Who Are We?
Dr Helen Allergy is a family run business with Dr Helen at the fore, seeing and managing individuals with allergies and her husband Gareth, and mum Vicky, working behind the scenes on websites, marketing, and admin!
Having experienced allergies first hand within our own family, we are passionate about providing allergy care which is accessible to everyone. Dr Helen is often shocked about the poor provision of allergy services across the UK (and the World) and works hard to make sure that help is available for everyone. At Dr Helen Allergy we have Face to Face consultations available in Bournemouth and Dorchester, virtual consultations, and Support Calls available no matter where you are based. Additionally, support can be accessed online in our Facebook Group, or you can access one of our courses where we answer common questions about allergies. Whatever help you need, Dr Helen will do her best to support you.
What Do We Do
Dr Helen firmly believes in helping clients access the right person to help them. She can assess a wide variety of conditions including food allergies, skin rashes, gut symptoms, venom allergies and environmental allergies. If you are not sure if Dr Helen is the right person for you, then please send us an enquiry.
Food Allergies
Eczema
Environmental Allergies
Venom Allergies
Hayfever
Immunotherapy
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What's Included
Allergy Consultations are one hour long and will include an in-depth assessment of the problems, allergy testing (if needed) and management advice. Following this consultation, a comprehensive letter will be sent to you detailing everything that has been discussed and a copy will be sent to your GP (if you are happy for this).
If you are not sure if you need a full allergy consultation, please submit an enquiry and Dr Helen will be happy to direct you.
Dr Helen will spend an hour with you, addressing your concerns, taking a full history and examination as needed and arranging appropriate tests. As Dr Helen is a highly skilled professional, clients frequently report that they feel they have answers and direction, even if the diagnosis has not been an allergy as they suspected.
Allergy testing should always be done in conjunction with an allergy focused history. After a full consultation, Dr Helen will discuss with you if allergy testing is needed and this can be undertaken in two ways – with a blood test or allergy skin prick test. Skin prick tests are performed on the day and give almost instant results. Blood tests have to be sent away and can be more costly. For those who need testing but are not local to Dr Helen, a kit can be sent to you at home which allows you to take blood from your fingertip into a vial. This test checks for environmental allergies as well as multiple foods.
If you have had allergy skin prick tests performed, then these will usually be done on the day and the results are almost immediate. These will be analysed and discussed with you. Blood tests will take between 3-7 days to process and when these are available, Dr Helen will then write to you with the results and an explanation.
During the consultation you will be given full information to help you manage your condition. A comprehensive clinic letter will follow within 2 weeks which will remind you of what has been said and Dr Helen is available to answer any queries afterwards via email or on her Facebook group.
Dr Helen is able to provide a private prescription for anything she recommends during the consultation. You will then be charged the cost of this medication by the pharmacist. Alternatively, Dr Helen can ask your GP to prescribe most medications on the NHS.
Dr Helen is able to offer oral immunotherapy for housedust mite, grass pollen, tree pollen, cat and dog. Clients should expect a full consultation and allergy testing and the immunotherapy can then be organised. Dr Helen is also able to arrange peanut immunotherapy using Palforzia which is undertaken at Southampton Children’s Hospital.
What Our Clients Say About Us
Frequently Asked Questions
The majority of children Dr Helen sees in clinic are those where the family suspect they have a food allergy. This can present in a variety of ways – with rashes, swelling, vomiting, bowel symptoms, reflux, and indigestion. Dr Helen will assess what is going on for that child and arrange any testing necessary. Dr Helen also sees many babies and children/adolescents with skin rashes and eczema; especially where there is a question of whether food or environmental allergies are contributing to skin difficulties. We also see children where there are concerns about asthma, congestion, coughing. We can test for environmental allergies to pets, house dust mite, pollens and moulds and advise and treat these conditions. We also assess venom allergies such as bee and wasp sting reactions.
There is often a cross over in the type of conditions that an allergist and dermatologist manage. Both specialists can manage eczema and conditions which cause spontaneous hives and swelling. If you are concerned about food or environmental allergies then an allergist is the best person to consult as the skin prick testing and blood testing, we have available, looks at this type of immediate allergy. If you are concerned about reactions to potential chemicals, shampoos, soaps, metals etc., then a dermatologist is the best specialist to see as they can arrange patch testing which looks at a more delayed allergy which causes rashes to these substances. If you are not sure who to see, then please do submit a query and we will help direct you.
Who Conducts the Consultation
Personal Allergy Experience
Dr Helen has personal experience of navigating allergies in her home life. This brings a depth of understanding to the consultations which is invaluable to patients and their families.
Ongoing Support Network
Facebook community support group which is led by Dr Helen that provide continuous care and advice.
Medical Expertise
Previous Chair of the British Society of Allergy and Clinical Immunology Primary Care Group and Current Trustee for Anaphylaxis UK and Chair of their Scientific Panel.
Multi-Skilled Professional
Dr Helen has experience as a General Practitioner, Allergist and Ear, Nose and Throat specialist. This skill mix ensures a thorough, well rounded consultation.
Dr Helen Evans-Howells
