What is a dermatologist?

What is a dermatologist?

What is a dermatologist and what does a dermatologist do? You may think a dermatologist does some advanced form of skincare, but that is far from a complete view of what a dermatologist is.

A dermatologist is a doctor that specializes in the health of the skin, nails, and mucous membranes.

A dermatologist can also assist patients to revitalize the look of hair, the skin, and nails.

Dermatologists treat over 3,000 skin conditions, such as acne, psoriasis, and skin cancer.

In addition, they are trained to carry out skin grafts the excision of lesions, and much more.

What is dermatology?

Dermatology is an area of medicine concerned with diseases of the hair, nails, and mucous membranes and also the health of the skin.

The skin is the biggest organ in the body. It frequently reflects health, and is the first line of defense against harm and bacteria.

Qualifications for a Dermatologist

Some professionals in beauty practices and spas call themselves dermatologists, but they do not have the appropriate accreditation.

A professional dermatologist will be board-certified by the American Osteopathic Board of Dermatology, the American Board of Dermatology, or the Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Canada.

A dermatologist has to finish both college and medical school as either a medical doctor (MD) or a doctor of osteopathic medicine (DO). They will have finished a residency involving a year of work as well

Check out here for more info on qualifications for a dermatologist in Canada.

Common conditions treated by Dermatologist

Dermatologists can treat over 3,000 conditions.

The practice of dermatology requires great knowledge. Dermatologists need to know the numerous internal conditions that can lead to skin symptoms.

Here are a few examples of the common conditions dermatologists are trained to treat.

Vitiligo: The skin loses melanin, leading to patches of darker coloured skin.

Acne: One of the most common ailments, acne is a disease affecting the oil glands of the skin. A variety of causes can result in a lot of different kinds of pimples. Acne can result in low self-esteem, depression, and scarring.

Dermatitis and eczema: Dermatitis is inflammation of the skin. It typically leads to swelling and itchy rash. Dermatitis takes distinct forms, including atopic dermatitis, seborrheic dermatitis, and contact dermatitis. Each affects the skin differently.

Fungal Infections: Fungus can irritate the skin, nails, and hair. Fungal infections are common, and symptoms are typically mild. Severe symptoms can be seen in people with less immunity. A group of yeasts called Candida can result in a wide range of infections, including oral thrush and balanitis.

Hair disorders: The loss of hair may be the result of an isolated issue, or an underlying illness, such as alopecia. Hair can also be affected by head lice.

Nail problems: Dermatologists also treat conditions affecting the nails. These often consist of fungal infections and ingrowing toenails. They can be indicative of other problems.

Psoriasis: This is a chronic, autoimmune skin disorder that accelerates the growth of skin cells. This leads to thick skin and silvery scales. There are several distinct types of psoriasis. Psoriasis can sometimes have a similar appearance to eczema.

Rosacea: Rosacea causes inflammation at the face, similar to blushing. Small, pus-filled lumps often appear, and rosacea may also lead to visible blood vessels and swollen eyelids. Rosacea can spread from the nose and cheeks to the brow, chin, ears, chest, and back. Middle aged women with fair skin often experience rosacea.

Skin Cancer: Over 80,000 cases of skin cancer are diagnosed in Canada each year. Most skin cancers can be resolved by early treatment.

Shingles, or herpes zoster: This viral infection affects the nerve endings in the skin and causes a painful rash. Even though the condition clears after a couple of weeks, intervention is suggested to accelerate recovery after the disease has gone, and prevent long-term pain, numbness, and itching. Shingles can also possibly damage the eyes.

Warts: Warts are infectious, benign skin growths that appear when a virus infects the top layer of skin. Warts can indicate a problem with immunity, but they often are resolved without treatment. A dermatologist can use a variety of treatments to get rid of warts that are persistent.

Dematology Procedures

Dermatologists use a range of medical and cosmetic surgical procedures.

Some need invasive therapy or surgical intervention, although dermatological conditions could be treated with treatment. Dermatological processes can take place in a hospital setting, such as a doctor’s office, or through a hospitalization.

Biopsies: Skin biopsies are largely taken out to diagnose or rule out certain skin ailments. There are three commonly-performed kinds of skin biopsy. Shave biopsies and excision biopsies remove tiny sections of skin’s upper layer and areas of skin, respectively.


Chemical peels:
A chemical solution is applied to the skin. Dermatologists use this process to take care of some types of acne and skin. It can address complaints of a decorative nature, like age spots and lines under the eyes.

Cosmetic injections: Scarring, wrinkles, and lost fullness can be diminished with injections. A dermatologist may inject botulinum toxin therapy, or fillers such as collagen and fat, through an office visit. Outcomes of this treatment tend to last for a month or two, and injections need to be repeated. Some people are able to create antibodies to Botox that make replicate treatments ineffective.

Cryotherapy: This is a fast and common form of treatment for all benign skin conditions, like warts. Skin lesions are frozen to ruin the affected skin cells.

Dermabrasion: Using a high-speed rotating brush, a dermatologist removes the top layer of skin, surgically eroding scar tissue, fine wrinkles, tattoos, and potentially precancerous skin patches.


Excisions of lesions:
Skin lesions are excised for several reasons. They are removed to stop disease from spreading, for cosmetic reasons, to prevent repeat disease, to alleviate symptoms, and for identification. Based on the lesion’s size, local or general anesthetic can be used to numb the area before elimination.

Hair removal and restoration: Hair loss can be treated with hair transplantation or surgery to the scalp. Body hair may be removed with waxing that destroys hair follicles, or laser hair epilation.

Laser surgery: Dermatologists can use a special light beam to treat many different skin complaints. These include moles, warts, tumors, tattoos, birthmarks, scars, wrinkles, and hair.

Mohs surgery: This is a specific kind of surgery for skin cancer. Layers of the skin are removed and examined under a microscope to get rid of cancerous cells. Successive layers are removed until the surgeon may discover no longer cancer cells. Mohs surgery is only performed by Mohs surgeons also requires extra training.

Psoralen combined with ultraviolet A (PUVA): Psoralen is a drug that makes the skin more sensitive to radiation treatment. This is used to treat serious skin diseases, such as psoriasis, dermatitis, and vitiligo.

Skin grafts and flaps: Dermatologists can repair missing skin with skin from elsewhere on the body. Skin may be grafted with no blood supply out of a piece of tissue, or a skin flap can be created from skin tissue close to the region of skin loss.

Tumescent liposuction: Dermatologists use a procedure called liposuction to remove excess fat. Large quantities of local anesthetic are injected into the fatty tissue, which is then sucked from the body. Tumescent liposuction is not a treatment for obesity, but a cosmetic process for body contouring. Dermatologists can also use fat cells to burst and also help remove fluid that is tumescent.

Vein Therapy: Superficial leg veins are small, dilated surface veins. They are also referred to as spider veins and are frequently removed for cosmetic reasons. Sclerotherapy is usually the preferred treatment for spider veins. Dermatologists insert a solution to the vein. This irritates the lining, causing it to shut. The vein becomes less distinct or disappears entirely.

When should you see a dermatologist?

If your skin condition is not responding to home treatment, you should see a dermatologist.

People with cosmetic concerns may consult with a specialized cosmetic dermatologist.

Those seeking skin cancer examinations should also visit a dermatologist.

Go over any dermatological treatment with your insurer. Cosmetic procedures are not often funded by insurance companies. Make sure you get copies of any relevant reports, consultation notes, and test results to confirm to the insurance company that the treatment is medical necessity.