Skin lesion removal including moles, melanoma, non-melanoma skin cancer, cysts, lipoma and others

Breast reconstruction using autologous (body's own) tissue, including free DIEP flaps. Breast reduction Breast lift (mastopexy) Nipple reconstruction Mr Nicholson does not perform breast reconstruction or augmentation (enlargement) using implants. Sometimes augmentation can be perfomed using a series of fat injections.

Including, but not limited to: Arthritis treatment (fusion/arthrodesis, joint replacement, trapeziectomy, denervation) Dupuytren’s disease / contracture Trigger finger De Quervain's release Ganglion removal Carpal Tunnel Syndrome Cubital Tunnel Syndrome & other peripheral nerve compression Injuries - Repair and reconstruction of tendons, nerves, ligaments and bones in the hand & wrist Congenital hand differences (duplicate digits, syndactyly, webbed fingers)

Problematic scars can sometimes be improved by a surgical procedure which involves cutting out the old scar, closing the wound with stitches and, in some cases, re-orientating the scar so that it is made less conspicuous by natural lines in the skin. Scar revision is usually performed under local anaesthesia (the area around the scar is numbed by injecting a local anaesthetic). For some types of abnormal scarring you may also be given steroid injections at the time of surgery. You may or may not have a dressing put on the wound and it is important to keep the area dry for 24 hours. Stitches may be removed in 1-2 weeks. You may need to take a few days off work after the surgery.

Skin lesions can be divided into two groups: benign (non-cancerous): e.g. moles, cysts, warts, tags. These may be removed to stop discomfort if the lesion is being irritated by clothing/jewellery or to improve appearance. malignant (cancerous): basal cell and squamous cell carcinomas are generally slow growing and unlikely to spread to other parts of the body. Melanoma is a serious skin cancer that can spread to other parts of the body. Urgent removal is recommended. Surgery to remove skin lesions usually involves an office or outpatient visit, local anaesthesia (the area around the lesion is numbed by injecting a local anaesthetic) and stitches. You may or may not have a dressing put on the wound and it is important to keep the area dry for 48 hours. Stitches may be removed in 1-2 weeks. You may need to take a few days off work after the surgery.

If a scar to be revised or skin lesion being removed is particularly large, a skin graft may be performed. This involves transferring skin from another, healthy part of the body (donor site) to the injured site (recipient site). While skin grafting can improve the function of a damaged area, some scarring will be left at both the donor and recipient sites. Skin grafting can be performed under local or general anaesthesia, depending on the size of the area involved. The wound may take weeks or months to heal and you may need to wear a support bandage for a similar period. Different kinds of skin grafts leave different donor site wounds. Skin grafts always look like a patch of skin that is slightly different to the rest of the area it is attached to. In many cases there can be a contour irregularity (like a dent) after healing has finished, because the graft is often much thinner than the piece of skin that has been removed or altered at the area the graft is attached. There is a chance that a skin graft can fail to 'take', which would lead to an unhealed raw wound.

Mr Nicholson performs breast augmentation (enlargement) by fat grafting, in which fat is removed from other areas of the body (e.g. tummy / thighs) by liposuction, and injected into the breasts. This avoids the need for foreign material to be implanted into the body, as in the case of silicone breast implants, and the associated risks and need for revision surgery as the years go by. This surgery may need to be repeated several times to achieve the desired volume increase, which can add to the cost. It is performed as a day-case procedure under general anaesthetic (you will be asleep) or heavy sedation. You will need to arrange for someone else to drive you home.

This is an operation that can lift and reshape sagging breasts. The procedure usually involves removing skin from an area below the nipple and reshaping the breast. The surgery is performed under general anaesthesia (you will sleep through it) and will take about 2 hours. It is usually performed as a day-case procedure but it is advisable if you live far away to stay one night in a hotel near the surgical centre in case there are any problems. You will need to arrange for someone else to drive you home the next day. Your breasts will be bruised and swollen for several days and you may need to take some medication for pain relief. You will need to wear a special support bra continuously for 3-4 weeks after surgery. You will probably be able to return to work after about 1 week. It will take several months for the scars to fade.

