Mr Tom Okafor
Consultant dermatological surgeon
GMC specialist registerDEMO-6200002
Next slotWed 09:15 (demonstration)
DaysMon · Wed · Fri
VideoFollow-ups by video
00Skin surgeryProcedure
Shave biopsy or shave removal
ClinicSkin surgery
SeenWithin 10 days of consultation
ResultHistology in 5 working days
Price£395 · Includes histology; each additional lesion £150
Next slotWed 09:15 · Mr Tom Okafordemonstration
A raised mole, seborrhoeic keratosis or skin tag removed flush with the skin under local anaesthetic, no stitches; histology included.
00The record
Shave biopsy or shave removal: what it is, what is included.
| Cell | Entry |
|---|---|
| Seen | Within 10 days of consultation |
| Result | Histology in 5 working days |
| Price | £395 with histology |
| Insured | Covered when medically indicated |
| Length | 20 minutes |
Included in the price
- 01Consultant dermoscopy before the shave
- 02Local anaesthetic and cautery
- 03Histology of everything removed
- 04Dressing and aftercare sheet
- 05Result phoned within five working days
A shave takes a raised lesion off level with the surrounding skin using a fine blade under local anaesthetic. No stitches, a small round graze that heals in a fortnight, and a pale flat mark rather than a line. Everything removed goes to histology, whatever we think it is.
What happens
- Dermoscopy first, to be sure a shave is appropriate
- Local anaesthetic; the shave takes a couple of minutes
- The base is cauterised or treated to reduce regrowth
- A dressing, an aftercare sheet, and the histology result phoned within five working days
Shaves are the usual choice for raised harmless moles, seborrhoeic keratoses and skin tags. They are not used where a suspected melanoma needs its full depth measured; that is an excision.
Procedure
From £395
Includes histology; each additional lesion £150
SeenWithin 10 days of consultation
ResultHistology in 5 working days
InsuredCovered when medically indicated
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
- Raised, harmless moles that catch or bother you
- Seborrhoeic keratoses and skin tags
- A raised lesion the consultant wants examined but not excised
Not for
- Any lesion where melanoma is suspected: those are excised in full
- Flat moles: a shave leaves pigment behind
Insurance: Covered when medically indicated. 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 2A small graze under a dressing. Keep it dry for a day.
- 02Week 1 to 2Apply the ointment daily; it heals like a scraped knee.
- 033 monthsA pale flat mark, usually paler than the skin around it.
How you get the result
Within 5 working daysHistology on anything removed. The surgeon who took it phones you, whatever the result; urgent cases are reported in three.
If something is abnormalThe consultant phones you the day the report lands, books the next step within a week, and refers you the same day to the NHS skin cancer team if it is a melanoma.
00Risks, in plain words
What can go wrong, and how often.
Told before, not after. Audited: 940 shaves; 9% partial regrowth at one year, mostly moles.
- 01A pale or slightly dented flat mark where the lesion was
- 02Regrowth of pigment or of the lesion in about 1 in 10, especially moles
- 03Infection, uncommon
- 04Histology occasionally shows something that needs a second, deeper procedure
If the histology is abnormal
Abnormal histology is phoned by the surgeon who took the sample, the day the report is signed, with the plan and a date. We do not post cancer results, and we do not leave them on voicemail: if we cannot reach you we keep trying and send a message asking you to call Rosie.
Counted in the audit
Outcome2025 audit: 940 shaves; 9% partial regrowth at one year, mostly moles
1.8%Wound infection after excision. 1,120 excisions. Published rates for minor skin surgery are 2 to 5%.
9%Shave regrowth at one year. 940 shaves, mostly moles. Regrowth is pigment, not cancer, and is re-checked free.
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