Dr Archana Rao Consultant Dermatologist and Specialist in Hair Disorders

Qualifications:

MBBS, FRCP (Dermatology) UK

Professional background:

Dr Archana Rao is a Consultant Dermatologist and has the unique experience of training in dermatology both in the United Kingdom as well as overseas. She trained in dermatology and dermatosurgery at Imperial College, London.

Archana was awarded a gold medal for her study on the dermatoscope on ethnic skin by the Indian Association of Dermatologists. A scholarship from the European Hair Research Society saw her presenting her work on Frontal Fibrosing Alopecia in Barcelona. She has been awarded four scholarships by the European Academy of Dermatology including one which invited her to Bologna for advanced training in hair loss. Archana used this experience to start dedicated clinics for hair loss in the NHS - a first of its kind in South West London, receiving referrals from all over the country.

An active member of the British Association of Dermatologists, St John’s Dermatological society and Royal Society of Medicine, she has presented several papers at these meetings.

She is an invited lecturer at national meetings for Dermatologists, GPs, the institute of trichologists and national seminars for nurses. She has chaired meetings on biologics and has taught trainee Dermatologists on courses nationally.

She has published in her specialty field in several peer-reviewed journals with her research contributions in Frontal Fibrosing Alopecia featuring in Nature.

Her work across diverse continents has seen her working in medical camps in rural India making health care accessible to the underprivileged. She has volunteered in HIV and Leprosy clinics to treat, counsel and remove the stigma associated with these conditions.

Archana has been appointed Consultant at Kingston Hospital NHS Trust since March 2014 and helped develop the community clinic at Rayne’s Park Health Centre to a high standard of care for the local community. The service developed, improvised and led by her, was rated outstanding in a patient survey in 2015.

She was awarded double excellence awards by Kingston Hospital in 2019 in recognition of her work and contributions to the Trust, and in 2020 for her work during the Covid pandemic.

She is happy to consult both adults and children.

Clinical Interests

• Perimenopausal and
  menopausal skin
• Acne
• Rosacea
• Hair Disorders
• Melasma
•  
• Ethnic Skin
• Psoriasis
• Skin Cancer

She also undertakes minor operative procedures (biopsies, mole and skin tag removals, cryosurgery, Botulinum toxin injections for excessive sweating, steroid injection for alopecia, scar and keloids)

Languages: English, Hindi