RG1 6NS). The page gives a ten-minute taxi ride from the station and, by car, M4 junction 12 followed by the A4 for about three and a half miles to the hospital at 16 Bath Road. Parking is free on site, with a drop-off area at 22 Bath Road and a second consulting suite at 13 Bath Road, so check which building your appointment is in. Minor skin surgery is typically done under local anaesthetic, but ask whether you need an escort for the procedure you have in mind.

The Berkshire Independent Hospital's page provides no street address or transport details in the retrieved text, so ask the hospital before you travel.

For a mole check, a dermatologist uses a dermatoscope to look at pigment patterns and decides whether the lesion is benign, needs monitoring or should be removed. Photographs can help track change over time. If removal is needed, the sample is sent to a laboratory, and that result, not the visual impression, confirms the diagnosis. Basal cell carcinoma is the commonest skin cancer, squamous cell carcinoma is next, and melanoma is less common but more dangerous, which is why changing moles deserve prompt attention.

Eczema management centres on regular emollients and the sensible use of topical steroids, while psoriasis may need light therapy or systemic medicines. Acne can be treated with topical products, antibiotics, hormonal approaches or isotretinoin, which is prescription-only and requires monitoring. Rosacea, vitiligo and hyperhidrosis each have their own treatment options, some of which the Dunedin page names, such as iontophoresis for sweating.

Cosmetic procedures such as chemical peels, dermabrasion and thread vein treatment are elective and generally not funded by the NHS. A consultation should discuss realistic outcomes, risks and aftercare.

Pages change, so confirm the details with the provider.

• Is the clinician a consultant dermatologist, and will they examine my whole skin?

• If a lesion is removed, is it sent for laboratory examination and who tells me the result?

• Is the procedure I need done at this site and under what anaesthetic?

• Are long-term prescriptions, such as for acne or psoriasis, shared with my GP?

• What does the quote include, and are cosmetic and medical items priced separately?