Services
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Patient Services
Expert Scar Assessment
Every scar is different, and so is the way it affects you. A detailed assessment helps me understand your scar, your symptoms and what you would most like to improve.
I will ask about how your scar developed, how it has changed over time, any treatments you have already tried and how it affects your comfort, movement, function and everyday life. I will examine the scar itself, but also look beyond the scar — at your movement, strength and function, and at the wider impact the original injury, healing process and scar may have had on your body.
Assessment can be helpful at any stage — from while a wound is still healing, when advice may help support the best possible outcome, through to scars that have been present for many years. Scars change over time, and their symptoms and treatment needs can change too.
At the end of the assessment, I will explain what I have found, what I think may be contributing to your symptoms and the treatment options that may be appropriate. Together, we can then agree realistic goals and a personalised plan — which may include treatment with me, things you can do yourself, working alongside other healthcare professionals, or referral for a different type of treatment where appropriate.
Most assessments last around an hour, allowing enough time to understand both your scar and the wider impact it may be having.
Manual Scar Mobilisation
Hands-on scar treatment can help improve the movement and pliability of scar tissue, reduce tightness, discomfort and sensitivity, and improve how the scar feels and looks.
I use a range of specialist manual techniques, selected and adapted according to your scar, your symptoms and what we are trying to achieve. Treatment may be carried out in a comfortable resting position or combined with movement, stretching or positioning to work on restrictions more effectively.
Your scar and its effect on your movement and function are continually reassessed, so treatment can be adapted as things change and improve.
Mechanical Scar Mobilisation
Many scars and areas of deeper fibrosis can benefit from mechanical mobilisation. I use LPG or endermologie, a specialised device that uses controlled suction and mechanical stimulation to mobilise the skin and underlying tissues.
LPG allows treatment to be applied in a precise and reproducible way, with the settings adapted to the scar, the stage of healing and what we are trying to achieve. It can help improve tissue mobility and pliability, reduce tightness and areas of fibrosis, and improve symptoms and function.
I often combine LPG with manual scar mobilisation, movement, stretching or other treatments. As with all my scar treatment, I continually assess how your scar and body are responding and adapt the treatment accordingly.
Scar Rehabilitation
Even relatively small scars can affect how your body moves and functions. Burns, surgery, accidents and other injuries can also have wider effects, particularly when pain, healing or periods of reduced activity have limited movement. Scars near or across joints may further restrict movement through tightness, adherence or contracture.
Scar rehabilitation looks beyond the scar itself. Depending on what you need, treatment may include scar mobilisation, stretching, exercise, strengthening and movement rehabilitation to improve mobility, function and comfort and address the wider physical effects of your injury and recovery.
The aim is to help you regain as much as possible, reach your potential and achieve the goals that matter to you.
Scar rehabilitation usually takes place over a period of time rather than in a single session. Depending on your needs, treatment may be weekly or, when possible and beneficial, more frequent. We will regularly review your progress against your goals, how much improvement is being achieved and the potential for further change, adapting the treatment and frequency of sessions as we go.
Scar Management
Scar management can involve a combination of approaches, depending on the scar, its stage of healing, the problems it is causing and what you would like to improve. Alongside hands-on treatment and rehabilitation, this may include silicone, pressure therapy, taping, skincare and other treatments that you can use yourself.
Scar management is often collaborative. I work closely with a network of colleagues across different specialities, including plastic surgeons, dermatologists, medical tattooists, camouflage practitioners and psychologists. My treatment may be provided alongside other interventions, such as laser or surgery, with different approaches coordinated and used at the appropriate stage.
My role is to help you understand the options and, where needed, bring together the right expertise so that the different aspects of your scar and its impact on you can be addressed.
Scar management looks different for everyone. Sometimes a single appointment may be enough to assess your scar, answer your questions and give you a clear plan. At other times, review appointments, a course of treatment or care coordinated with other specialists may be needed. We will agree what makes sense for you and adjust the plan as your scar and needs change.
Scar Products
It can be confusing to know which creams, silicones and other scar products are likely to be useful. During assessment and treatment, I can help you understand the options and recommend products based on your scar, its stage of healing and what we are trying to improve.
I can also assess whether a pressure garment may be helpful and provide one if needed, as well as advise on silicone, tapes, skincare and other products that may form part of your scar management. Not every scar needs every product - the aim is to use what is likely to be helpful for you and avoid unnecessary treatment.
If you think I may be able to help, the best next step is to complete the form on the Contact page. It will ask you for a little more information about your scar, how it is affecting you and what you are hoping to improve. I’ll review this personally and let you know whether I think I can help and what the next step might be.
For Professionals and Organisations
Much of my work starts with looking carefully and asking: what is really going on here? Answering that usually means looking from more than one perspective, listening to the people involved and working together to understand both the problem and the possibilities.
Over almost three decades specialising in burns, scars and rehabilitation, my work has developed across three interconnected areas: the scar, the person living with the scar, and the systems around them. I assess and treat scars, looking beyond what is immediately visible to understand what is happening and what has potential to change. I consider the wider impact on the person and what matters to them. And I work with systems — from teams and services to education, research and wider healthcare environments — to improve how rehabilitation is understood and delivered.
I enjoy solving problems, particularly difficult ones (although they don’t have to be difficult!). I have pioneered and developed services, introduced new treatments and ways of working, and worked with teams and organisations in the UK and internationally. This breadth of experience has taught me that a good idea or piece of evidence is only useful if it can work in the real world.
Rather than arriving with a predetermined solution, I work with the people involved to understand the different perspectives, what is getting in the way, what is already working, and where there is potential for change. Together, we can find practical ways forward that fit the people, resources and circumstances involved.
Whether you come to me with a patient, a clinical question, a service that could work better, an education need or a research idea, I bring specialist scar knowledge, wide-ranging experience and careful assessment to the problem.
