Dr Ashley Spencer Consultant dermatologist

Background

Dr Ashley Spencer is a consultant dermatologist at Imperial College Healthcare NHS Trust. She studied medicine at Birmingham Medical School on a music scholarship, and graduated with honours, multiple distinctions and several academic prizes. After completing her postgraduate medical training in Birmingham, she achieved the highest ranking nationally for entry into dermatology specialist training, earning her a place on the North London Dermatology Training Programme.

Dr Spencer has led and contributed to a broad portfolio of clinical and translational research. She has presented her work at national and international conferences and has received multiple awards in recognition of her academic contributions. She has served as the Principal Investigator (PI) for several research studies at Imperial College Healthcare NHS Trust, and the UK Chief Investigator (CI) of the Psoriasis Study of Health Outcomes (PSoHO) study. Dr Spencer is currently undertaking her doctoral research with Professor Chris Bunker at University College London, where she is investigating the role of the microbiome in the aetiopathogenesis of female genital lichen sclerosus.

Her clinical practice includes the assessment and management of a wide range of dermatology presentations, including rashes, eczema, psoriasis, acne, skin cancer, sun damage and mole checks. Her subspecialty interests focus on inflammatory skin disease, and she co-leads the severe psoriasis service at Imperial. She also has expertise in the cutaneous manifestations of connective tissue diseases and runs a dedicated skin lupus clinic, working closely with colleagues in rheumatology and renal medicine.

 

Expertise

Inflammatory skin disease, psoriasis, lupus and connective tissue disorders, skin cancer

Research & publications

Recent publications include:

• Spencer A, Uthayakumar A, Watchorn RE, Palmer EL, Akel R, Kravvas G, Muneer A, Fuller LC, Lewis F, Bunker CB. Urinary incontinence and female genital lichen sclerosus. J Eur Acad Dermatol Venereol. 2025 Apr 10. PMID: 40207439.
• Hodgkinson T, Vereker C, Spencer A. Early detection of melanoma: Evaluating the combined use of total body photography and sequential digital dermoscopic imaging in a national health service setting. Clin Exp Dermatol. 2025 Feb 26. Epub ahead of print. PMID: 40000376
• Kravvas G, Watchorn R, Spencer A, Bunker CB. Reply to: EuroGuiderm Guideline on lichen sclerosus-introduction into lichen sclerosus. J Eur Acad Dermatol Venereol. 2025 Feb 24. Epub ahead of print. PMID: 39991970.
• Kravvas G, Watchorn R, Spencer A, Bunker CB. Reply to 'EuroGuiderm guideline on lichen sclerosus-Treatment of lichen sclerosus'. J Eur Acad Dermatol Venereol. 2025 Feb 12. Epub ahead of print. PMID: 39936618.
• Temido MJ, Honap S, Bursztejn AC, Portela F, Jairath V, Danese S, Spencer A, Peyrin-Biroulet L. Drug-Induced Acne in Inflammatory Bowel Disease: A Practical Guide for the Gastroenterologist. Am J Gastroenterol. 2025 Jan 1;120(1):125-134. PMID: 39382676.
• Choudhary C, Kloczko E, Spencer A, McNamara C, Gohil S, Semkova K, Ong E, Proctor I, Tung H, Calonje E, Bunker CB. Coalescing and satellite erythematous papules on the calves and thighs of a middle-aged man. Clin Exp Dermatol. 2024 Dec 23;50(1):214-216. PMID: 39141881.
• Drumm C, Chawla S, Kravvas G, Spencer A, Bunker CB, Watchorn RE. Representation of genital dermatoses in dermatological literature. Br J Dermatol. 2023;188(4):563-564. PMID: 36760163
• Lee A, Stanley GHM, Wade RG, Berwick D, Vinicombe V, Salence BK, Musbahi E, De Poli ARCS, Savu M, Batchelor JM, Abbott RA, Gardiner MD, Wernham A, Veitch D; CANVAS collaborative (incl Spencer A). International, prospective cohort study comparing non-absorbable versus absorbable sutures for skin surgery: CANVAS service evaluation. Br J Surg. 2023;110(4):462-470. PMID: 36753053
• Spencer A, Watchorn R, Kravvas G, Ben-Salha I, Haider A, Francis N, Freeman A, Alnajjar HM, Muneer A, Bunker CB. Pseudoepitheliomatous keratotic and micaeous balanitis: a series of eight cases. J Eur Acad Dermatol Venereol. 2022; 2022;36(10):1851-1856. PMID: 35695159
• Alfallouji Y, Spencer A, Calonje E, Perrett CM, Watchorn W, Borysiewicz C, Hodgkinson T, Wasan H, Bunker CB, Sidwell RU. Eruptive naevi associated with encorafenib for metastatic colorectal cancer: two cases. Clin Exp Dermatol. 2022 Oct;47(10):1857-1858. PMID: 35633107
• Watchorn RE, Spencer AH, Kravvas G, Bunker CB. Reply to: Topical cyclosporine 5% cream in Zoon’s balanitis resistant to other therapies: A case report. Dermatol Ther. 2022; 35(1):e15215. PMID: 34816551
• Honap S, Meade S, Spencer A, Pavlidis P, Luber R, Calonje E, Rashidghamat E, Bunker CB, Lewis F, Irving PM. Anogenital Crohn’s disease and granulomatosis: a systematic review of epidemiology, clinical manifestations and treatment. J Crohn’s Colitis. 2021; 6(5):822-83. PMID: 34962991