There are renewed calls for better regulation of Australian skin cancer clinics and the procedures they can perform as dozens of people launch legal action against a former doctor over botched surgeries.

The Health Care Complaints Commission (HCCC) prosecuted Wollongong doctor Jeremy Reader after receiving complaints from nine of his patients.

The complaints ranged from a lack of anaesthesia to failure to explain procedures, excessive scarring, and disfigurement.

In December 2016, Dr Reader was found guilty of unsatisfactory professional conduct by the NSW Civil and Administrative Tribunal.

The court stripped him of his registration and precluded him from applying for reinstatement for a year.

Janelle Trigg was one of the first to issue a complaint after the former GP froze a chunk of non-cancerous flesh from her nose in 2011.

"It caused a massive indentation that looked like a skate park," Ms Trigg said.

Warning: Graphic image of wound that may cause distress.

She said the procedure caused an infection that led to her needing surgery to repair the damage.

"I went on to have three operations and it cost me $10,000," she said.

"I was very upset and to find out from a dermatologist a couple of weeks later that I should have been treated with a Vitamin A cream — I was devastated."

Collene Bakewell-Hill was among those who complained about Dr Reader.

Similarly to Ms Trigg, she left his skin cancer clinic in Wollongong physically and emotionally scarred following a bungled procedure on her nose.

Ms Bakewell-Hill declined to comment on the details of her case.

"It is too painful to keep going back," she said.

"If I can have one thing said: I am forever indebted to Ms Trigg's dedication to fight for justice."

Like Ms Trigg, fellow patient Collene Bakewell-Hill's treatment on her nose by Dr Reader resulted in an infection. ( Supplied: Collene Bakewell-Hill )

Dozens of new claims brought against former doctor

Lawyer James Govan said he has since been approached by around 80 patients with similar claims.

Mr Govan said they would individually sue Dr Reader on the grounds of negligence.

"He was quite literally just performing services that were beyond his capabilities," Mr Govan said.

"He was a GP with a diploma in skin cancer management and he was acting well and truly out of his depth."

Dr Reader was awarded a Diploma of Skin Care Medicine by the Skin Cancer College of Australia in 2007 and started practising in the area of medicine in October 2014.

He was also the college's secretary and NSW representative for several years.

Calls for tighter controls on skin cancer clinics

Ms Trigg is now calling for there to be greater scrutiny on skin cancer clinics and tighter controls around the procedures they are allowed to perform.

"To me it's just totally illegal and the government needs to get in and change legislation to the point where you can only have a doctor that works in a skin cancer clinic that's totally qualified," Ms Trigg said.

In May 2018 the NSW Government introduced new laws on cosmetic procedures including increased fines for shady operators and breaches of regulatory requirements.

Health Minister Brad Hazzard said he was concerned by unsafe practices taking place and unapproved products being used.

"The new laws will help ensure medicines used in cosmetic treatments are administered safely and anyone performing a high-risk procedure must do so in a licensed facility," Mr Hazzard said.

However, the reforms do not apply to skin cancer clinics.

"Thankfully for the community we haven't uncovered anybody else who is remotely like Dr Jeremy Reader," Mr Govan said.

"It's not something we can say was widespread practice but the fact that it can happen at all certainly suggests that reform is needed."

A spokesperson for New South Wales Health said any complaints about the competency of a medical practitioner should be made to the Health Care Complaints Commission.

"Serious complaints are prosecuted by the Commission in the Civil and Administrative Tribunal of NSW which has the power to suspend or cancel a practitioner's registration," the spokesperson said.

Doctor Reader declined to comment on the advice of his lawyers.