Facilities
Procedural rooms & Nurses Clinic
Facilities at Drummoyne Dermatology include eight modern, fully equipped consulting and procedural rooms, as well as a dedicated nurses clinic room for post-operative wound care and dressings.
Sterilisation room
A dedicated sterilisation room allows our team of fully trained registered nurses to ensure that the highest standards in infection control are maintained.
Registered Nurses
At Drummoyne Dermatology we are fortunate to have a team of outstanding experienced nurses whose role include assisting in all biopsies and skin cancer surgery, dressings, wound care following procedures, sterilisation of all surgical instruments, infection control, patient liaison and care of patients undergoing Phototherapy treatment with UVB phototherapy or Hand and Foot PUVA.
Melanoma Surveillance Imaging
Total Body Medical Photography can be organised at Drummoyne Dermatology if you are considered at risk of melanoma. You can have a complete medical record of your moles on a USB, which you will keep, and your Dermatologist can check your moles against these images looking for change.
Photodynamic therapy (PDT)
Photodynamic therapy (PDT) is treatment for superficial types of skin cancer. PDT is effective in treating solar keratoses, squamous cell carcinoma in situ (Bowen’s disease) and superficial basal cell carcinomas. It has a cure rate of approximately 80%.
PDT or photodynamic therapy is the application of a cream (which contains a chemical that is more selectively absorbed by abnormal cells in comparison to normal tissue) to the lesion to be treated. The chemical in the cream is then activated by exposure to a specific wavelength of light which destroys the abnormal cells leaving normal tissue unaffected. PDT can either be daylight activated or Lamp activated. Usually 2 treatments are given, 1 week apart.
Other non-surgical skin cancer treatments (Aldara and Efudix) are equally as effective as PDT.
PDT has 2 advantages , compared to Aldara and Efudix. The red crusted stage is of shorter duration 1-2 weeks, compared to Aldabra or Efudix, which maybe 4-10 weeks.
Also PDT usually has a better cosmetic outcome. Aldara may leave a large permanent white mark, whereas PDT usually does not.
The disadvantage of PDT is the expense, approximately $600
You can find our more on PDT or photodynamic therapy
Narrowband UVB phototherapy
Narrowband UVB is now the most common form of phototherapy used to treat skin diseases.
This range of UV radiation has proved to be the most beneficial component of natural sunlight for psoriasis. Narrowband UVB may also be used in the treatment of many other skin conditions including eczema, vitiligo, pruritus, lichen planus, polymorphous light eruption, early cutaneous T-cell lymphoma,pityriasis rosea and dermographism.
The Phototherapy unit is a specially designed cabinet containing fluorescent light tubes.
The patient stands in the centre of the cabinet, undressed except for underwear, and wears protective goggles.
Treatments are normally given two or three times a week, with treatment time being gradually increased from 12 sec to up to 5 minutes.
The cost of the phototherapy treatment is often bulked bill, this is determined by the treating Dermatologist.
Hand and Foot PUVA Unit
PUVA is a combination treatment which consists of Psoralens (P) and then exposing the skin to UVA (long wave ultraviolet radiation). It has been available in its present form for approximately 35 years.
Psoralens are compounds found in many plants which make the skin temporarily sensitive to UVA.
Those patients requiring treatment to their hands and/or feet may be treated using a Hand and Foot PUVA unit.
The hands and/or feet are soaked in a dilute solution of methoxsalen for 30 minutes, then immediately exposed to UVA.
Treatments are normally given two or three times a week.
The cost of the PUVA treatment is often bulked billed, this is determined by your treating Dermatologist.
You can find our more on Phototherapy
Book your Appointment from 8 am to 4:30 pm
Monday-Friday
Phones unattended 12:00 pm - 1:30 pm
