Basal Cell Carcinoma (BCC) This is the most common type and is found on skin surfaces that are exposed to sun. A BCC remains localised and does not usually spread to other areas of the body. Sometimes BCC’s can ulcerate and scab so it is important not to mistake it for a sore. BCCs occur more commonly on the face, back of hands and back. They appear usually as small, red lumps that don’t heal and sometimes bleed or become itchy. They have the tendency to change in size and sometimes in colour. Treatment Often a BCC can be diagnosed just by its appearance. In other cases it will be removed totally and sent for examination and diagnosis, or a biopsy may be taken and just a sample sent for diagnosis. In most cases Mr Moaveni will remove BCCs under a local anaesthetic (numbing of the area) procedure. A small number of BCCs may require a general anaesthetic for removal. Squamous Cell Carcinoma (SCC) This type of skin cancer also affects areas of the skin that have exposure to the sun. The most common area is the face, but an SCC can also affect other parts of the body and can spread to other parts of the body. The spreading (metastasising) can potentially be fatal if not successfully treated. All SCCs will need to be removed, because of their potential for spread. The surgery is usually similar to that for a BCC. Malignant Melanoma This is the most serious form of skin cancer. It can spread to other parts of the body and people can die from this disease. A melanoma usually starts as a pigmented growth on normal skin. They often, but not always, occur on areas that have high sun exposure. In some cases, a melanoma may develop from existing pigmented moles. What to look for: an existing mole that changes colour (it may be black, dark blue or even red and white) the colour pigment may be uneven the edges of the mole/freckle may be irregular and have a spreading edge the surface of the mole/freckle may be flaky/crusted and raised sudden growth of an existing or new mole/freckle inflammation and or itchiness surrounding an existing or new mole/freckle. Treatment The sooner a melanoma is treated, there is less chance of it spreading. It is essential that any suspicious lesions are removed and tested. Melanomas that are caught and treated early have an excellent long term prognosis.

Problems with the appearance or function of the hand can be the result of injury, birth defects or degenerative conditions. The most common conditions requiring surgery are: Carpal Tunnel Syndrome A pinched nerve in the wrist that causes tingling, numbness and pain in your hand may require surgery to make more room for the nerve. This operation is usually performed under local anaesthetic (the area being treated is numb but you are awake). Injuries Damage to tendons, nerves, joints and bones in the hand may require surgical repair. In some cases, secondary reconstructive surgery is also required, along with postoperative hand therapy.

A face lift can include several different procedures such as a neck lift and/or a brow lift, all designed to reduce lines and wrinkles and lift sagging skin. Modern advances in facelift surgery have been immense. We now understand that in order to obtain natural and long-lasting results, the deeper layers of the face need to be re-positioned. A good facelift is a 3-dimensional sculpting procedure, rather than a 2-dimensional pulling or tightening procedure. And it’s essential that your surgeon is an expert at Deep Plane, Extended or High SMAS procedures that achieve gold-standard results. Mr Moaveni's aesthetic surgery practice is focussed specifically on Facelift, Necklift and Rhinoplasty.

Rhinoplasty or Septorhinoplasty is an operation designed to re-shape the nose and / or improve the function of nasal respiration. Rhinoplasty is considered one of the most technically demanding plastic surgery operations as it is such a delicate yet important structure. It is also one of Mr Moaveni's favourite operations as it’s the perfect blend of technical and artistic goals and can produce very gratifying results for patients. If your nasal issue is as a result of trauma, then the cost of consultation and potential surgery will be covered by ACC. Also medical insurance will generally cover the cost of septorhinoplasty surgery which is performed to improve nasal function and breathing.

