Frequently Asked Questions

You can contact us by email at admin@plastic-surgery.uk or by telephone on 07399 400 288. Our team aims to respond to messages promptly and will be happy to help with any questions — whether you're booking a consultation, chasing a result or discussing a new concern.

Mr Singh sees private patients at four hospital locations across London and Surrey:

• St George's Hospital — Blackshaw Road, Tooting, London SW17 0QT. Mr Singh's NHS base and the hospital that pioneered sentinel lymph node biopsy for melanoma in the UK. Well served by public transport (Tooting Broadway Tube) with paid parking on site.
• Parkside Hospital — 53 Parkside, Wimbledon, London SW19 5NX. Consulting rooms and full day-case and inpatient theatre facilities, with free on-site parking.
• Ashtead Hospital — The Warren, Ashtead, Surrey KT21 2SB. Full inpatient and day-case facilities, with free on-site parking.
• Shirley Oaks Hospital — Poppy Lane, Croydon CR9 8AB. Consulting rooms and operating theatre facilities, with free on-site parking.

Full addresses, directions and booking options are on our Locations page.

No — you are welcome to self-refer and book a consultation directly. If you have a GP letter or previous medical records, please do bring them as it helps us prepare, but they are not required. Some private medical insurers do ask for a GP referral before authorising cover; our team can advise on your specific policy.

We prioritise urgent skin cancer concerns and typically see these patients as soon as possible. For routine elective consultations (cosmetic or non-urgent), appointments are usually available within one to two weeks. Our secretary will do everything possible to accommodate your preferred location and timing.

Mr Singh's principal specialism is skin oncology — the diagnosis and surgical treatment of basal cell carcinoma (BCC), squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) and melanoma, together with lymph node dissection where indicated. Sentinel lymph node biopsy (SLNB) is offered within the NHS pathway at St George's Hospital but is not currently available privately. Mr Singh also offers:

• Removal of benign skin lesions — moles, cysts, lipomas, skin tags and seborrhoeic keratoses
• Scar management, including keloid and hypertrophic scar revision
• Breast surgery — reduction, mastopexy (lift), inverted nipple correction
• Body contouring — abdominoplasty, mini tummy tuck, arm lift, liposuction
• Facial and ear procedures — prominent ear correction, earlobe reduction and repair

Initial consultations are £225 and follow-up consultations are £150. Fees for surgical procedures are quoted individually after your consultation and include the surgeon's fee, anaesthetist's fee and hospital fees. Full details are on our Fees & Insurance page.

Mr Singh is recognised by the UK's major private medical insurers, including Aviva Health, AXA Health, Bupa (Fee Assured), Healix Health Services, Vitality and WPA. We strongly recommend contacting your insurer before each step of treatment with the consultation and procedure codes we provide, so that you have written confirmation of cover.

Please be aware that insurers typically only authorise treatment for one condition per consultation. If you wish to discuss multiple concerns, this may require additional appointments. You remain responsible for any fees not covered by your policy.

Consultation fees are payable prior to the day of your appointment by card or bank transfer — we ask for payment to be received at least 48 hours in advance. For surgery, a written quotation is provided after your consultation covering all costs (surgeon, anaesthetist and hospital). Our team will walk you through the process clearly so there are no surprises.

We require at least 48 hours' notice if you wish to reschedule or cancel an appointment or procedure without charge. For appointments on a Monday, notification must be received before 11am on the preceding Thursday.

If you cancel or do not attend with less notice than that, the following charges apply:

• Less than 24 hours' notice: 100% of the appointment fee will be charged
• 24–48 hours' notice: 50% of the appointment fee will be charged

Please note that most insurers do not cover cancellation charges, so these will be invoiced to you directly. For surgical bookings, additional hospital cancellation terms may apply and will be provided in writing at the time of booking.

Mr Singh begins by listening carefully to your concerns and asking about your medical history. He will then perform a focused clinical examination, which may include photographs or a dermatoscope assessment of any skin lesion. Where appropriate, diagnostic investigations or a biopsy may be arranged. You will leave with a clear plan — whether reassurance, ongoing surveillance, non-surgical treatment or surgical options — along with written information where relevant.

Initial outpatient appointments last up to 30 minutes. Follow-up outpatient appointments last up to 15 minutes. Appointments are never rushed — Mr Singh takes the time to answer all your questions and make sure you feel fully informed before any next step is agreed.

