Dr Ravi Ratnavel 2016-06-28 Person 1 5 0

Previously, over the last 15 years of having 6-12 monthly skin cancer check-ups with dermatologists in Sydney, Australia and London, they spend at least 15-20mins examining every part of my body, including between the toes, behind the ears, the scalp etc. They compare the photos I had taken to help with skin cancer checks, to see if any of my moles have changed appearance, if I have any new moles and so on. Dr Ratnavel told me he wouldn't use the photos as he considered it an 'outdated method', he asked me to stand in front of him, he stood about a meter away from me, told me to face him and then asked me to turn around. He made a brief comment about some moles being atypical and that I had done well not to have too much sun damage on my neck/decolletage area. Not once did he look closely at my skin; usually I am examined under bright lights by the dermatologist who also uses a hand held magnifier instrument to press onto the skin to look at suspicious looking moles up close. I am asked to first sit up, then lie down on my back, then my stomach, then my sides, until every inch of my body has been examined. I saw Dr Ratnavel in July 2015, in March 2016 I had a check-up with my dermatologist in Sydney and a malignant melanoma was removed from my upper left arm. Yesterday I was examined thoroughly by a dermatologist in Harley Street, London, he used my photos and recommended that I attend the Royal Free Hospital for some more photos to be taken to assist him in future skin cancer check-ups. I now need 3-monthly checks following the melanoma. I would in no way recommend Dr Ratnavel for skin cancer check-ups, I'm just glad I had seen enough dermatologists in the past to realise that Dr Ratnavel was hopeless and it was a complete waste of time and money going to see him.