The South West’s premier independent dermatology & skin clinic
Updated: Wednesday 7 April 2021
Urgent cases suspicious of skin cancer can be seen at The Medical Eye Centre in Marsh Barton or Exeter Medical at Admiral House. Both healthcare locations offer a protected environment and adhere to all social distancing regulations and procedures.
In the first instance please contact Dr. Downs' PA, Ros on 07838 293968 to arrange your appointment and on-going treatment.
Dr. Tony Downs is able to see and treat patients with dermatology condition at The Medical Eye Centre in Marsh Barton or Exeter Medical at Admiral House. Both healthcare locations offer a protected environment and adhere to all social distancing regulations and procedures.
In the first instance please contact Dr. Downs' PA Ros on 07838 293968 to arrange your appointment and on-going treatment.
For less urgent cases, those who continue to shield at home and general dermatological related conditions Dr. Downs will continue to offer remote video consultations and teledermatology consultations for as long as required or requested by patients.
Patients can also use our online form to upload photos of their condition for assessment by Dr. Downs from the comfort of their own home.
Patients with severe and distressful skin rashes or lumps or blemishes that might be serious skin cancers can still be seen and treated at Exeter Medical in a protected environment during the coronavirus pandemic.
In the first instance please call Ros on 07838 293968 and she will discuss your available options in consultation with Dr Downs.
If your condition is potentially serious then we will ask you to send photos via our online form and Dr Downs will assess these for further investigation.
Dr Downs is then able to engage with the patient by video consultation, or in serious cases, arrange a face to face consultation following all current medical guidelines at our out-patient facility at Exeter Medical to begin urgent treatment of your dermatological skin condition.
Dr Tony Downs offers advice for patients with dermatological conditions in relation to the Covid-19 Pandemic.
In Dermatology, this would be:
Azathioprine, ciclosporin, methotrexate, mycophenolate, fumaric acid esters, apremalist and biologic agents for psoriasis or hidradenitis (but not for eczema).
New or existing patients should be aware and consider stopping/suspending or deferring treatment to a later date, with the understanding that their skin condition will most likely deteriorate.
Dr Downs is able to see patients remotely via a private phone/video consultation during this pandemic.
Our remote dermatology consultations are available using FaceTime Video or standard phone calls. Any necessary prescriptions can then be posted to you or to a pharmacy of your choice.
It was the second largest annual global dermatology education event. A chance to catch up with colleagues from across Europe, learn about emerging therapies and exchange ideas and trends about patient care.
Dr. Downs listened and was able to exchange ideas with a wealth of speakers and engage with sessions covering the most up-to-date research and developments in Dermatology and Venereology. The speakers and audience represented more than 70 countries worldwide.
Highlights were the Controversy Sessions - These covered a range of topics from topical corticosteroids, to biologics in skin disease, drugs in acne, inflammatory diseases, long term antibiotics and many others. Different opinions are new things to learn, and we were all stimulated by the healthy debate that will be sparked.
The UK meeting had speakers from Europe, USA and India.
Tumours around the nails are often difficult to diagnose and malignant tumours need early recognition and treatment to minimise complications.
Benign tumours can cause pain and often require treatment.
Surgery around the nail can be complicated, and great care is needed to minimise risks of permanent nail damage.
The cheque was presented at Coleridge Medical Centre. We raised £1750 in association with the British Lions for the Mole Check day carried out by Dr. Tony Downs, consultant Dermatologist and Dr. Nigel de Souza, senior GP.
If you have any concerns about your skin or a suspicious mole please get it checked by a medical professional. Look out for a mole which changes progressively in shape, size and/or colour.
You can check your moles by learning the ABCDE of moles. This covers a range of features that can help you spot if a mole is becoming cancerous.
Dr. Anthony Downs runs a mole check clinic or you can upload a photo using our online form to get an initial evaluation.
South West Dermatology is please to report that one of our skincare and dermatology consulting locations has been inspected by the CQC as an overall outstanding facility and a great place to see and treat patients.
Well done to the whole team at Exeter Medical for continuing to uphold the professionalism and provide the outstanding service their patients have come to expect since their launch back in 2006.
You can view the full report here
160 people were seen and over £1600 was raised for Cancer Research UK in one morning. It was a fantastic team effort helping to raise awareness and a significant sum towards the fight against skin cancer.
The team put in a great deal of work to host the event but it was very much worth it, with lots of appreciative patients, and a number of skin cancers identified which are now on course for treatment.
A big thank you to everyone involved and to all those who attended to support this worthwhile event.
If you have any concerns about your skin or a suspicious mole please get it checked by a medical professional. Look out for a mole which changes progressively in shape, size and/or colour. You can check your moles by learning the ABCDE of moles. This covers a range of features that can help you spot if a mole is becoming cancerous.
Dr. Anthony Downs runs a mole check clinic or you can upload a photo using our online form to get an initial evaluation.
Dr. Tony Downs and Dr. Chris Bower organised and hosted their 10th annual national dermatology registrar training course in Birmingham on Sunday 9th June 2019.
The course is registered with the British Association of Dermatologist and is classed as a course of excellence for attending students.
We help the dermatology consultants of the future get through a key knowledge step in their training. Future UK dermatology consultants are required to pass a theory exam in dermatology during their specialist training in Dermatology.
“We feel privileged to be able to pass on our expertise and experience to doctors that will be our consultant colleagues in the near future”
Dr. Anthony Downs & Dr. Christopher Bower
26% of those that attended were worried they had skin cancer and 5.3% did not trust their GPs opinion. 95% of patients were reassured and left relaxed following this healthcare intervention - despite the fact 16% were referred on for surgery.
Dr Tony Downs FCRP commented:
“I would like to thank everyone involved in making the event a success; and for all those who attended on the day raising money for such a worthwhile cause. Our charity mole check event really is growing year-on-year, helping to reassure some and offer support and advice to others.
Out of the 178 people who attended, several diagnosis were made, some of which were malignant melanomas requiring immediate treatment. Everyone needing to access treatment will quickly receive the necessary advice and support either from their GP or ourselves.”
Melanoma is a cancer that usually starts in the skin, either in a mole or normal-looking skin. The number of people developing melanoma is continuing to rise. 1 in 54 people will be diagnosed with malignant melanoma during their lifetime.
Regularly checking your skin (no matter how young or old you are) can help lead to an early diagnosis and increase your chances of successful treatment.
2019 proves no different as our mole check event returns to Exeter Medical, Admiral House, Exeter Business Park on Saturday 1st June 2019 from 10:00am until 4:00pm.
If you have a particular mole you are worried about Dr Downs and our dermatology team will assess you on the day in exchange for a minimum donation of £10 to Cancer Research UK. Anyone needing to access treatment will quickly receive the necessary advice and support either from their GP or Exeter Medical.
Exeter Medical would like to build on the success of last year’s mole check whereby 174 members of the public were assessed and £2,340 raised to support the work carried out by Cancer Research UK.
