Beaworthy Skincare

July

This month is skin cancer awareness and as I have already put the information out there to all of you I thought I might discuss with you why I started my clinic.

Toiling with the idea for several years do I , don't I and in between we had Covid. I used to sit with a few close friends and family thinking how good it would be to provide a service for simple dermatological concerns. Many years ago when my children were very small and my husband was away at sea, I had an interview with Dermatology in a Portsmouth hospital for outpatients , I thought this would work with my home / work balance and pleased when I was offered the position- sadly, not the friendliest of departments, I was then asked by a Surgeon Commander from a military hospital who completed a few shifts there if I would like to join his team. THE BEST decision I ever made!

 The doors that were opened to me for training for phenomenal

I was one of the first cohort of Registered Nurses to complete minor op training at Queens University Hospital, Nottingham.

I completed a course for PUVA/ UVB treatment ( Light treatments) for skin conditions in Cardiff as well as Iontopheresis ( sweaty hands and feet treatment).

Became a specialist for treating Bullous Pemphigoid - A skin condition that self attacks and before prednisolone was invented was a seriously debilitating disease which could take your life. I wrote my dissertation on this for my dermatology module in 2003. The patient that I looked after was amazingly brave- I had to change her wraps every 6 hours and went to the ward on my days off to make sure she was covered with the care that was required- Others who were not aware of her condition thought she was contagious, actually they were a threat to her!

I was active in the daily minor operations theatre with Dermatology Drs and my Nursing colleagues where we completed minor ops autonomously or with our medical colleagues. In between running the department;  I became involved with recognising skin lesions  such as skin cancer;  fascinated at the cohesive way all departments intertwined to complete the best care for our patients - Plastics teams, Opthalmology, Ear Nose and throat, Maxillary facial and the hospice teams where the malignant melanomas/ occasional squamous cell cancers had not been successfully removed due to time lapse, sadly due to lack of recognition from the patients and getting to their surgery to have the lesion reviewed.

 I did sun awareness on the beach and patrolled as well as gave advice, day out of the office..... and with my SPF on! Dispelling attitudes that sunburn was good and if you had coconut oil on - all the better!!!

Eczema and Psoriasis patients were treated by me during their active episodes, taking on an autonomous role, and later training colleagues in primary care to be aware when to refer or how to treat the conditions.  Giving confidence to parents to be able to provide skin care management for their child / children in their home environment, using the medication provided to settle their skin, particularly topical steroids that had the worst press at that time. - Parents would occasionally have no confidence but would then be in tears because a week later at review  they had a full night sleep, one set of parents, the first for 5 years.

That was amazing to see parent, affected child and siblings in a better place.

Being involved with acne patients and after completing my prescribing exams in 2008 was able to care for them autonomously, giving a complete skin care package to work with, including organising blood tests , medication, when to refer and most importantly helping  them to make an informed decision in their care.

I  was persuaded to complete a course for maggot therapy in tissue viability - Not my most favourite treatment but did lead to a better understanding of  tissue viability; completing a course in this helped me understand the healing process, I even did a research paper which was published! 

Forwarding on several years into my  career and a few moves later with the military i joined Primary care as well as acute care.  I became involved with the menopause and what it does to us all as women but also on the receiving end are our partners who, at times have problems being able to respond to us in a positive light - after all, the majority of the time we are fed up with ourselves and can't get out of that hole and even worse cannot explain it to nearest and dearest because we do not understand it ourselves!

Being able to help women understand what their body is doing and that it just is not about the lack of menstruation, it is about what the lack of hormones and what that will do to us, skin changes, weight changes, Mental health , emotions, bony aches, sweats, acne, foggy brain, Rosacea- The list seems endless.... But to bring a smile or relief to a patient at a follow up from a prescription raised or referral or informed choices for other over the counter treatments- It is the best feeling  ever.

