Welcome to London Dermatologist, practice of
Dr Edward Seaton, Dr Ferina Ismail and Dr Jennifer Jones
We are NHS consultant dermatologists at the Royal Free Hospital, London
and work as private dermatologists at several London locations.
These webpages are for our patients and the public and provide a reliable source of information about common skin problems and treatments.
They also give advice about obtaining dermatologist appointments in London and London dermatology clinics.
Why see a Consultant Dermatologist?
Consultant dermatologists are the highest qualified skin specialists in the United Kingdom. Dermatologists are doctors who are recognised by the General Medical Council as specialists who have trained in the diagnosis and treatment of conditions that affect the skin, hair and nails.
How Much Training is required to be a Consultant Dermatologist?
It takes about 12-15 years medical training in the UK to become a dermatology consultant
After completing a 5-6 year medical degree and 1-2 years pre-registration training to become a licenced medical practitioner, a doctor must then practise general (internal) hospital medicine to a high standard for 2-3 years (passing a higher professional examination to become a Member of the Royal College of Physicians or Paediatrics) before then undertaking 4 years specialist training in dermatology (disorders of skin, hair and nails). Some dermatologists will undertake an extra year's specialist training after this. At this stage the skin specialist is recognised by the General Medical Council and only then can they apply to become a consultant dermatologist which then usually involves a competitive interview process. Some dermatologists go on to specialise further after becoming consultants, for example in skin surgery or allergy testing.
How do I obtain an NHS or private appointment with a Dermatologist in London?
Seeing an NHS Dermatologist in London
Most consultant dermatologists in London work in dermatology departments in NHS hospitals. To obtain an appointment to see an NHS skin specialist in London, a referral needs to be obtained from your general practitioner. If your GP decides that you need to see a skin specialist, they can advise you about your local dermatology clinics. In some parts of the country, referral management schemes have been put into place, which means that you will be referred to a General Practitioner with a Special Interest in Dermatology rather than a consultant dermatologist.
If you are referred to a dermatology clinic, it is not usually possible to specify to see a particular consultant dermatologist, as usually a general referral is made. However you will be seen by a of the member dermatology team, under the supervision of a consultant dermatologist. If you need treatment, the NHS dermatology clinic must start this within 18 weeks (or 62 days for some types of skin cancer) of your GP referral. Many NHS dermatology clinics are restricted in the types of condition they are allowed to treat. Benign or 'cosmetic' problems such as skin tags, cysts, benign moles and warts are not usually able to be treated by NHS dermatology clinics.
Seeing a Private Dermatologist in London
A private dermatologist appointment gives you more freedom to see the consultant dermatologist of your choice at a location and time of your convenience. Private dermatologists will also be able to offer treatment for benign lesions or offer cosmetic advice. You may have more time in the consultation than in an NHS department.
To arrange a private appointment you can contact the dermatologist directly (as a ‘self referral’). However, is often helpful discuss it first with you GP and request that they write a referral letter to the consultant dermatologist. This means your doctor can inform the consultant dermatologist of your medical history and treatment to date. If you have health insurance, obtaining a referral letter is usually a policy requirement.
What treatments can I obtain from London Dermatologist consultants?
Our dermatologists are have a great deal of experience in the following: Medical treatments for eczema, psoriasis, acne, rosacea and other inflammatory skin problems, surgical and medical treatment of skin cancers (including Mohs surgery and photodynamic therapy), mole assessment (including mole mapping and dermoscopic analysis), surgical removal of benign skin lesions (e.g. warts, cysts, skin tags), allergy tests, treatments for hair loss or excess, nail problems, diagnosis and treatment of complex or rare skin disorders, light and laser treatments, treatment of skin and nail infections, treatments for facial pigmentation or vitiligo. Dermatologists will also be able to advise on the best methods to reduce and reverse the signs of skin aging. Please see our patient information section for further details.
London Dermatologist- Our Team
Our dermatologists are listed on the dermatology specialist register by the General Medical Council in London and specialise in the diagnosis and management of skin, hair and nail problems in adults and children, with extensive experience of conditions such as acne, eczema, psoriasis, moles, benign skin lesions, skin aging, inflammatory rashes, warts, pigmentation problems (e.g. melasma and vitiligo) skin allergy and skin cancer. They work closely with other dermatologists in London and with colleagues in plastic surgery, ophthalmology, cosmetic camouflage (British Red Cross) and psychology.
Dr Edward Seaton BM BCh MA DM FRCP
Dr Seaton studied Medical Sciences at Cambridge University and Clinical Medicine at Oxford University. He trained as a dermatologist in London at Hammersmith Hospital and University College Hospitals. During his dermatology training he completed a DM doctorate degree (similar to a PhD) at Imperial College, London. He has published and lectured internationally in the field of dermatology and is a member of the British Association of Dermatologists and the British Society of Dermatological Surgery. He works as a consultant dermatologist, in London at the Royal Free, a London teaching hospital, where he is clinical lead of the large dermatology unit.
Dr Seaton has an expert interest in the treatment of acne, rosacea and acne scarring and has been invited to speak about these conditions at national and international dermatologist meetings.
Dr Seaton is one of the few dermatologists in the UK trained in Mohs Surgery, a dermatologist provided, scar-minimising surgical technique for basal cell carcinoma, the commonest type of skin cancer, which has the highest cure rate of any treatment. He also specialises in assessment of moles, skin lesions and skin cancer and undertakes photodynamic therapy (PDT), a skin cancer treatment for superficial basal cell carcinoma that uses light to destroy cancer cells. Dr Seaton also undertakes sclerotherapy for thread veins.
Dr Ferina Ismail MB BS BSc PhD MRCP
Dr Ismail studied medicine at Guy's and St Thomas' Hospitals, University of London, and obtained a first-class honours BSc degree in genetics. She trained as a dermatologist at Bart's and The London, The Royal Free and King's College Hospitals in London. During the course of her dermatology training she was awarded a prestigious 3-year Medical Research Council clinical fellowship for which she completed a PhD at the Cancer Research UK, London Research Institute and Centre for Cutaneous Research in London. She is a member of the British Association of Dermatologists and a founding board member of its group focusing on skin care in transplant patients. She has presented and published her research nationally and internationally. She works as a consultant dermatologist at Royal Free Hospital in London where she leads the skin cancer service.
Dr Ismail has broad experience of all aspects of medical dermatology with particular expertise in skin cancer. She specialises in the assessment of moles and skin lesions and has specific experience in dealing with skin problems in organ transplant patients, who tend to present with more challenging skin cancers and skin conditions.
Dr Jennifer Jones MB MS BSc FRCP
Dr Jones studied medicine at the Royal Free Hospital, University of London and was awarded Bachelor degrees in Science, Medicine and Surgery. She has broad and extensive training in dermatology having undertaken specialist training at University College and Chelsea & Westminster Hospitals in London, and also internationally at the dermatology departments of Miami, Barcelona and Auckland University Hospitals. She is a member of the British Association of Dermatologists and treasurer of the British Hair and Nail Group. She has published and presented nationally and internationally. She works as an NHS consultant dermatologist at the Royal Free Hospital in London where she is Head of Dermatology Specialist Training.
Dr Jones has extensive experience of all aspects of medical dermatology with particular interest in hair disorders including hair loss (alopecia), skin allergy and skin cancer. In addition she advises as a consultant to a major international cosmetics company and has a specialist interest in cosmetic dermatology including anti-aging procedures such as botulinum toxin (Botox) and cutaneous fillers.
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