It’s normal to have moles, but sometimes they can become dangerous. That innocent looking dark mark could be a sign of skin cancer, so checking your moles every few months is essential. If you have a history of melanoma, check even more often. If you notice anything different, check with your doctor.
Here’s when you need to get a mole checked.
There is no one look for moles. They may be any colour from skin tone to a range of browns or even black. While most are flat, some are raised and soft to the touch. However, normal moles should be evenly coloured and will have smooth edges – it’s when changes appear that you should be mindful and seek a professional opinion.
When should you consider seeing a doctor about a mole? Here are the signs you need to get it checked:
It can be difficult to tell a regular mole from a dangerous one, so if you have any concerns about a spot on your skin, it’s best to show it to a dermatologist. They will be able to tell you if there’s cause for concern or not. From there, you may take the recommended steps to either remove the mole or determine if it is cancerous.
If you’re looking for a skin specialist but aren’t ready or able to get to a clinic, you can get online advice from a dermatologist. This allows you to see a doctor without leaving your home and will reassure you if you’re worried about a mole. The doctor will examine your symptoms and photos of the mole and can discuss the options for treatment if needed.
Are you looking for a qualified skin specialist to look at your worrisome moles? Contact NHS GP today to book an appointment with our dermatologist.
Acne is a skin issue that plagues teenagers, but it can also affect you long into adulthood. It can be devastating to your self-esteem to deal with large blemishes on your face and body, not to mention it’s often uncomfortable. What can you do to prevent acne from forming in the first place?
Here are five top ways of preventing acne.
You should gently wash your face every morning and night with warm water and gentle soap. There are some soaps that are specially formulated to help with acne and these may help, but they can also be drying. You may wish to use acne soap just once a day. Washing regularly will reduce the amount of dirt that collects in your pores and can also rinse away oils and sweat that can clog the pores.
The acne products that you may use tend to dry out the skin, which can cause peeling and more issues with your skin. To prevent this, you should look for a moisturiser that says non-comedogenic on the label as it’s a much gentler formula.
You’ll find many acne preventing products are available. These usually use lactic acid, glycolic acid, salicylic acid, and benzoyl peroxide. You should always start out with a very small amount, as these products can be drying and may affect your skin adversely. If you notice any issues or sensitivities, you should stop using the product.
If you usually wear makeup, you need to avoid it while you’re dealing with an outbreak. Eye makeup rarely causes issues, but anything that could clog the pores on your face should be avoided. In between breakouts, use oil-free mineral makeup and remove it once you are home.
Your hair can transfer oil to your face, which may contribute to your acne breakouts. Keep hair off the face and be sure to wash it frequently. You want to avoid oily hair touching your face, but it’s also a good idea to skip gels and products that could get on your face and irritate the skin. If it stays on your hair after a shower, it can block your pores, so keep your hair back.
If these tips don’t reduce or eliminate your acne, it’s time to look for professional help. A dermatologist can help you find the routine that works for your face and may recommend a better product to use.
To learn more about how to prevent acne, contact our online dermatologist.
Speaking to your doctor about your health concerns doesn’t necessarily take place in the doctor’s office these days. Thanks to COVID-19, the world of medicine has changed drastically, and patients now have more options than ever. One of these is talking to your doctor online instead of visiting them.
Here are five top benefits of online medical consultations.
There’s no chance of picking up an illness from sitting in the waiting room. Since most people who visit the doctor are ill with something, it’s an area that is ripe with germs and viruses. You can avoid this by staying home and having your consultation without anyone else around.
Often you have to wait for an appointment to see your doctor. However, online consultations allow you to speak to a doctor much sooner. This is ideal if you’re worried about your symptoms or simply want to feel better as soon as possible. In many cases, you can arrange your consultation immediately, even if it’s not an ideal time.
Being sick usually means you just want to curl up in bed and stay there. Now you can talk to your doctor from the bed and be sure to get treatment for your illness without ever leaving the house. Many pharmacies offer delivery now and this means you can simply have the doctor call in your prescription and have it delivered to your home.
No one wants to deal with heavy traffic when they’re not feeling well or if they have a sick child. With online medical consults, you can skip driving or calling an Uber to take you in. You’ll save time and eliminate some of the most stressful parts of visiting the doctor.
You’ll save money by not having to get transportation to the doctor’s office. If you work, you can also ensure that you don’t lose money to take time off for a doctor’s visit. Instead, you can do it from your desk at work if you really need to. It’s a useful alternative to taking the day off to go and see the doctor.
Online consults are a big improvement over always having to go to your doctor. While not all problems can be solved or properly examined and diagnosed online, many issues are simple enough that your doctor doesn’t need to see you in person – this is the new face of medicine and it’s making life much simpler for many.
Interested in getting an online medical consultation? Learn more on the NHS GP.
Any of us can develop a range of skin conditions over the course of our lives. Although, if you have never seen a dermatologist, you may not be totally familiar with what conditions that they treat. This means it is tricky to know whether it’s time for you to schedule an appointment with a dermatologist. In this blog, we discuss a few ways you might be able to tell.
If you experience acne, rest assured that you are not alone. It isn’t necessarily the case that an over the counter treatment is going to help and you may want to schedule a visit with a dermatologist. A dermatologist will be able to determine the kind of prescription treatment that would be most effective for your acne and lifestyle.
