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COVID-19: thoughts from an Edinburgh plastic surgeon

The COVID-19 pandemic has affected almost every aspect of life. Ken Stewart, Consultant Plastic Surgeon and Special Advisor for The PMFA Journal, outlines for us how his own plastic surgery department has adapted to the crisis. What did you do...

OPINION - Influencers affect us all: but are they as good as we think?

Recently I was approached by the son of a 75-year-old lady for a second opinion on a large fungating malignant melanoma on the outer lateral aspect of her left thigh. She had noticed an enlarging 50p size pigmented lesion just...

Auricular reconstruction: star-pattern reconstruction

We describe our approach to straightforward reconstruction of the peripheral auricle using the established star-pattern design. Skin malignancies developing on the auricle continue to be regarded as high-risk lesions due to their propensity to recur and for lymphatic spread. Greater...

Xanthelasma

Although the lesion known as Xanthelasma was first described by Addison and Gall in 1851 [1] it was recorded some 300 years previously in the famous painting of the Mona Lisa by Leonardo da Vinci. In this painting, Leonardo da...

Melanoma skin cancer: how can we improve early detection in the UK?

With melanoma rates increasing globally, should there be screening of high-risk groups? Stephen Hayes takes a look at how Australia has reduced its melanoma mortality and asks whether a similar model should be adopted elsewhere. In Britain, some 16,000 new...

Focus on Cosmeceuticals: Skin anatomy and photoageing

Skin anatomy The skin of the face provides crucial functions of temperature regulation, reparative functions following injury, facial expression, protective mechanisms against infection and ultraviolet radiation, as well as sensory perception. The integument consists of two principle layers, the epidermis...

From PIP to DC-CIK to the Sorcerer’s Apprentice: a medico-political minefield

Poly Implant Prothese (PIP) was a French company that manufactured silicone breast implants that were surgically implanted mainly for cosmetic breast augmentation. Of note, ‘cosmetic’ is used in the strict sense of the word meaning false and artificial and does...

Dermoscopy: an update and personal view

With skin cancer now at epidemic levels, early diagnosis is essential. Specialist Stephen Hayes advocates the use of dermoscopy as a triage tool and explains how to interpret the data. Melanoma skin cancer is now the UK’s fifth most common...

Medical racism and the surgical ‘correction’ of the nose in Brazil

Anthropologist Professor Carmen Alvaro Jarrín has conducted extensive research into plastic surgery practice in Brazil. Here, she explains why social and cultural ideas about race may shape rhinoplasty objectives for patients and surgeons in the country. Health professionals worldwide are...