SKIN SURGERY
LOCAL ANAESTHETIC
Plastic Surgery minor procedures
with MARGARET STRICK
SKIN SURGERY
LOCAL ANAESTHETIC
Plastic Surgery minor procedures with
MARGARET STRICK
MINOR SURGERY
LOCAL ANAESTHETIC PROCEDURES WITH MARGARET STRICK
T he Good Skin Place is registered with and governed by Healthcare Improvement Scotland for surgery. Our team, comprising Consultant Plastic surgeon Margaret Strick, and two experienced theatre procedure nurses, meticulously manages every step of the process to ensure the best surgical outcome.
All procedures are carried out in the treatment room using injected local anaesthetics. This means you are awake throughout, but feel no pain and can go home soon after.
SOME PATIENT COMMENTS:
“The team put me at my ease immediately, although I had been quite anxious. I even enjoyed myself! “
“From start to finish you were all lovely, sorry I chatted so much, I think that was the nerves. Thank you for all your care and for following up with me as I recovered. Miss Strick was just amazing”
“… my eyes look so good, I look like me again…”
“it was a relief to have the mole gone and to have the results back so quickly”
01.
THE SURGERY TEAM
MISS MARGARET STRICK
Consultant Plastic Surgeon MB BCh, MSc, DPD, FRCS (Plast)
GMC Specialist register 3472972 (2003)
Miss Strick is an NHS consultant and specialist in reconstructive breast, hand and skin surgery. At Good Skin Place she consults on all aspects of cosmetic and reconstructive surgery. Operating here, she focuses on local anaesthetic facial surgery such as eyelid and earlobe reshaping, and skin surgery for removal of lesions, including flap reconstructions. In her values, approach and skill, she personifies the Good Skin ethos of holistic health and care.
pauline riley
Registered Nurse, outpatients and theatre, RN
NMC register No.79H0092S
Pauline has 16 years experience running the busy outpatient department at Carrick Glen hospital. During this time she worked closely with Margaret Strick supporting surgical patients through all stages of their journey. She brings her unique blend of skill and experience to the high standards of individualised, holistic and evidenced based patient care that she delivers.
Kathryn McKechnie
Registered Nurse, outpatients. RN, PGDip CBT
NMC register No.9310598S
Kathryn worked closely with Miss Strick at Carrick Glen for over 16 years, taking care of outpatient and minor surgery patients. She has always been passionate about getting to know her patients, and providing support to those who are anxious. She combines her nursing with her private and voluntary Cognitive behavioural therapy practice, and at Good Skin Place this combination of skills makes a hugely positive difference to patients during surgery.
ELIZABETH DELL
Dermatology Nurse, RN, MSc, PGDip Derm.
NMC register No.20A0008S
Elizabeth works as an NHS dermatology nurse, which includes supporting patients in the treatment room, and those undergoing minor skin surgery.
As owner of the Good Skin Place, as a registered independent clinic, I am privileged to be working with this skilled surgical team. I am inspired by the positive difference we can make to people through surgery in a person centred space.
02.
UPPER EYELID SHAPING BLEPHAROPLASTY
Upper blepharoplasty or upper eyelid contouring involves surgically reducing the skin on the upper lids. This procedure is especially effective for hooded eyelids, where the delicate skin of the upper lid has lost its elasticity.
Anaesthetic: local injections
Time: 90 minutes
Downtime: sutures removed after 7 days, bruising and swelling can last two weeks.
03.
MOLES, GANGLIONS, SKIN CANCERS
Lumps and bumps, Moles and skin lesions can be removed for cosmetic reasons, or where there is concern that they may cancerous. Either way, the aim is for precise surgery with minimal scarring. Where needed, samples are sent away to a pathology lab, with an efficient turnaround time to report of 7 to 10 days.
Anaesthetic: local injections
Time: 45 to 90 minutes
04.
EARLOBE REPAIR, SCAR REVISION
Plastic surgery is surgery which repairs or reconstructs damaged or missing skin or tissue. It is a problem solving specialty, combining highly precise surgical skills and an acute understanding of anatomy, and skin and how it heals. The term is derived from the greek word ‘plastikos’ meaning to form or mould. The skilled plastic surgeon uses these principles to shape the skin with the aim of minimal scarring. Anaesthetic: local injections.
Timing: depends on area to be treated.
the DETAILS
about my consultation
All patients will come for a consultation with Miss Margaret Strick ahead of their surgery. Some will have had their consultation at another clinic, or been referred by a doctor or dermatologist. Patients can self-refer, meaning they do not require a doctor’s referral for a private consultation with Miss Strick.