If what you would like help with doesn’t fit neatly into one of the areas below, please get in touch and tell me about it. Most of my experience has developed through burns, scars and rehabilitation, but I am also interested in where that learning and experience may be useful more widely.
There are several ways we can work together — from individual patient care to service development, education, research and expert witness work. You’ll find more about each below.
Referrals
Clinical work remains at the heart of what I do and is one of the parts of my work I enjoy most. Working directly with patients also feeds into my education, research and service development, keeping these closely connected to the realities of living with and treating scars.
I accept referrals from healthcare professionals, case managers, organisations and patients themselves for specialist assessment, treatment or clinical case discussion. I have particular expertise in complex and problematic scars, but I am happy to see anyone whose scar is having an impact on them. I can work independently or alongside an existing clinical or multidisciplinary team.
My assessments are thorough and include a detailed history, subjective and objective assessment, and outcome measures when useful. My report sets out the presentation and impact of the scar, assessment findings, my clinical opinion, recommendations for treatment and management, and a clear plan. If treatment is recommended, I will also outline how much I think may be needed, how often and the likely cost. Reports are normally provided within five working days.
Treatment is a major part of my clinical practice, from early scar management to rehabilitation of complex and long-standing scars. We agree clear goals and regularly review progress, how well treatment is working and the potential for further improvement.
Excellent communication is central to how I work. If I am involved with your patient, I want it to be easy for us to communicate and work together. You are welcome to contact me directly by email or phone at any stage, and I will keep you and others involved in the patient's care updated as needed.
I generally see patients in London, with appointments also available in Brighton, Oxford and through home visits.
The best way to refer a patient is through the Contact page or by email. Tell me about the patient and send as much relevant information as you can, and I can let you know whether and how I think I can help.
Service Development & Consultancy
I have extensive experience of developing and improving services, from pioneering new models of scar and burn rehabilitation to introducing new treatments, pathways and ways of working. I have done this across the NHS, private and charitable sectors and internationally, including in very different healthcare and resource settings.
I can work with you to develop a new service, review or redesign an existing one, introduce a new area of practice or treatment, or evaluate how well a service is working. I bring clinical expertise alongside an MSc in Health Services Management and practical experience of developing services from the ground up.
My starting point is to understand your service as it really is — what you are trying to achieve, who it serves, what is already working, and the barriers, resources and opportunities around it. I work with the people who know the service best, bringing my own experience and scar rehabilitation expertise where it is useful, to develop solutions that are realistic, evidence-informed and can work in practice.
Education, Training & Mentoring
Education has been part of my work throughout my career. I have developed and delivered burn and scar rehabilitation education and training materials in the UK and internationally, and can teach across all aspects of scar assessment, treatment and rehabilitation.
I don’t use ready-made programmes. I develop the content around the people I am working with — their experience, the patients they see, what they want to learn and the setting in which they work. This might be a conference presentation, workshop, practical training, mentoring, case discussion, development of training materials, or a programme developed with a team or organisation.
Different formats can achieve different things. Even a 30–60 minute talk can expand awareness of scars — what to look for, what may be possible and when further assessment or treatment might help — and provide a starting point for further learning. For clinicians wanting to develop scar assessment and treatment skills, I particularly value interactive, practical and hands-on learning.
Theory and evidence provide an important foundation, but treating scars also requires applied clinical knowledge. It is difficult to learn from theory alone how a scar responds to treatment — how much input is enough, when it may be too much or too little, and how to adapt what you are doing in response. Hands-on workshops, mentoring and working through real clinical problems allow us to develop this clinical reasoning alongside practical skills.
Having taught and worked clinically in very different healthcare settings, I also know that learning needs to translate into practice. I work with clinicians and teams to understand their setting, resources, barriers and opportunities, so that what we develop can actually be used and benefit patients.
Medico-Legal & Expert Witness
I undertake medico-legal expert witness work in scar rehabilitation through Somek & Associates and can accept instructions on behalf of either claimants or defendants. I can also be contacted directly through Scarchange regarding potential instructions.
My expert witness work draws on almost three decades of specialist clinical practice in burns, scars and rehabilitation. Detailed assessment has always been a particular strength of my clinical work, and I bring the same thorough approach to medico-legal assessment — considering the scar itself, its symptoms and functional impact, and the wider effect of the injury and scarring on the individual.
Having worked with people with scars across a wide range of injuries, levels of severity and stages of recovery gives me a strong clinical basis for considering not only the current presentation, but the likely trajectory over time. This includes the potential impact on symptoms, function, participation and everyday life, and the rehabilitation, treatment or support that may be needed in the short and longer term, together with likely costs where required.
I have undertaken expert witness training through Somek & Associates and understand my duties under CPR Part 35, including my overriding duty to the court. My role is to provide an independent, evidence-based opinion within my area of expertise, clearly supported by my assessment, clinical experience and the available evidence.
Research
Research has been an important part of my work for many years. I have a PhD in burn scar contractures, publications in burns and scar rehabilitation, and my editorial and international work keeps me closely connected to developing evidence in the field. I am particularly interested in research that addresses clinically important questions and can ultimately improve practice and outcomes for people with scars.
I can contribute at any stage of a project - from developing and refining the research question through to study design, outcome selection, feasibility, interpretation and translating findings into practice. I am equally happy to provide focused input on a particular problem, mentor a clinician developing their research skills, or become part of a wider research collaboration.
As both a researcher and practising clinician, I bring both perspectives. I enjoy working with researchers, clinicians and other stakeholders to make research scientifically sound, clinically relevant and realistic to deliver.
If you think I may be able to help, tell me what you need. Use the contact form, email or call me to give me some background and I’ll come back to you about how I may be able to contribute.