Dermatology

What is a dermatologist?

A consultant dermatologist is a medical doctor who specialises in skin health and who has completed additional specific training that allows them to diagnose and treat over 3,000 conditions that affect the skin, hair, and nails.

You may also hear of cosmetic dermatologists. These are also medically-trained professionals, but they tend to focus on treating the skin for cosmetic improvement (not just skin diseases). Many may have also undergone further aesthetics training, to offer skin-enhancing treatments such as advanced facials, injectables, and laser-based therapies.

Unfortunately though, ‘dermatologist’ is not a protected term, meaning that people can call themselves one without any specialist qualification. To avoid falling into this trap, search for fully qualified dermatologists on the Specialist Register of the General Medical Council website.

What sort of treatments fall under dermatology?

Dermatology is a wide-ranging specialism, which includes the treatment of:

• Chronic skin conditions such as acne, rosacea, eczema and psoriasis
• Skin infections
• Skin cancers like melanoma, basal cell carcinoma, and squamous cell carcinoma.
• Side effects of autoimmune diseases such as lupus, when they affect the skin

What sort of services do dermatologists provide?

• Treatment for specific chronic skin concerns, including the prescription of topical and oral medication, for example for acne, and the management of chronic skin conditions like eczema or psoriasis.
• Surgical Treatments such as the removal of moles, cysts, warts or skin tags, as well as skin cancer removal.
• Cosmetic Treatments such as toxin, fillers, peels and laser treatments for overall skin improvement
• Tailored advice on skin cancer prevention and skin-boosting lifestyle modifications
• Other procedures such as patch testing for allergies and UV therapy for psoriasis or vitiligo.
• Guidance on hair and nail health including preventing hair loss and fungal infections can also fall under dermatology.

How can I arrange to see a dermatologist?

In the UK, you can get an appointment with a dermatologist to discuss your skin concerns via referral on the NHS or by going private and seeing an expert in clinic directly.