Melanoma UK CEO Gillian Nuttall was so moved by the plight of family friend Jon Herron after he was diagnosed with melanoma, she rallied support to create the organisation which was to become today’s Melanoma UK. Sadly, Jon died in 2008 but his legacy lives on in the mission of the charity: to raise awareness of sun safety and the risks of melanoma; 86% of melanoma skin cancer cases in the UK are preventable 1 and to provide patients diagnosed with melanoma and their families much needed information and support during difficult times. Patients, families, carers, and clinicians are at the heart of their work.

Skin Camouflage Services has been providing world class expertise in clinical skin camouflage since 2007. Led by founder Vanessa Jane Davies with 25 years in the profession, Vanessa is arguably the UK’s most experienced Skin Camouflage Consultant and Expert Witness in her field. Skin Camouflage Services provides practical skin camouflage assessment, tuition, support and where required ongoing rehabilitation to individuals affected by a huge variety of visible skin differences, including many who are living with or are recovering from melanoma. 

Skin camouflage is the skilled application of highly pigmented creams and liquids to areas of skin discolouration or scaring to even out skin tones and improve the aesthetic appearance of a person’s skin. Treatment for melanoma​ inevitably means surgery and depending on the depth or ‘Breslow thickness’ and staging of the melanoma, surgery can be minor to very major, including wide excisions requiring skin grafts which can leave significant skin discolouration and scaring. Effective treatment is of course the most important thing, but how you feel about the way you look is also an important part of one’s recovery. By skillfully concealing skin colour differences that surgery and treatment leave, skin camouflage can help, men or women of any ethnicity, even children when they are old enough to understand.

Once the best colour match and technique has been agreed, learning how to apply skin camouflage at home enables individuals to take control and manage their own appearance. To be able to go swimming, play sport, wear short sleeve tops and shorts with confidence is an important part of recovery or just living for the moment.

Vanessa is delighted to support the work of Melanoma UK; in her practice she is acutely aware of the risks of sun exposure to already damaged skin and advocates the use of high factor sun protection to every patient she sees.

If you would like to know more about Melanoma UK you can go to their website at www.melanomauk.org.uk  email info@melanomauk.org.uk or call the help line on 0808 171 2455

If you would like to know more about Skin Camouflage Services or would like to make an appointment please go to www.skincamouflageservices.co.uk, email info@skincamouflageservices.co.uk, call us 0844 504 5533

​Skin Camouflage Services have been assessing and supporting international patients at 10 Harley Street London since 2007. Approximately a third of our patient list is made up of international patients from Europe, Middle East and Asia.

Following a trauma burn injury this young lady contacted Skin Camouflage Services to request and plan her skin camouflage appointment during her next trip to London. Our ‘Wrap Around Service’ of skin camouflage treatment and products which is available to our UK patients is also offered to our International patients giving peace of mind from the outset that they receive a first-class skin camouflage service. We are fortunate that we always remain the single point of contact no matter how complex the travel arrangements may be with sponsors and embassies which in turn means we can accommodate deadlines and short visits into our Harley Street schedules.

The skin camouflage assessment identified complex and extensive hypo-pigmentation with mottling to the feet and ankles. In addition, large areas of hyper-pigmentation extended towards the knees with a defining border.

The aim of the skin camouflage appointment was for the patient to gain confidence in the application of the skin camouflage creams and to feel happier with the appearance of her legs.

Skin Camouflage Services understand that the complexity of scarring can for some people be of great concern. We know from our 25 years of practical assessments what can realistically be achieved with scars, pigmentation and colour difference. This has led us to form the opinion that the majority of scars benefit from skin camouflage  “as long as there’s a colour difference, but this has to include the patient’s ability to manage the application”.

Over the decades skin camouflage has become well known for its support for private patients, NHS patients, rehabilitation and for those that wish to pursue skin camouflage personal injury claims. For those of us that work in this field we know that it is a well-respected recognised profession that stands apart the make-up arena and what we also know, is that self-gratification and claims of covering scars for the benefit of the practitioner is not helpful. Suggestions that all scars can be camouflaged is questionable when the patient is unable to mirror the results themselves furthermore, we also know from the number of skin camouflage assessments that we carry out that some scars simply cannot be concealed for example due to location, the type and formation of the scar and in the absence of scar management.

The expert assessment below involved complex scarring in multiple locations. The focus of the skin camouflage appointment was for the patient to be able to choose which clothes she wanted to wear rather than having to wear a particular style of clothes that covered her scars.  In addition, it was essential that she could manage her appearance independently.

The scarring to the right shoulder displayed multiple colours with particles of black grit which had embedded as the wound healed.

Surprisingly the results achieved were relatively quick and easy using the criss-cross technique, however the challenge was for this lady who was right handed was to apply the cover creams to her right shoulder by herself.

Whilst the skin camouflage application was successful to all the sites of injury, we concluded on reflection that the help required to assist with the shoulder would likely limit the frequency of use and therefore its effectiveness would be restricted. Therefore, not all medico legal skin camouflage reports can claim that full cost recovery is fair and reasonable.

If you would like an opinion to clarify levels of skin camouflage quantum before dispatching legal instructions, please contact us at 10 Harley Street London.