Dermatology

What is Dermatology?

Dermatology is a specialty of medicine that deals with diagnosing, treating, and preventing diseases and ailments that affect the skin, hair, nails, and mucous membranes, such as the lining of the mouth.

Because the skin is the body’s largest organ and acts as the first line of protection against outside infections, dermatology is a vital part of overall healthcare. A specialized doctor in this field is called a dermatologist.

Their expertise is generally broken down into three main categories:

Medical dermatology is the branch of medicine that deals with diagnosing and treating skin problems include

• severe acne,
• eczema,
• psoriasis,
• autoimmune illnesses, and
• skin infections.

Surgical dermatology includes things like taking biopsies for lab testing, eliminating skin cancer, and cutting out moles or cysts that look worrisome.

Cosmetic dermatology is the branch of medicine that deals with treatments that focus on looks, like laser therapy, chemical peels, Botox, and dermal fillers to fix scars, wrinkles, or dark spots.

If a health problem affects the skin, hair, or nails, a dermatologist is the doctor who knows how to treat it.