Yes — you are very welcome to bring a friend, partner or family member to your appointment. Many patients find it helpful to have someone with them for support, to help remember details, or simply for reassurance. Children are welcome if needed.

Yes, all four hospital locations have on-site parking available for patients. Parking is free at Ashtead, Parkside and Shirley Oaks. St George's Hospital in Tooting has paid parking on site, and is also well served by public transport — Tooting Broadway Tube station is a short walk away.

Please bring any relevant medical records, a list of current medications (with doses), and your GP or consultant referral letter if you have one. If you are consulting about a specific skin lesion, photographs of the lesion — particularly any that show change over time — are very useful. It is also worth writing down any questions you would like to ask; it is easy to forget things in the moment.

This depends on the procedure. The great majority of skin surgery — including benign lesion removal and most skin cancer excisions, even those requiring reconstruction with a skin graft or local flap — can be performed under local anaesthetic as a walk-in, walk-out procedure. Larger or more complex operations, such as breast surgery or body contouring, usually require sedation or general anaesthetic. The choice will be discussed fully during your consultation and, where a general anaesthetic is needed, you will always meet the anaesthetist before the day of surgery.

Private surgery is performed at whichever of the four hospital locations — St George's, Parkside, Ashtead or Shirley Oaks — best suits the procedure and your preference. Each offers modern, consultant-led operating theatres, experienced theatre teams, private recovery rooms and full overnight facilities where required.

All surgery carries some risk, although for the procedures Mr Singh performs these are generally low when carried out by an experienced consultant in an accredited hospital. General risks include bleeding, infection, scarring, delayed wound healing and a reaction to the anaesthetic. Procedure-specific risks are fully discussed during your consultation and documented in the written consent process. You will always have time to ask questions and reflect before agreeing to surgery.

Recovery time varies considerably depending on the procedure. As a rough guide:

• Minor skin surgery under local anaesthetic: often only a day or two off.
• Larger skin cancer surgery or reconstruction: one to two weeks.
• Breast surgery, abdominoplasty and body contouring: typically two to four weeks away from desk-based work, and longer for physical jobs.

Mr Singh will give specific guidance tailored to your procedure and occupation at your consultation and again before surgery.

Yes — Mr Singh will share relevant before-and-after photographs during your consultation, always with full patient permission and anonymised where needed. Please note that outcomes vary from patient to patient and are influenced by anatomy, skin type and healing.

Before you leave hospital, Mr Singh and the nursing team will talk you through the aftercare for your procedure — covering wound care, dressings, pain relief, activity and the warning signs to watch for. Follow-up appointments are arranged to monitor your recovery and remove sutures where needed, and our team is contactable by telephone or email during working hours throughout your healing.

After minor skin surgery, most patients can drive the same day and return to light activity within a few days. After surgery under general anaesthetic, you must not drive for at least 24 hours, and your car insurer may require a longer period — always check your own policy. Exercise recommendations vary by procedure: Mr Singh will give specific written guidance covering gentle walking, light exercise and return to full activity including high-impact sport or swimming.

Mr Singh does not recommend travel abroad or long-distance travel within the first few weeks of any surgical procedure. The majority of surgical complications — such as bleeding, infection or problems with wound healing — arise in the first one to two weeks after surgery, and are far easier and safer to manage when you can be seen and reviewed in person promptly rather than having to seek unfamiliar medical care away from home.

If you have travel plans that fall within this early recovery window, please raise them at your consultation so that the timing of surgery can be planned around them. Staying close to home during the first couple of weeks is one of the simplest things you can do to protect a safe and smooth recovery.

Mild discomfort, bruising and slight swelling are normal after most procedures and settle over days. Please contact us promptly if you notice any of the following:

• Increasing pain not controlled by your prescribed pain relief
• Heavy or persistent bleeding
• Spreading redness, warmth or firmness around the wound
• A fever, or feeling generally unwell
• Pus or unusual discharge

These may be early signs of infection or other complications and are much easier to manage when addressed quickly.

During working hours: contact the practice directly on 07399 400 288 or admin@plastic-surgery.uk and we will call you back or arrange a review appointment the same day where needed.

Outside working hours: for urgent concerns (heavy bleeding, severe pain, fever) contact the 24-hour nurse line at the hospital where your surgery was performed — the number will be on your discharge paperwork.

In an emergency: always call 999 or attend your nearest A&E department.