Private care for 'cosmetic' issues

In the 18 months before OH retired we used his work private health insurance for two hernia repairs, a new hip and cataracts. I expect we'd still be waiting otherwise - fine for those of us lucky enough to have means to pay. I hope the NHS can keep going and maybe improve what it can offer but at least most life threatening things still get covered. Save us from an American style of healthcare!

Shantygirly

I have a problem with a fingernail. About a year ago I caught my index finger in my misnamed 'soft close' kichen drawers. The nail went black and was detatched from the nailbed. A paramedic at my local surgery removed it (painfully) but now its grown back, just the same as it was before, lifted right off the nailbed and I keep catching it on things, its very uncomfortable it aches and is ugly. The GP surgery now say I have to 'go private' to get it treated. My problem is where? I know I will have to pay for it but I can't even find someone to do it!

Any ideas?

Beware, I had a funny growing fingernail (the kids called it my 'witchy nail') which I had removed many years ago now. It was done under a local anaesthetic, a bandage thing put over it, think cartoons, and was told to leave it 10 days I think before getting the stitches removed at the GP surgery. At around day 8 I started to feel unwell, feverish etc and thought I as about to get a nasty cold. Went to the surgery at day 10 to get the stitches out, but the bandage would NOT come off, so I sat in the waiting room with my hand in a basin in order to soak it off. But it still would not budge! By now I was still in there at their closing for lunch period. In the end my GP distracted me by asking me something and ripped it off quickly - it was a good job nobody was in as I screamed something quite rude! Turned out the finger was going black, hence the fever ... got that sorted and the ruddy thing grew back exactly the same, so it looks like if you have any damage to the nail bed you would be wasting your money having it removed again ....

Over many many years I have had warts removed from my nose Back in the day this was done either by the doctor or a dermatologist, with a 2 minute cryotherapy procedure. Then came the day I was refused this treatment by a dermatologist, the wart having been deemed "cosmetic". I found it very embarrassing and ended up having it removed at a private hospital. It cost more than 500 pounds and I was refused treatment at the same time on a second wart that I could see was developing just above the same site. Sure enough I had another develop within 6 months. I treated it myself with a common treatment for verrucas "Do not use on face" warning on packet. That was about 6 years ago and I have had no bother since.

I have du puytren’s contracture - all but two of my fingers are bent and crooked to a greater or lesser degree. It’s inconvenient sometimes and unsightly (which doesn’t concern me) but I manage, though the only gloves I can wear now are woolly ones, and it’s not painful. It’s not curable but the bent fingers could be temporarily straightened. That could be done on the NHS. However, unless I get to the point of having no useable fingers I consider any correction would be purely cosmetic and would not expect to be done at public expense.

I tend to disagree with people who go abroad for cosmetic surgery, presumably at some cost, but then resort to the NHS when treatment like liposuction goes wrong. I feel they should pay for the corrective treatment, but wonder if I’m being mean. What do others think?

I also paid for having a breast reduction having been out of proportion and self conscious since teens. Was refused nhs treatment and couldn’t afford it earlier. I’ve never regretted it.

I agree with you, Irismarle.

Germanshepherdsmum

I have du puytren’s contracture - all but two of my fingers are bent and crooked to a greater or lesser degree. It’s inconvenient sometimes and unsightly (which doesn’t concern me) but I manage, though the only gloves I can wear now are woolly ones, and it’s not painful. It’s not curable but the bent fingers could be temporarily straightened. That could be done on the NHS. However, unless I get to the point of having no useable fingers I consider any correction would be purely cosmetic and would not expect to be done at public expense.

It depends.

If it prevents someone from working then it's better for the NHS to carry out a procedure, physiotherapy or an operation than that person have to give up work.
Do you have Viking ancestry?

Callistemon21

Germanshepherdsmum

I have du puytren’s contracture - all but two of my fingers are bent and crooked to a greater or lesser degree. It’s inconvenient sometimes and unsightly (which doesn’t concern me) but I manage, though the only gloves I can wear now are woolly ones, and it’s not painful. It’s not curable but the bent fingers could be temporarily straightened. That could be done on the NHS. However, unless I get to the point of having no useable fingers I consider any correction would be purely cosmetic and would not expect to be done at public expense.

It depends.

If it prevents someone from working then it's better for the NHS to carry out a procedure, physiotherapy or an operation than that person have to give up work.
Do you have Viking ancestry?

PS I wouldn't call that cosmetic surgery.

Yes, apparently I have Viking ancestry - ‘the Viking disease’.

If it prevented someone from working that would be different, and if I had had it to this degree when working it would have slowed me down to an unacceptable extent - I used to touch type but now it’s one finger only. It would take me far too long to draft and amend documents. If it interferes with your life to that extent, ok - but I’m retired and for me it’s just an inconvenience and a cosmetic issue. I’m in great company though, Bill Nighy has had it for many years and it hasn’t done his career or appeal any harm!

Well, you did the right thing for your self preservation and happiness. You deserved to have that taken care of after years of lowered self esteem.

That’s the crux of it - extreme cases like that Should Be Covered By Insurance. Laws and regulations should be updated, changed to accommodate unusual cases.

But this could be a pipe dream, waiting for that to ever happen. Fortunately you were able to afford this procedure. There are people that will have to live their remaining lives as is.