A dermatologist will be able to screen you for skin cancer. Talk to your GP or dermatologist about how often you need to be checked for changes to your skin. An annual body check is very important if you are at high risk.
This chronic skin condition is something that will cause irritation, itchiness, and flaky patches of skin. A dermatologist will be able to help find ways to manage your eczema and prescribe any necessary treatment.
If you are worried about minimizing skin damage or looking for ageing skin, a dermatologist can offer you products or lifestyle change ideas that lower your exposure to damaging elements.
You can speak to a dermatologist about any concerns you have about almost any condition that impacts your appearance. An example being, skin conditions ranging from discolourations, stretch marks, to psoriasis can all be treated by a dermatologist.
If you’ve been looking for a skin specialist based in North West London, our dermatology specialist Dr Shazia Siddiqi provides daily consultations and sessions. To find out more, register online with us today to speak with qualified skin specialists and more. You can also find online support whenever you require it. Contact us for more information.
Lots of people with coronavirus (COVID-19) have experienced mild, or even zero symptoms, but can still spread the virus. With regular self-testing now available, we can slow the spread and help protect the most vulnerable in our communities. With this in mind, a crucial step towards doing this has proved to be carrying out home testing as and when it is required.
In this blog, we will guide you through what you need to know before taking an at-home test for
Coronavirus and what steps you need to take to do the test. As well as this, we offer advice on how to register for a home testing kit yourself.
We also list some of the key symptoms of COVID-19 to help you better understand whether you may need to take a test or not, and consider some of the reasons why you might benefit from a home test.
If you have any of the following coronavirus symptoms, whether they are mild, use this service to get a polymerase chain reaction (PCR) test as soon as feasibly possible:
If you have any of these symptoms, you and everyone you live with need to immediately self-isolate. Do not leave home until you get your test results, except to post a test kit or for a PCR test appointment.
You might not necessarily have any of the above symptoms, however, you can still justify using one if any of the following apply to you:
You can order a PCR test via the gov.uk website by carrying out a short questionnaire.
PCR tests are by and large intended for people with symptoms of coronavirus. The swab is then sent to a lab in order to get the required results. There is a different process for a PCR test as opposed to a lateral flow test.
If you don’t actually possess any symptoms of COVID-19 but have any reason to believe you may have come into contact with someone with COVID-19 or otherwise, you can order a rapid lateral flow test and follow the instructions to do so at home. There are separate instructions for this set out on the NHS official website.
For reassurance, you will be given detailed instructions with your test kit. If you’re doing the test at a test site and need support, a trained helper can guide you through the overall process.
These are the main steps for doing a PCR test:
Doing a PCR test on someone else
If you’re doing a PCR test on someone else, it might help to:
However, you must use a separate test kit for each person you are doing a test on.
If you do the test at a test site, they will send the swab to the lab on your behalf. If you’re posting a home test kit, you should only post it in a Royal Mail priority postbox. Do not send it to a Post Office or post it in a non-priority postbox.
If you have problems or cannot use the online service, call 119. Lines are open from 7 am to 11 pm.
Symptoms of COVID-19
The main symptoms of coronavirus COVID-19 are:
Children can get COVID-19, but they tend to get it less often than adults and it’s often less serious.
The symptoms of COVID-19 for children are:
If you’re concerned about COVID-19 or think you may have the disease or need advice about how to get tested, register with us today and we can provide you with a range of useful services. Our COVID-19 advice services support you if you’ve been in contact with someone who has tested positive for coronavirus. We can also offer you coronavirus home testing kits so you can be certain whether you have COVID-19 to help you determine whether your cough is anything to be worried about.
As well as all of this, we can also provide NHS coronavirus help to support you during your recovery and keep you up to date with all of the latest advice from the NHS and the government. When registering with us, you have access to four surgeries across North West London in Wembley, Alperton, Willesden and Queen’s Park. Register today for NHS coronavirus testing and much more. Contact us for more information.
Use this service to register with a GP practice in North and East London. You can use this service if you:
You can register for yourself or on behalf of a dependant in your care. Registering takes around 15 minutes.
We’ll ask questions about:
You’ll need to complete your application in one session, so please have these details to hand before you start.
By using this service you are agreeing to our terms of use and privacy policy.
You do not need to register with a GP surgery in the area you live.
You can register with a surgery that’s more convenient, for example closer to your work or your children’s school.
The GP surgery can refuse registration for reasons such as they are not taking new patients or it’s too far away from your home and you need home visits.
Look for GP surgeries in the area you want to register. See what they offer and how they compare. Some GP surgeries offer services than others.
When you’ve chosen a GP surgery, ask if they’re accepting registrations outside of the area and ask for a registration form.
Find out more about how to register with a GP surgery
The surgery will decide if they can accept you as a regular patient or accept you without home visits.
Because of the distance to your home, the GP surgery might not be able to offer home visits.
If you are not well enought to go to the GP surgery, other arrangements might be made.
Registering with a practice further away from home can affect decisions about referrals for hospital tests and treatment, or access to community health services. Speak to the GP about your options.
You can find out how to choose and register with a GP on the NHS website.
View more frequently asked questions
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