Femina Health Founder, Dr Beth McLeod.

FEMINA HEALTH is a medical practice specialising in women’s care. The FEMINA HEALTH team is guided by founder Dr Beth McLeod. The Doctors work closely with the rest of the health specialists as the balance of health that we are looking for in our patients, relies on the clear communication between specialisations.

Talking woman to woman allows for an ease of relating and confidence that builds a doctor/patient relationship based on trust. Any and all life threatening diseases including Breast Cancer, Heart Disease, Cervical Cancer and any individually significant problem that the patient may have are screened for. Hormonal issues such as menopause and thyroid disease take precedence, and metabolic conditions including diabetes and obesity are highlighted.

In considering health priorities, it is useful to consider the relative causes of mortality in women. Few people realise that:

•  33% of women die of cardiovascular disease.
• Cancer is the second most common cause of death at 22% with a range of metabolic diseases including diabetes and other causes each contributing a small percentage.

Women seldom stop to prioritise their own health, with the result that these “dread diseases” are often picked up well down the track. At FEMINA HEALTH we run a program where we screen for all preventable diseases every year and run ongoing monitoring to manage existing chronic conditions.

How the consultation process works

Initially a full medical assessment is done where  blood pressure, blood sugar and cholesterol, and all of the systems are assessed. From this initial assessment an action plan outlining the patient’s health goals is drawn up. This might include further investigations, including blood tests, urine assessments, X-rays and any other patient requests. All further follow ups proceed from this initial action plan.

Other areas of consideration

Gynaecology From the age of 21 years old, every woman should have a gynae check-up comprising a breast examination and pap smear. This is part of a routine gynae assessment carried out by the Doctor once a year.

We also run HPV vaccine programs for all girls over the age of 12. This is a revolutionary addition to the normal vaccine schedule as it prevents cervical cancer. It is the first time in medical history that it is possible to prevent cancer with a safe and reliable vaccine. From the age of 40 years we book and monitor mammograms as part of the breast cancer screening program. FEMINA HEALTH can also assist with pregnancy blood tests and early prenatal care.

Bone Health Ladies will be screened and managed for osteoporosis and will have their bone density scans monitored.

Obesity and weight loss. Doctor works in close association with our dietician to provide individualised eating plans to ensure healthy, sustained weight loss.

Aesthetic medicine Our Doctors particular area of strength is in aesthetic medicine. We provide a range of anti-aging techniques which are affordable, discreet and have excellent effects. These include:

 Botox, fillers and surgery

Botulinum Toxin or BOTOX as it is more commonly known is probably the safest most widely used injectable therapy in the world. It has been used for over 40 years with almost no adverse reactions. It’s applications include the treatment of a range of medical applications including: facial asymmetry on the basis of palsies and injuries, squints, headaches, contractures. It is most effectively used to minimise facial lines to take away the visual effects of aging. We also offer Silhouette threading and Dermapen.

BOTOX is most effectively used in combination with fillers. These are Hyaluronic Acid based gels that are selectively injected into the skin to restore the contours of youth. They are painless, safe, effective, immediate and long lasting.

Skin surgery In South Africa it is difficult to escape the damaging effect of the sun. Unfortunately over time this accelerates the aging process leading to the development of numerous skin conditions requiring medical and surgical intervention. These include Actinic Keratoses, Basal Cell Carcinoma, Squamous Cell Carcinoma and Melanoma to name but a few. All these conditions are pre-cancerous, if not already cancerous and need accurate assessment, diagnosis and removal to ensure that they progress no further. Our Doctors are skilled in skin surgery of this nature with a particular emphasis on medical safety and a good cosmetic result.

Skin Assessments The unprotected skin exposed to years and years of sun develops pigmentation and vascular lesions that are unsightly and in some cases pre-cancerous. At FEMINA HEALTH we recommend a full skin assessment to exclude any cancerous lesions and advise further on procedures available to treat pigmented and vascular lesions.