Blepharoplasty is the term for operations that correct baggy, wrinkly or puffy eyelids. Although most patients are over 35, occasionally patients will seek treatment for puffy eyelids at a younger age, particularly when this is a family trait. As the eyelids age, the stretched skin produces a "hooded" appearance and the outer corners of the eyelids also move downwards. Patients often remark that others sometimes ask if they are "tired or sad". Women may also have difficulty in applying makeup, particularly to the upper lids. As the eyes are obviously the part of the face that most people notice a great deal, a well-executed blepharoplasty procedure can dramatically rejuvenate the face and "brighten" someone's appearance. Mr Moaveni's aesthetic practice is focussed specially on facial procedures such as Blepharoplasty.

Human ears come in an incredible assortment of sizes and shapes. One of the more common forms is that of prominent ears, which of course is just a variant of normal. The ears are not actually "large" but the cartilage fails to fold properly during development so that the side of the head is too far from the margin of the ear. A frequent reason for requesting surgery may be that children are teased by their peers, and in adults it is common to hear them say "I've always thought about having it done". The aim of Otoplasty surgery is to change the cartilage into a more aesthetic shape and relationship to the side of the head. From a technical point of view, this surgery can be carried out once the cartilage is strong enough to maintain its new contour, generally after 5 years of age.

The operation of abdominoplasty (or tummy tuck as it is colloquially known), is designed to remove excess abdominal skin and tissue which has most commonly resulted from pregnancy or weight loss. Whilst diet and exercise are very helpful in improving your general health, this excess tissue is almost impossible to remove by these methods alone. In fact significant weight loss can make the lower abdominal tissue excess or “overhang” appear worse as the skin becomes deflated and hangs down further. This is often a great source of discomfort and causes difficulty in wearing suitable clothing. For some women a significant bulge may appear following pregnancy (particularly twin or multiple pregnancies) in the lower or central portion of the abdomen even though they may be quite slim. This “bulge” does not respond to abdominal exercise and can actually be made worse by exercises to tighten the rectus muscles. The “bulge” is in fact a divarication or hernia of the rectus muscles, resulting from these muscles being pushed apart by an enlarging uterus and baby. The muscles may not return to their normal position after pregnancy, leading to weakness and a bulge in the central abdomen. Abdominoplasty involves removing excess skin and fat from the stomach and tightening the muscles of the stomach wall. Cuts (incisions) are made across the lower stomach and around the tummy button and the muscles underneath are pulled together and stitched. The skin flap is stretched down and the excess skin removed.

Patient with heavy breasts often live with constant neck and back discomfort and bra strap pain. It can be a source of embarrassment and make buying comfortable clothing quite difficult. An inability to exercise and skin irritation under the breasts can further add to the daily distress. Breast reduction is an operation designed to reduce the size of the breasts and lift them up on the chest wall to improve the shape and support. If the ‘success' of an operation is to be measured by patient satisfaction, then this procedure consistently rates amongst the best of all surgical procedures (cosmetic and non-cosmetic) that are performed today. For some patients it is unquestionably a life-changing procedure. Modern techniques are designed to maintain sensation to the central breast (although this may change in the short term) and can allow for future breast-feeding. Also whilst it is not easy to guarantee the final size of the breasts, it is possible to a large degree to tailor the final result to your wishes.

A cleft lip occurs when there is a failure of normal structures to join together during formation of the lip, resulting in a gap in the lip. A cleft lip often occurs together with a cleft palate which is the result of the failure of the two sides of the roof of the mouth to join together. A cleft palate can affect a child’s ability to feed, rate of weight gain, middle ear function, speech and facial growth. Cleft lip and palate are usually repaired by surgery at about 9 months of age. In some cases, the lip is strapped with tape for some time before surgery to help prepare for the procedure. Further surgery is usually carried out at about 7 or 8 years of age. During this time, the child’s hearing and speech development will be monitored.

Scar appearance can be improved by various methods including a surgical procedure known as scar revision. This usually involves cutting out the old scar, closing the wound with stitches and, in some cases, moving the scar so that it is hidden by natural features of the body.

Information about scars including how to achieve the best possible scar.