Chance to speak to hospital consultant online about skin issues

Skin deep – how to manage common skin complaints and avoid skin cancer - is a free online event held in the county to help identify problems and answer common skin complaint questions.

It is part of the series of free county Your Health Matters events run by Kettering General Hospital NHS Foundation Trust (KGH) Governors to help demystify health conditions and provide practical tips, the next event looks at how to manage common skin problems and avoid skin cancer.

The free virtual event, Monday, 15 May, 4-5pm on Microsoft Teams, will be introduced by KGH Staff Governor, Jayne Chambers. Event speaker, Dr Olivia Stevenson, Consultant Dermatologist and Skin Cancer lead, will talk about the causes of and managing common skin complaints and avoiding skin cancer. Attendees can submit their questions in advance or ask Dr Stevenson during the event.

This is a unique opportunity to (virtually) sit opposite a hospital consultant and ask your skin-related questions. To register for this free event, click here.

It will follow on from three specific face-to-face skin lesion drop-in events also being held by the service on Wednesday May 3-Friday May 5 from 9am-11am next to the hospital’s dermatology unit - on the second floor of the Prospect House Medical Centre in Lower Street, Kettering.

These are free events open to anyone on a first come first served basis.

Dr Olivia Stevenson, Consultant Dermatologist said: “Over the last ten years half a dozen melanomas and dozens of non-melanoma skin cancers and pre-cancers have been picked up and subsequently treated following KGH awareness events.

“Mole cancer (melanoma) is the most publicised and most dangerous kind of skin cancer however we also need to be able to treat the less serious skin cancers promptly to ensure a good outcome and reduce the need for surgery.

Dr Stevenson said she personally sees some 20-30 new skin cancers each week at the hospital. She said: “Anyone who has a mole or lesion which is changing rapidly on the skin or behaving differently from other moles, for example changing colour, weeping, bleeding or growing faster, should go to their GP for advice.

Adding, “Sometimes people, particularly men, can ignore changes when they really should have them checked out by their GP straight away as if caught early many skin cancers can be completely cured.”

Other cases of common skin complaints and diseases, from infections to psoriasis can be effectively managed with the right diagnosis and course of treatment. If you have a skin complaint, don’t suffer in silence!