Mr Tom Okafor
Consultant dermatological surgeon
GMC specialist registerDEMO-6200002
Next slotWed 09:15 (demonstration)
DaysMon · Wed · Fri
VideoFollow-ups by video
00Skin cancer & molesProcedure
Photodynamic therapy (PDT)
ClinicSkin cancer & moles
SeenWithin two weeks
ResultClear at 3 months in 84%
Price£495 · Per session; course of two £895
Next slotTue 08:40 · Dr Helen Marchettidemonstration
A light-activated cream treatment for fields of sun damage, actinic keratoses, Bowen's disease and superficial basal cell carcinomas; usually two sessions.
00The record
Photodynamic therapy (PDT): what it is, what is included.
| Cell | Entry |
|---|---|
| Seen | Within two weeks |
| Result | Clear at 3 months in 84% |
| Price | £495 a session |
| Insured | Usually covered for Bowen's and BCC |
| Length | 3 hours |
| Instalments | £75 a month over 12 months at 0% |
Included in the price
- 01Consultant assessment
- 02Cream, dressing and the light session
- 03Nurse-led cooling and aftercare
- 04A review at three months with photographs
When sun damage covers a whole area, a scalp, a forehead, the backs of both hands, freezing spot by spot is the wrong tool. PDT applies a cream that is taken up by abnormal cells, waits three hours, then activates it with a red light. The abnormal cells are destroyed; the healthy skin around them is not.
What happens
- Consultant diagnosis and, where needed, a biopsy first
- The area is prepared and the cream applied under a dressing; you wait in the garden room or go for a walk
- Ten to fifteen minutes under the lamp; it stings, and we cool the skin as we go
- A second session one to four weeks later for most conditions
Daylight PDT, where the cream is activated by two hours outdoors, is offered from April to September for actinic keratoses and is kinder for large areas.
Procedure
From £495
Per session; course of two £895
SeenWithin two weeks
ResultClear at 3 months in 84%
InsuredUsually covered for Bowen's and BCC
Or£75 a month at 0%
00Suitable for
Who this is for, and who it is not.
The consultant decides in the room; this is the honest list so you book the right appointment first time. Unsure: send a photo and Claire will say.
For
- Large areas of actinic keratosis on the scalp, face or hands
- Bowen's disease
- Superficial basal cell carcinoma where surgery would scar badly
- People on blood thinners or with fragile skin
Not for
- Invasive or nodular basal cell carcinoma: those need excision
- Squamous cell carcinoma
- Porphyria or a known allergy to the cream
Insurance: Usually covered for Bowen's and BCC. Billed directly: give Rosie your policy number and authorisation code and you pay only your excess.
00What happens
The day, and the days after.
Recovery written as the record will read: what to expect on each day, and when Claire sees you.
- 01Day 0 to 2Red, swollen and sore, like sunburn. Cool compresses; keep out of the sun.
- 02Days 3 to 7Crusting and peeling. Plain moisturiser; no picking.
- 032 to 3 weeksHealed, often smoother and more even than before.
How you get the result
Within one working day of a photoClaire replies to the triage line with one of three words: today, this week, or routine, and the appointment that fits. Free.
In the roomA mole check, full-body check or consultation ends with a verdict and a written note. You are not sent away to wait for a letter.
00Risks, in plain words
What can go wrong, and how often.
Told before, not after. Audited: 84% of treated fields clear at three months after two sessions.
- 01Pain during the light session, sometimes severe on the scalp
- 02Sunburn-like reaction for a week
- 03Temporary darkening or lightening of the treated area
- 04Incomplete clearance, needing a repeat or a different treatment
Counted in the audit
Outcome2025 audit: 84% of treated fields clear at three months after two sessions
00Related conditions
The conditions this is booked for.
From the conditions A–Z, with the urgency stamp each carries. The full guide →
First, a photograph
Send the photo by WhatsApp to 01632 960951 or the upload form: one from thirty centimetres, one close up, in daylight, with a coin for scale. Claire will tell you whether it is today, this week or routine. If it bleeds, ring instead.
Worried about a mole?
Ring, or send a photo. Either way, you are seen.
Mole checks within 3 working days; same day if bleeding.
Front porch, Chestnut Avenue
Four spaces on the gravel drive including one blue badge; free on-street parking on Chestnut Avenue, tight on Wednesdays
Garden entrance, Chestnut Lanestep-free
Drop-off bay at the door; two spaces reserved for surgery patients on the day