FAQs
When you call to make an appointment it is important to briefly state the skin problem you are experiencing to enable staff to book you the most appropriate appointment.
Once an appointment is made, our staff will then provide you with the appropriate patient forms to complete and return with your referral prior to your appointment.
Please do not wear make up or apply moisturiser or sunscreen on the day of your consultation.
Please bring with you
- A valid referral from a GP, specialist or nurse practitioner (also email in advance of your appointment)
- Your pre-filled patient consultation forms (also email with your referral in advance of your appointment)
- A list of any oral medications you are taking
- A list of any treatments tried for your skin condition and any medical tests which may be helpful
Where attendance is for a skin cancer check or treatment of a skin cancer a thorough full skin examination will be recommended necessitating undressing down to underclothes. Your right to decline a full skin check will always be respected.
Depending on the nature of any non skin cancer related skin problem (such as a rash) a limited or full skin examination may be required
Depending on the nature of your skin problem photographs may be taken as a baseline and to assist in monitoring your progress. Such photographs will be kept strictly confidential in your patient file.
Investigations that may be undertaken during your consultation include a skin biopsy, skin scrapings and hair or nail sampling
Skin surgery to excise a skin cancer, cyst or other lump or cosmetically bothersome mole will not be undertaken during the initial consultation. Skin surgery usually requires 30-90 minutes and as a result will require a second appointment to be made following the initial consultation.
We will provide you with written information on your condition and/or treatment.
Any follow up appointment or surgery will be organised.
We will ask you to complete a patient satisfaction questionnaire to assist us in improving our services and in maintaining the highest quality practice.
Consultation fees
General Initial Appointment: $300.00 Rebate $86.15
General Followup Appointment: $250.00 Rebate $43.35
Common procedure fees
Skin Biopsies: $100.00-$200.00 Rebate: $51.85
Cryotherapy (freezing of > 10 premalignant lesions) $100 Rebate $39.20
Removal of simple Benign Lesions (including cyst drainage, wart removal etc): $100 – $300. (Rebate dependent on procedure)
Removal of more Complex Benign Lesions: $400 – $750 dependent on size & area. Rebate: $90 – $135
Removal of Malignant Lesions & Melanomas: $600 – $1,200 Dependent on Size & Area. Rebate: $150 – $350
Skin Flaps and skin grafts: $750 – $1,000 Dependent on Size & Area. Rebate: $183 – $599
Scar Revision: $700 – $1,000 Dependent on Size & Area. Rebate: $185 – $293
Laser and aesthetic treatment fees
An initial consultation will be required costing $100.00 (Nurse or Dermal Clinician) or $300.00 (Dermatologist) reflective of the high standard of care and service we provide. Cosmetic consultations do not usually attract a Medicare rebate and hence a referral is not required.
Fees for Laser & Aesthetic treatments will vary depending on the treatments provided by our team.
Generally these treatments are not covered by Medicare or Private Health Insurance. Possible exceptions to this rule may include the treatment of facial capillaries, birthmarks and some scarring.
We will advise you of the full fee and what may be claimable from medicare and obtain your financial consent prior to organising/commencing treatments.
A dermatologist is a medical doctor who has undertaken additional specialist training in the diagnosis and management of disorders of the skin, hair and nails
In Australia a dermatologist has undertaken:
- 6 years at a medical school, graduating with a degree in medicine,
- 2 years (minimum) as a newly qualified doctor undertaking basic medical training,
- Research in dermatology (minimum one year)
- 4 years of full time dermatology specialist training and successful completion of examinations set by the Australasian College of Dermatologists
- Further sub-specialty fellowship training (Mohs Microscopic Surgery)
Our dermatologists are also involved in scientific research of skin disorders and training of general practitioners and allied health
All dermatologists are skin specialists and are registered by the Australian Medical Council. On the other hand the term skin specialist does not mean someone is a dermatologist or true expert in all things skin. The term is used loosely and often for marketing purposes by GP’s, other doctors and even nurses and beauticians. Similarly whilst a skin cancer specialist is someone who has decided to focus practicing solely in the area ion skin cancers, they are not dermatologists (or plastic surgeons) and have not undergone exhaustive specialist training in dermatology nor are they recognised by the Australian Medical Council as true specialists.
Similarly a cosmetic physician is someone who offers cosmetic treatments of the skin. They are not dermatologists and have not undergone exhaustive training in medical, cosmetic and surgical dermatology
It’s important to be aware that by law, private health insurance doesn’t cover any medical services unless undertaken in a Registered Day Hospital. At Inner West Dermatology and Aesthetics, Medicare may pay part of the cost of some of your medical services but you cannot utilise your Health Fund to cover fees.
Our practice does not bulk bill and all fees are payable at the time of consultation. Cosmetic consultations and procedures do not attract a Medicare rebate.
Appointments cancelled on the day of the appointment will incur a $100.00 cancellation fee.
No shows without notifying the practice will incur a $100.00 no show fee and may require prepayment of future appointments at the time the appointment is made.
When 2 or more appointments are made at the same time by members of a family a prepayment of $100 per patient will be required to secure the appointments.
All cosmetic procedures will require either 50% pre-payment or full pre-payment (depending on their complexity) at the time of booking. Cancellations of a cosmetic procedure with less than 48 hours notice will incur a fee of 50% of the procedure fee. Cancellations on the day of a cosmetic procedure or no shows will result in loss of pre paid fees.
Script Fee
Lost Authority prescriptions will incur a $50.00 replacement fee.
A biopsy is where a small amount of skin is removed under local anaesthetic and sent away for microscopic analysis. There are three types of biopsy called shave, punch and incisional biopsy. Which type is required depends on what is being investigated. Your dermatologist will explain what type of biopsy you may require at the time of consultation.
The commonest reasons for undertaking a biopsy are to help accurately diagnose a rash when the dermatologist is unable to determine the cause during clinical examination or to confirm the clinical diagnosis of skin cancer or to determine whether a changing mole is melanoma
All referrals for biopsy proven skin cancers are given the highest priority. Appointments for biopsy proven melanoma skin cancer and squamous cell cancer of the head and neck are urgently arranged.
All other requests for urgent appointments must be made directly by the referring Doctor
There is no patient parking available on our premises however ample metered on-street parking is usually available and an outdoor car park is located within 250 metres
Only simple surgery may be undertaken in our rooms but complicated surgery (skin flaps and graft) and surgery in areas such as the scalp and face may require a day hospital setting
Simple treatments such as cryotherapy (freezing of skin lesions), cautery of a few annoying skin tags and shave reduction of troublesome benign moles or other non cancerous growths may be undertaken, Skin surgery to excise a skin cancer, cyst or other lump or cosmetically bothersome mole will not be undertaken during the initial consultation. Skin surgery may require 30-90 minutes and as a result will require a second appointment to be made following the initial consultation.