Thames Valley Scar Clinic
The Thames Valley Scar Clinic is a private medical service based in Wheatley, Oxfordshire (Unit 1, Ashurst Court, London Road, OX33 1ER). It is operated by Thames Valley Scar Clinic Ltd and registered with the Care Quality Commission (CQC) as an independent doctor service.
The clinic focuses on the assessment and treatment of scars and skin conditions using surgical, laser, and regenerative methods. It describes a “holistic” approach that considers the medical, aesthetic, and psychological effects of scarring. Its services include both operative treatments (such as laser resurfacing, scar revision, and use of RECELL™) and non-operative measures (such as steroid injections, silicone therapy, and scar massage).
The clinic’s team is led by consultant plastic surgeons; Alexandra Atkins-Murray and Sara Atkins-Murray, with experience in burns and reconstructive surgery. It mainly serves patients in the Thames Valley region, including Oxfordshire, Berkshire, and Buckinghamshire. The team also looks after patients out of region and internationally offering virtual appointments. Additionally Thames Valley Scar Clinic works with medico-legal case managers and companies for patients who have sustained accidental injury and have specialist scar and rehabilitation needs.
The RECELL “Spray-on Skin” System
A notable technology used by the clinic is RECELL, often called “spray-on skin.” This system was developed to promote skin healing using a patient’s own cells. It is manufactured by Avita Medical and is CE-marked in Europe and FDA-approved in the United States for treating burns, skin defects, and some types of pigment loss such as stable vitiligo.
How RECELL Works
RECELL is an autologous cell-harvesting system, meaning it uses the patient’s own tissue. A small piece of healthy skin—usually a few square centimetres—is taken from the patient. This sample is treated with an enzyme that separates skin cells into a suspension containing keratinocytes, melanocytes, and fibroblasts. The mixture is then sprayed or dripped onto the prepared wound or scar area.
The aim is to help the area re-epithelialise (grow new skin) more quickly and with a better colour match, since the cells come from the same individual. The process can often be completed during one surgical session and usually takes about 20–30 minutes from harvest to application.
Application at Thames Valley Scar Clinic
The clinic lists RECELL as part of its regenerative skin restoration treatments. It is often used in combination with laser resurfacing or dermabrasion, which prepare the scar or depigmented area before the cell suspension is applied. The clinic utilises RECELL’s potential to restore pigmentation and improve texture in scars.
Visit the Thames Valley Clinic Website here.