Surgery to reduce breast size usually involves making a cut (incision) around the areola (the dark area around the nipple) straight downwards and along the crease beneath the breast. Glandular tissue, fat and skin are removed and the breast reshaped. The surgery is performed under general anaesthesia (you will sleep through it) and will take 2-4 hours. This is usually performed as day-case surgery but if you live far away it is advisable to stay one night in a hotel near to the surgical centre in case there are any problems. You will need to arrange for someone else to drive you home the next day. You may need to take some medication for pain relief for several days and you must wear a special support bra continuously for up to 6 weeks after surgery. You will probably be able to return to work after about 2 weeks. It will take several months for the scars to fade.

This procedure involves removing excess skin and fat from the lower abdomen +/- tightening the muscles of the abdominal wall. Incisions are made across the lower abdomen and around the tummy button. The skin flap is stretched down and the excess skin removed. A new hole is made for the tummy button to pass through. The surgery is performed under general anaesthesia (you will sleep through it) and will take 3-4 hours. This surgery is typically performed as a day-case procedure, but if you live far away it is advisable to stay one night in a hotel near to the surgical centre in case there are problems. You will need someone else to drive you home. Your stomach will be swollen and painful at first and you may need to take medication for pain relief for several days. You will possibly have to wear a special support garment for 2-3 weeks after surgery. You may be able to return to work after about 2 weeks, depending on the nature of your work. You will need to avoid straining the abdomen for 6-12 weeks. It will take 9-12 months for the scar to lighten.

This procedure removes unwanted pockets of fat from under your skin in specific parts of the body such as the chin, neck, upper arms, stomach, hips and thighs. Liposuction should not be regarded as a means of general weight loss, but instead as a way to improve the shape of particular areas of your body. A small cut (incision) is made, through which a narrow, hollow tube (cannula) is inserted. The tube is moved around to loosen the fat cells, which are then sucked out with a vacuum device. During the procedure you will lose a lot of fluid, so you will be given intravenous (injected straight into the vein) fluid to stop you becoming dehydrated. The procedure usually takes 1-3 hours and is carried out under local anaesthetic (the area being treated is numb but you are awake). You will probably be able to go home the same day but will need someone to drive you. If the procedure is more extensive and numerous areas are being treated at the same time, it may require general anaesthesia (you will sleep through it) and you may have to remain overnight in hospital. The area treated will be swollen and bruised after the surgery and you may need to take pain relief medication for several days. You will be given an elastic dressing or support garment that you may have to wear continuously for 2-3 weeks. You will probably be able to return to work after 1-2 weeks.

Excess skin and/or fat can be surgically removed from your upper and/or lower eyelids to give your skin a less wrinkled and puffy appearance. The procedure typically involves making a small cut (incision) in the fold of the eyelid (for the upper lid) or just below the eyelashes (for the lower lid) and removing any excess skin and/or fat. The surgery will take 1-3 hours and is performed under local anaesthetic (the area being treated is numb) together with a sedative to make you feel drowsy. You will be able to go home the same day. It is recommended that you have complete rest and keep eye pads on for a couple of days after surgery. You should be able to return to work within 1 week.

The appearance of ears that are misshaped or protruding can be improved surgically. This type of operation is often carried out in children. Cuts (incisions) are made behind the ears through which the cartilage in the ear can be reshaped or removed. The surgery lasts 1-2 hours and can be performed under local anaesthetic (the area treated is numb but you are awake), allowing you to go home the same day. For children, the procedure would be performed under general anaesthetic (they sleep through it). You will need to wear head bandages for about 1 week and will probably be able to return to normal daily routines after that.

A face lift is designed to give the face a more 'refreshed' look, rather than make a person appear younger. It does this by changing the appearance of certain specific areas of the face: the nasolabial folds, jowls, and 'marionette lines' at the sides of the chin. In a typical face lift incisions are made at the hairline, in front of and around behind the ears. Tissue lying deep below the skin is repositioned, then the skin replaced and any excess is removed. The surgery varies in duration, but can take up to 4 or 6 hours if it is combined with other procedures such as neck lift, brow lift or eyelid surgery (blepharoplasty). General anaesthesia (you sleep through the operation) is usually required, but in some cases you may be given a local anaesthetic and a sedative so the area being treated is numb and you feel drowsy but not asleep. In most cases, you will go home the same day following the procedure. It may take 2-3 weeks for the worst of the swelling to disappear and up to 2 years for the scars to fade.