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Aug 28, 2024 · Conditions treated. Dermatologists study pathology slides to ensure an accurate diagnosis, which is key to developing an effective treatment plan. Mayo Clinic dermatologists are experts in the medical and surgical treatment of adults and children with conditions and diseases of the skin, mucous membranes, hair and nails.
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- Overview
- What’s dermatology?
- What do dermatologists do?
- What types of conditions do dermatologists treat?
- What types of procedures do they do?
- Training and qualifications
- When to see a dermatologist
- How to find a dermatologist
- The bottom line
A dermatologist is a type of doctor that diagnoses and treats conditions that affect your hair, skin, and nails. They also treat conditions that affect mucous membranes, or the delicate tissue that lines your nose, mouth, and eyelids.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) estimates that there are 44 million visits to dermatologists every year. The primary reasons for these visits include treating:
•skin lesions
•acne
•skin rashes
•discoloration or pigmentation
The root word for dermatology is derm, or dermis. This comes from the Greek word derma, which means skin or hide.
Dermatology is a special area of medicine that focuses on conditions that affect your skin. In addition to your skin, dermatology also includes conditions that affect your nails, hair, and the delicate lining of your eyelids, nose, and mouth.
Your skin is your body’s largest organ. It contains nerve endings, sweat glands, hair follicles, pores, blood vessels, and many other structures. Caring for it is important to your overall health.
While general practitioners and internal medicine doctors may be able to diagnose and treat these same conditions, a dermatologist has a deeper understanding and greater experience. In fact, many primary care doctors will refer their patients to dermatologists for specialized care.
A dermatologist’s work can typically be divided into three areas. These include:
•Medical. A dermatologist can diagnose and treat conditions that affect your skin. This includes conditions like plaque psoriasis, rosacea, and acne. A dermatologist can also identify symptoms on your skin that could be signs of other health conditions. For example, itchy, dry skin can sometimes indicate problems with your kidneys.
•Surgery. Many dermatologists do minor surgery, like removing moles or warts or doing skin biopsies. Other dermatologists will specialize in more extensive surgery. These procedures can include removing benign cysts or skin cancer.
•Cosmetic. A dermatologist can treat skin issues that affect your appearance. This may include hair loss, dark spots, or wrinkles. Many dermatologists are trained to administer cosmetic treatments, too. These include fillers, chemical peels, and laser hair removal.
Dermatologists can treat thousands of conditions that affect your skin, hair, or nails. A few of the most common conditions they treat include:
•Acne. Based on the severity of your acne, a dermatologist can treat this condition with topical treatments, medication, lasers, or other light therapies, chemical peels, or by removing large cysts.
•Skin cancer. Skin cancer can occur anywhere on your body. A dermatologist can remove cancer cells and monitor you to make sure it doesn’t return.
•Dermatitis. Dermatitis encompasses several types of skin conditions that cause inflammation and irritation. This may include eczema, cradle cap, and allergic reactions.
•Infections. Viruses, bacteria, fungi, and parasites can all find their way into your skin and cause a variety of skin infections. A dermatologist can help diagnose the cause of infections and prescribe treatment.
•Hair loss. Hair loss may be caused by hereditary baldness. Conditions like stress, illness, and hormonal changes may also impact hair loss. A dermatologist can determine the underlying cause and help treat it if possible.
Dermatologists can perform a wide variety of procedures, from minor ones like skin tag removal to more involved ones, like skin cancer surgery.
Some procedures that dermatologists regularly do include:
•Biopsies. A dermatologist can perform different types of biopsy procedures to diagnose or rule out skin cancer or other conditions.
•Laser therapy. Laser therapy treatments may be used to remove warts, moles, sun spots, tattoos, acne scars, blemishes, wrinkles, or unwanted hair.
•Surgical excision. A dermatologist may perform a surgical excision to remove growths like moles, skin tags, and lesions. This is usually done with local anesthesia so you don’t feel pain.
•Cryotherapy. Cryotherapy is a unique treatment that involves controlled exposure to extremely cold temperatures. It can be used to treat skin conditions like warts, skin tags, and some tumors.
Dermatologists complete extensive training. Their training includes completing all of the following:
•4 years of college for a bachelor’s degree
•4 years of medical school
•a 1-year internship
•a 3-year residency for 12,000 to 16,000 hours of hands-on dermatology practice
Many dermatologists also seek out a board certification. A board certified dermatologist has completed a challenging exam that tests the knowledge and skills learned during training and residency.
If you have skin that may be prone to skin cancer, you’ll want to get a yearly skin check-up from a dermatologist. During this appointment, the dermatologist will carefully check your skin for warning signs of skin cancer.
If you’re concerned about your skin condition and don’t already have a dermatologist, you can view doctors in your area through the Healthline FindCare tool.
If you’re unsure of whether you need a yearly skin check, ask your primary care physician for their recommendation.
If something related to your skin or hair is bothering you, a dermatologist can help diagnose and treat the condition. This can include:
•skin rashes or skin irritation
•itchy, flaky, or scaly skin
You can connect to a dermatologist in your area using the Healthline FindCare tool.
When you’re looking for a dermatologist, consider these factors:
•What type you need? Do you need medical, surgical, or cosmetic treatment? Some doctors specialize in just one or two of these areas. You’ll want to find the right one for you.
•Does the dermatologist specialize in treating people of color? People of color are more likely to experience certain side effects from some common treatments. For example, people with dark skin tones are more likely to develop keloid scarring after a lesion removal. A dermatologist with extensive experience treating people of color will be better able to avoid these issues.
•Are they board certified? The American Academy of Dermatology has a search tool that will help you find a board certified member of their organization near you.
•What does your primary care doctor recommend? Based on your type of skin issue, your primary care doctor can help refer you to a dermatologist who’s got experience treating that particular condition.
Dermatology is a specialized area of medicine that focuses on conditions that affect your skin. In addition to your skin, dermatology also focuses on conditions that affect your nails, hair, and the lining of your eyelids, nose, and mouth.
A dermatologist is a highly trained doctor who can help diagnose and treat a wide variety of skin, hair, and nail-related conditions. These doctors use many different procedures, treatments, and medicines to help treat specific skin conditions or improve the appearance of your skin.
Sep 18, 2024 · Dermatologists are medical specialists who diagnose and treat issues related to skin, hair, and nails. They address everything from common problems like acne, hyperpigmentation, and eczema, to more complex conditions like skin cancers and autoimmune issues affecting the skin. It's generally ...
Jul 3, 2024 · While dermatologists can treat common skin conditions like acne or warts, they are also crucial to the diagnosis and treatment of serious ones like scleroderma, cellulitis, and skin cancer. Knowing when seeing a dermatologist is a "must" can help you get to the bottom of a condition quicker and access the correct treatment faster.
A dermatologist is a doctor who has expertise in the care of: Skin. Hair. Nails. They’re experts in diagnosing and treating skin, hair and nail diseases, and they can manage cosmetic disorders, including hair loss and scars. Cleveland Clinic is a non-profit academic medical center. Advertising on our site helps support our mission.
Vitiligo. Vitiligo is an autoimmune skin condition which causes white patches on the body due to the loss of cells that produce the pigment melanin, responsible for skin, hair and eye colour. More Info.
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Jan 31, 2024 · Pediatric dermatologists diagnose and treat a wide variety of conditions affecting children’s skin, hair, or nails. All dermatologists can treat children; however, some conditions occur more ...