The op is lucky but don’t blame her at all just feel sorry for those who can’t but it isn’t her fault

MadeInYorkshire

Shantygirly

I have a problem with a fingernail. About a year ago I caught my index finger in my misnamed 'soft close' kichen drawers. The nail went black and was detatched from the nailbed. A paramedic at my local surgery removed it (painfully) but now its grown back, just the same as it was before, lifted right off the nailbed and I keep catching it on things, its very uncomfortable it aches and is ugly. The GP surgery now say I have to 'go private' to get it treated. My problem is where? I know I will have to pay for it but I can't even find someone to do it!

Any ideas?

Beware, I had a funny growing fingernail (the kids called it my 'witchy nail') which I had removed many years ago now. It was done under a local anaesthetic, a bandage thing put over it, think cartoons, and was told to leave it 10 days I think before getting the stitches removed at the GP surgery. At around day 8 I started to feel unwell, feverish etc and thought I as about to get a nasty cold. Went to the surgery at day 10 to get the stitches out, but the bandage would NOT come off, so I sat in the waiting room with my hand in a basin in order to soak it off. But it still would not budge! By now I was still in there at their closing for lunch period. In the end my GP distracted me by asking me something and ripped it off quickly - it was a good job nobody was in as I screamed something quite rude! Turned out the finger was going black, hence the fever ... got that sorted and the ruddy thing grew back exactly the same, so it looks like if you have any damage to the nail bed you would be wasting your money having it removed again ....

Oh my goodness! That's a nightmare! Poor you. I never had any stiches when my fingernail was removed. I had to change the dressings myself. It seemed to heal up quite nicely until the new nail grew back still not attached Mine is now an ever-changing mix of yellow and black and flips up and down, very uncomfortable! I sometimes put a big plaster over it, taking care not to get the sticky bit on the nail. My GP surgery won't help at all despite several emails and two letters of complaint! I have had some toenails removed and they put a chemical on to stop it regrowing, which does not always work and I would be happy to have that done to the finger, but I just can't find anyone to do it. Podiatrists are not interested. Although I said I would have to pay for it I would rather not have to!

Callistemon21

I'm glad you made the decision, Franbern and hope it improves your self-esteem. Money well spent.

Yes, where is the line drawn? I suppose the criterion is it depends on the cosmetic procedure involved and whether or not it is badly affecting someone's mental health

When even children can't access NHS dental services now for essential treatment something is wrong.

I think the dentistry service is an ideal example of how a two tier system doesn't really work. Dentistry mostly involves qualified dentists setting up or joining a practice where they will make most money from private patients. Paediatric dentists work mostly in hospitals and for the NHS. There has been a massive shortage in the area for years. It takes real commitment and intention to work in a hospital when you could make far more. Most children are admitted to hospital if any teeth need extracting. It's a dreadful situation

Paediatric dentists work mostly in hospitals and for the NHS

Here the NHS dentist also does private work. One DGC needed a 'baby' molar extracted, nothing wrong with it but it is hindering a brace being fitted. With NHS the wait was months, the same dentist could do it the next week (same clinic). One molar removed in a few minutes - that'll be £170 please.

Callistemon21

^Paediatric dentists work mostly in hospitals and for the NHS^

Here the NHS dentist also does private work. One DGC needed a 'baby' molar extracted, nothing wrong with it but it is hindering a brace being fitted. With NHS the wait was months, the same dentist could do it the next week (same clinic). One molar removed in a few minutes - that'll be £170 please.

There's an early day motion about the sad state of paediatric dentistry edm.parliament.uk/early-day-motion/61695/specialist-paediatric-dentists
227 paediatric dentists for the whole country. It's reckoned we need 3 times as many.

If it's not bad enough that adults are struggling to find an NHS dentist, it is an absolute disgrace that children's teeth are being neglected for the same reason.

Mind you, I'm appalled that some young children have had to be admitted to hospital to have several teeth extracted. I can't remember mine having fillings in their baby teeth.

Perhaps we were all scared of the school dentist and cleaned them properly!

I was scared of my mum, and always brushed properly, plus I rarely had sweets, but I needed quite a lot of dental work when I was young.
I think it's from my dads side of the family, because my mums side all had excellent teeth.

My Dad had to have lots of fillings and I’m sure that’s something I inherited. However, my son, almost 40, has never had to have any fillings or extractions. Must have inherited my Mum’s genes!

My nan never had a tooth out or a filling.

She could open a bottle of steralised milk with her teeth!
She used ajax to keep them nice and white

I had a raised growth on my face which turned into a bit of a nightmare as it kept catching when I took clothes on and off, bleeding, crusting up and growing larger. It looked horrendous. I did get a referral to the hospital where the consultant deemed it benign, therefore cosmetic, and refused to touch it. Had to pay at the private hospital. £750 for just one item and the very first year I was retired without a salary. I had never been private before and expected the red carpet treatment, but the doctor was 40 minutes late, talked to the nurse about parking for the entire procedure which took exactly three minutes. I expect it would have taken two minutes if the first consultant had done it at the NHS hospital where I was already prepped for examination. I did feel a bit miffed.

MissAdventure - I was aghast when I read your Nan used AJAX to keep her teeth nice and white! 😳😳😳

In my country Ajax (was, and I believe still available) is a chlorine bleach and chemical coarse, scouring powder for sinks and toilets - and harmful (maybe poisonous) if ingested.

That would be so abrasive to natural enamel and wear it down. The smell and taste alone.
I’m still not over it. 😆

You'd have to have met my nan to understand, but her teeth were absolutely perfect until the day she died.

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Many years ago I had a minor operation and at the follow up I mentioned to the surgeon that I had a mole/skin tag on my back that bothered me. He said ‘I can deal with that for you’. He tied cotton around it, it turned black and dropped off within a very short time. Those were the days!