Jon Pleat

MA(Oxon) DPhil(Oxon) FRCS(Plast)

Jon is a Consultant Plastic Surgeon at North Bristol NHS Trust and University Hospitals Bristol NHS Trust. His interest in scarring arose from his own burn injury as a child. After medical school in Oxford, his burns and plastic surgery training took him around the world where he observed a diverse range of treatments for scarring. His research degree in Oxford looked at the chemical response to human scar formation.

As Director of Research for the wound and burns charity Restore, Jon now helps to guide a number of research projects which investigate how a scar develops and the treatments for a mature scar. Jon sits on a number of national research committees. He collaborates with research and support groups around the world. He lectures nationally and internationally on the subject of scarring. For more information about his practice, please visit his BUPA details.

Alison Guy

Occupational Therapist

Alison is as an Occupational Therapist who qualified in 1992, starting her career as a junior in general medicine. She then progressed through the surgery and vascular specialities providing support to new amputees. In 1994 she started working for the burns and plastics service at Frenchay Hospital which at the time also covered complex hand injuries. It was here that her interest in the treatment of scars began to develop. In 1999 she moved on from hand therapy but continued with burns and plastics. In 2000 she took on running the now well established scar management service that cares for patients who have suffered scarring following a burn injury or trauma across the Southwest. She continues to work full time as the lead Occupational Therapist for burns and plastics, now at the new Brunel Building at Southmead.
Her experience in the treatment of scars has been through the use of non-surgical techniques, these include advice on massage, silicone therapy and pressure therapy. She has used these techniques on all ages and treats several hundred patients a year with variable degrees of complexity. Alison remains at the cutting edge of treatments through the annual national BBA conference, scarring workshops and an extensive network of scar practitioners. Alison is registered with the HCPC.

Amy Davey

Senior Reconstructive Scientist

Amy Davey is the Senior Reconstructive Scientist (in the profession formally recognised as Maxillofacial Prosthetics) from North Bristol NHS Trust. Amy manages the Reconstructive Prosthetics team at Southmead Hospital providing all aspects of facial and body prosthetics, custom medical devices to patients and digital 3D modelling for surgical aid and planning.

As a big advocate for innovation with science and technology, she works closely with global engineering company Renishaw with the design and manufacture of patient specific 3D additive manufactured implants and surgical guides, for a variety of uses.

Having been in the profession for nearly 10 years, Amy has published research on quality and manufacturing techniques of titanium cranial plates, having studied in Cardiff, Manchester and King’s College London whilst working in a variety laboratory teams.

Amy was among the first registered Clinical Scientists in Reconstructive Science and continues to train Reconstructive Science students, through the Scientific Training Programme with the South West Consortium.

Becky Watkins

DClinPsych MSc BSc

Becky is an HCPC registered Clinical Psychologist, who qualified in 2006 with the Bristol Doctorate in Clinical Psychology. This followed several years of working with people in a variety of settings, experiencing a range of difficulties and studying a Masters in Health Psychology. She has since worked with people who have chronic pain, illness and skin conditions in an NHS role. In 2011 she set up a private practice and has worked with people who have a variety of needs, including those with depression, anxiety and psychological trauma. She has worked with children, adolescents, families and adults.

Areas of Specialist Experience

Becky has a number of years’ experience of working with people living with the difficulties that can arise as a result of long term conditions. For example, she has worked with people who have chronic pain, itchy skin and other forms of discomfort as well as those living with appearance concerns and visible difference. She is also experienced in working with trauma and its implications for mental health, managing anxiety and other mood states.

Therapeutic Approach

Becky uses multi-perspective psychological formulation to guide her assessment and therapy. She has an integrative approach to therapy which draws on a variety of perspectives, including Eye Movement Desensitisation and Reprocessing (EMDR), cognitive behavioral approaches and mindfulness practice. She is passionate about encouraging people to reconnect with their resources and cultivate a positive relationship with themselves.

Amarnath Challapalli

MRCP FRCR CESR MD PhD
Consultant Oncologist

Dr Amar Challapalli is a Consultant Clinical Oncologist at University Hospitals Bristol NHS Foundation Trust. He specialises in the treatment of non-melanomatous skin cancers with radiotherapy and chemotherapy. Although the bulk of his clinical work is treating malignant skin cancers, he also has experience in treating benign skin conditions such as Dupuytrens contractures, hypertrophic scars and keloids, with radiotherapy. He has a particular interest in developing high-dose rate brachytherapy techniques for the treatment of benign and malignant skin lesions and is aiming to set up this service at the Bristol Haematology and Oncology centre.

Tonia Goman

NMC Nurse

Tonia Goman, NMC-registered nurse, works a dual role at the Dermatology Centre at the Bristol Royal Infirmary. She began as a Staff Nurse in 2002 and trained with British Association of Skin Camouflage (BASC) course in 2004, where she held skin camouflage clinics, treating a wide variety of skin conditions, until she took on the role as Dermatology Clinical Specialist Nurse in 2014. With increasing demand for her expertise, she set up her own practice, offering skin camouflage advice to people of the South West. She is also an Associate Member of British Association of Skin Camouflage (BASC).

Vanessa Jane Davies

MEWI, MFHT, LCGI

Skin Camouflage & Scar Therapy Consultant

Vanessa is the UK’s only qualified Skin Camouflage expert who is certified to offer Microskin™ simulated skin technology. She is also qualified to provide ScarWork ™ treatments.

Vanessa founded Skin Camouflage Services in Harley Street in 2007 and accepts referrals from across the UK and Ireland with clinics based in London, the Midlands, and the North, North East. Vanessa is also proud to offer support to military personnel referred to her via the National Defence Military Rehabilitation Centre (DMRC). Vanessa is also an experienced expert witness in her field to the English Courts.

With over 25 years practical experience Vanessa provides expert para-medical skin camouflage for major trauma injuries, pigmentation, prosthetic margins, self-harm and other scarring. She is particularly known for the innovations she has developed for the camouflage of scarring resulting from burns: chemical, fire, hot liquids, and electricity.

Vanessa provides an integrated approach to skin camouflage and scar management using a combination of skin camouflage, liquidised simulated skin, non-invasive dermal fillers, silicone therapy and specialist scar massage techniques.

Jane Haralambos

Cosmetic and Medical tattooist. Micro-needling and Scar therapy specialist.

Jane qualified in May 2001. After completing her apprenticeship, she continued to work with her trainer for many years in Harley Street, London. This gave her invaluable insights and the skills needed to then set up her own practice.

Having been badly scarred as a child after falling through a window, Jane’s interest in scarring was driven by personal experience. As Jane’s career progressed, she specialized in Medical tattooing and Scar therapy, working with a variety of clients in the following areas.

Burns – relaxing and breaking down scar tissue and in some cases a soft wash of colour to blend into the surrounding skin

Areola/Nipple – following breast reconstruction, it is possible to carry out a total optical reconstruction of the nipple and areola and using scar therapy to loosen and rejuvenate the scar tissue.

Scars – with a combination of Micro-needling and Medical tattooing Jane will create a bespoke treatment best suited to the type of scar.