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
Skin cancer surgery and follow-up
ClinicSkin cancer & moles
SeenWithin 10 days of diagnosis
ResultHistology in 5 working days
PriceQuoted at consultation
Next slotTue 08:40 · Dr Helen Marchettidemonstration
Excision of basal cell and squamous cell carcinomas, wider excision after a melanoma diagnosis, reconstruction where needed, and a written five-year follow-up plan.
00The record
Skin cancer surgery and follow-up: what it is, what is included.
| Cell | Entry |
|---|---|
| Seen | Within 10 days of diagnosis |
| Result | Histology in 5 working days |
| Price | £850 to £1,450 typical |
| Insured | Covered by all six insurers |
| Length | 45 to 90 minutes |
Included in the price
- 01Consultant dermatological surgeon
- 02Local anaesthetic, excision with a margin, closure or reconstruction
- 03Histology with margin assessment
- 04Stitch removal, wound checks and a scar review
- 05A written five-year follow-up schedule
- 06Referral to the NHS skin cancer team for melanoma staging
Most skin cancers are basal cell carcinomas, which almost never spread but keep growing until they are removed. Squamous cell carcinomas need removing promptly and with a margin. Melanomas are excised, staged and followed for five years. Mr Okafor does the surgery here under local anaesthetic, with flaps and grafts where the site needs them; anything needing a general anaesthetic or lymph node work is referred to the regional plastic surgery team, and we tell you which before you decide anything.
What happens
- A consultant diagnosis, usually with a biopsy first
- A written quote: most excisions with histology are £850 to £1,450 depending on size, site and closure
- Surgery within ten days; a flap or graft adds thirty to forty minutes
- Histology within five working days, phoned to you by the surgeon
- A follow-up plan in writing: three-monthly checks in year one for melanoma, yearly for BCC
Every skin cancer is discussed at our monthly meeting with a consultant dermatopathologist, and every melanoma is also referred to the NHS skin cancer team for the parts of care the NHS does best.
Procedure
Quoted at consultation
SeenWithin 10 days of diagnosis
ResultHistology in 5 working days
InsuredCovered by all six insurers
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
- Basal cell carcinoma on any site
- Squamous cell carcinoma and Bowen's disease
- Wider excision after a melanoma has been diagnosed
- A lesion a GP or optician has flagged as possible skin cancer
Not for
- Tumours needing a general anaesthetic or lymph node surgery: we refer to the regional team
- People who would rather the NHS did the whole pathway: we refer you and charge nothing
Insurance: Covered by all six insurers. 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 0Home the same day with a pressure dressing. Rest the site; no bending or lifting for 48 hours.
- 02Week 1 to 2Wound check and stitch removal with Claire. Flaps and grafts are checked at day three too.
- 036 weeksMost people are back to everything. Scar taping or silicone as advised.
- 043 months, then per planScar review and the first follow-up skin check.
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.
Also in skin cancer & moles
00Risks, in plain words
What can go wrong, and how often.
Told before, not after. Audited: 148 skin cancers removed; 96% completely excised at the first operation.
- 01A scar, which on the face may need a flap to hide in a natural line
- 02Incomplete excision in about 4 in 100, needing a second procedure
- 03Infection or bleeding, more likely with grafts
- 04Numbness or, rarely, weakness near nerves on the face
- 05Recurrence, which the follow-up plan is designed to catch early
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
skin cancers completely excised first time. 148 basal and squamous cell carcinomas; six needed a second procedure.
Outcome2025 audit: 148 skin cancers removed; 96% completely excised at the first operation
1.8%Wound infection after excision. 1,120 excisions. Published rates for minor skin surgery are 2 to 5%.
4%Incomplete excision needing a second procedure. 148 skin cancers. Published rates are 4 to 10% depending on site.
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