My friend, a trainer in aesthetics for at least 20 years asked me to come and see how aesthetics can change a person's feeling about their self- I loved the challenge of understanding a new way of helping patients to have confidence  in themselves, why would a filler make them feel better about themselves, how would wrinkle treatment give them more confidence - what about asymmetry through Bells Palsy. Understanding through training injectables, what they do and how they work, actually one of my trainers I had to approach as had a basal cell cancer on the forehead so whilst I was training, I was also advising!

What is the best bit of this?

All of it!

Giving patients the confidence to approach me, no matter how trivial they feel there concern is, It is important to that person. Understanding your skin , not through a one day course but an entire career of working with skin , having the ability to complete an assessment. Yes, we have tools for confirmation of skin concerns; but it is the clinical history, the experience in taking that history which can sometimes set dermatology in aesthetics in a different light.  For example , the tools such as a dermatoscope or some skin analysers are there to aid the outcome and help the patient understand their skin and what changes have occurred, but the history and clinical assessment has led towards the use of these tools.

This is why I opened my clinic and I love it!

I am not a great social media person, but I have an amazing person, Hayley, ( Very patient)!  to help me sort this and get the information out there.

My clinic doors are open because I want to help you all - My passion for your skin care is unwavering and I can surprise myself how involved I can become! We are all individuals and have our own needs but if there is something that I can help with I am always here to offer support or advice. I complete skin consult reports for you, use my dermatoscope to help with understanding hyperpigmentation or sun damage for example. Or to check a lesion does not require a referral. I use my treatment sheets with model's photos on to show how treatments can make a difference.

My clinic is word of mouth or what you may see advertised through social media.

I have the most amazing patients and for some of those that have been completing their journeys with me have occasionally been tearful from positive experiences - Never wearing a low cut dress because of acne scarring or not wanting to go out because of rosacea affecting them and found excuses , not for a few years but maybe 20-30 years. We changed that together, you with your tenaciousness and own decision making with what was being able to be offered by me and my clinic. You know who you are and you really are the best for putting your faith in me.

My patients are the backbone of my clinic and I thank everyone of you who have crossed my threshold to ask for advice, start a journey in one way or another. I do not put photos up of you as most do not want their identity to be known as you all know, who have been in for consults-

Our clinic mission has all been shared with you , and was told to me by a particular patient... or ten with friends and family commenting

' I don't know what you have done, but you are looking amazing. Did you change your diet... or have you done something else?'

Your secret, my treatments!

I am coming up to my 1st year in clinic and have loved coming to work, I cannot believe where the time has gone and with my best friend by my side who organises my days in clinic, and occasionally outside!, has been the most amazingly patient person and is the front of house smile that you receive as you step in to Beaworthy Skin Care, Medical Aesthetics Clinic- I really do have the best of work / life balance-

To find out more and get the support you need send us a message or call us.

Our Clinic is your journey to excellent skin health

We offer-

SKIN CONSULTATIONS

WRINKLE TREATMENTS

THIS IS A PRESCRIPTION ONLY MEDICINE AND WILL NEED A MEDICAL CONSULTATION PRIOR TO TREATMENT.

FILLERS

SKIN BOOSTERS

CHEMICAL PEELS

CUBE LIGHT WITH / WITHOUT LUMIXA

TREAT NEUROLOGICAL PAIN WITH CUBE LIGHT

TREAT SKIN CONDITIONS USING CUBE LIGHT

PLASMA TREATMENT 

RADIO FREQUENCY WITH ELECTROPORESIS

HYDRO FACIALS

MOLE MAPPING 

MOLE CHECKS with Dermatoscope and the 7 point check list

We also complete :

skin tag/ seb wart/ mole / cherry angioma removals

Skin Care shop for moisturisers/ skin treatments and SPF 30 or SPF 50

Ear examinations and if needed Ear syringing using pro pulse method, referring if appropriate  

COME AND SEE US IN CLINIC FOR A TREATMENT