Miss Strick consults at The Good Skin Place on all aspects of aesthetic and reconstructive surgery. Procedures which are best done under local anaesthetic such as eyelid shaping, or skin surgery are done at Good Skin Place, and general anaesthetic procedures are taken to Glasgow, to Ross Hall or the Nuffield.
At the consultation it is your opportunity to discuss your reasons for wanting treatment, and your concerns. It is your opportunity to see if surgery is right for you and if this surgeon is right for you. Miss Strick will listen to you, find out about your general health, and make a recommendation. You will be given all the information needed to make a decision, and if you do decide to go ahead with a booking, further information will be sent to you in writing.
Consultations with Miss Strick are by appointment only, and cost £160, please get in touch via phone or message to make an appointment
WHAT HAPPENS DURING surgery?
All procedures at the Good Skin Place happen under local anaesthetic – this means that you are fully awake, and the area to be treated is numbed with injection of local anaesthetic. Local anaesthetic injections can sting, but after this, the process will be pain free.
On the day of surgery, you will have a pre-op assessment with one of the nurses, we will check your blood pressure, temperature, oxygen levels, and ask questions about your general health, and make sure that you are well enough with nothing that would prevent us going ahead with surgery. We will take photographs to record what is being operated on. You will then have a second consultation with your surgeon, who will explain the procedure again, including risks, and make sure that you fully understand before consenting. We would then take you into the treatment room, do a further set of checks and make you comfortable for your procedure.
As with all surgical procedures, we follow the strictest protocols to maintain safety. This includes surgical gowns, masks, and theatre drapes over you. The surgeon will have two nurses assisting her, and making sure that you are comfortable throughout the surgery. Patients have commented how good the team is at putting people at their ease. Some are even surprised that they enjoy the process.
Once the operation is over, we will make sure that you are fine before leaving, usually there will be a cup of tea involved. If you are having upper eyelid surgery, we usually ask you to rest for around an hour, so that we can check your wounds before leaving. We will give you aftercare instructions, a letter for your GP, and instructions about coming in for a wound check and suture removal. We will also make an appointment for a follow-up consultation (usually at 6 weeks) with your surgeon.
AFTER surgery CARE
After minor surgery, your wound will be stitched, often with internal (dissolving) and external (removable) stitches. Paper stitches (steristrips) will cover the wound, and a dressing will be applied. You will be given specific instructions about care for your wound, but in general wound dressings should remain untouched, clean and dry for 7 to 10 days, after which we will check and remove the stitches. We will tape the wound after removing stitches, and ask you to keep the tape in place for a further 5 to 7 days.
Click for patient information leaflets to download and print:
WHAT HAPPENS IF I NEED PATHOLOGY to check a MOLE?
If you have been referred to us to remove a mole or lesion because your doctor or dermatologist is concerned about it, we will send the sample away to a private pathology service to be checked. A pathologist will report back to us formally (in a written report) about the sample, letting us know within 7 to 10 days what it is, and whether further treatment is required. We will make an appointment for you to discuss these results with Miss Strick, and she will ensure that if follow-up is needed, the most appropriate follow-up treatment options are given. Where samples that are found to have cancer, or require further treatment, a copy of the report will be sent to your GP, and they will be involved in your follow-up.
WHAT IS THE DOWNTIME?
Downtime depends on the extent of the procedure, area of the face or body, and number of stitches. Some patients will bruise more easily than others. Typically a patient having bilateral upper eyelid surgery will expect to have two weeks of downtime, and may have some residual bruising after that. The first week there will be swelling, stitches, paper stitches, and bruising. After stitches are removed it is much easier to disguise the surgery site, but some patients remain very bruised. Down time for mole or lesion removal again depends on how much skin was removed, but expect to have a dressing in place to keep dry and intact for at least 7 to 10 days.
Skin scars take time to mature, and turn from new wounds through red scars, ideally improving to a thin white line. Maturing of scars will differ from person to person. Following the aftercare advice and preventing infection is the best way of ensuring the best scar outcome
WHAT DOES SKIN SURGERY COST?
Consultation with Margaret Strick is £160 and is essential for planning surgery, making the necessary health checks, explaining the risks and making sure that you are happy to go ahead with surgery.
Surgery costs depend on what is being treated, and always includes follow-up care, removal of sutures or wound check after 7 to 10 days
Example cost guidelines:
Upper lid blepharoplasty under local anaesthetic £1730
Split earlobe repair – single £900, bilateral £1250
Skin mole or lesion excision with sutures – £900
Skin mole or lesion excision with sutures, with pathology – £1100
Skin mole or lesion excision with pathology and local flap repair – £1350
Skin lesion shave excision (multiple lesions) – sometimes patients have multiple small lesions which can be shaved off, rather than requiring excision, and we can work out a price to treat a whole area, please ask us.