Everything You Should Know About Dermatologists

Author: Anu Walia

A dermatologist is a doctor who is a specialist in treating skin, nail, hair, and mucous membrane diseases and disorders. They can also tackle cosmetic issues; help to revive the physical appearance of the hair, skin, and nails.

Let us explore common issues, which are encounter by dermatologists, the treatments they prescribe, and the qualifications involved.

What is dermatology?

Dermatology in Los Angeles is known as an area of medicine which focuses on health problem affecting the skin, nails, hair, and mucous membranes.

The skin covers the largest part of the body. It is a basic defense line against injury and pathogens, and it can be an indicator of good health.

Qualifications

A dermatologist must have a full license or certification. As some practitioners in beauty clinics and spas call themselves dermatologists but do not have the Dermatology accreditation.

The qualified Dermatology in Los Angeles needs to certified from the American Board of Dermatology, the Royal College of Physicians, American Osteopathic Board of Dermatology, and Surgeons of Canada.

The American Academy of Dermatology (AAD) is the prime membership dermatology group in the U.S, with 20,000+ members.

To succeed for registration with the AAD, a dermatologist has to certify both college and medical school as a doctor of osteopathic medicine (DO) or a medical doctor (MD).

Some dermatologists have FAAD after their names. This short-form stands for Fellow of the American Academy of Dermatology. It signifies that the dermatologist:

  1. Has a license to practice medicine
  2. Has passed exams given by either the Royal College of Physicians, the American Board of Dermatology and Surgeons of Canada
  3. Is a member of the AAD

Common conditions

Dermatologist requires in-depth clinical knowledge, including the various internal health problems which cause skin symptoms. Dermatologists can treat 3,000+ health conditions. Enlisted below are some examples which are most commonly observed:

Acne: Among the most common skin issues, acne has plenty of causes which leads to different types of pimples. Some people experience low self-esteem, scarring, and other complications.

Dermatitis and eczema: Dermatitis is irritation of the skin, which typically causes swelling with an itchy rash. Atopic is a common type of eczema.

Fungal infections: These are very common and involve the skin, hair, and nails. A group of yeasts is known as Candida can cause fungal infections, including ringworm, oral thrush, athlete's foot, and balanitis.

Vitiligo: This involves the skin losing pigment known as melanin. As a result, it forms patches of skin that are lighter in color than others.

Psoriasis: This unrelieved autoimmune disorder speeds up the skin cell's growth, resulting in patches of skin which may be thick, purple, red, or silvery and scaly.

Rosacea: This causes redness on the face, sometimes with visible blood vessels, pus-filled bumps, and swelling of the eyelids. Symptoms may spread from the nose to the cheeks, forehead, ears, chin, chest, and back.

Skin damage: If you are concerned about aging skin, a dermatologist can recommend your lifestyle changes which help you to reduce your contact with destructive elements

What do dermatologists do?

Trained dermatologists perform several activities including seeing patients in a public hospital, acting as consultants, teaching, and delving into basic research.

Dermatology in Los Angeles requires skill in basic sciences including pathology, microbiology, biochemistry, physiology, physics, and endocrinology. They should be familiar with other medical specialties due to their consultant work, skin diseases are often linked with internal conditions. Dermatologists recommend skin surgery in situations:

  1. To prevent or to control the disease in an early stage, for example, skin cancer.
  2. To enhance the skin appearance by removing extra growths, discolorations, or damage caused by sunlight, disease, or aging.
  3. To set up a definite diagnosis (biopsy).

If skin, nail, or hair symptoms are not responding to natural treatment, it might be time to seek dermatologist attention. Be sure to obtain copies of consultation notes, medical reports, and diagnostic test results to promise the insurer of the medical need for the treatment.