Dermatology — Find Specialists & Top Hospitals Worldwide | MyMedicPlus

Dermatology is the medical specialty focused on the diagnosis and treatment of more than 3,000 conditions affecting the skin, hair, nails, and mucous membranes. The skin is the body's largest organ and serves as a vital barrier against infection, temperature regulation, and ultraviolet radiation — making dermatological health essential to overall wellbeing. Dermatologists are uniquely trained in both the medical management of chronic skin diseases and the surgical treatment of skin cancers and other lesions.

The specialty bridges multiple dimensions of medicine. On the medical side, dermatologists manage inflammatory conditions such as eczema, psoriasis, and lupus-related skin manifestations, as well as infections, autoimmune blistering diseases, and genodermatoses. On the surgical side, they perform excisions, biopsies, Mohs micrographic surgery for skin cancer, laser procedures, and minor reconstructive techniques. Cosmetic dermatology — including botulinum toxin, dermal fillers, chemical peels, and laser resurfacing — represents a growing subspecialty practised by dermatologists with advanced aesthetic training.

Several subspecialties exist within dermatology: dermatopathology involves microscopic examination of skin tissue biopsies; paediatric dermatology addresses skin conditions in infants and children including haemangiomas, epidermolysis bullosa, and childhood eczema; procedural and Mohs surgery dermatology focuses on skin cancer treatment with real-time histological margin control; and dermatologic immunology manages autoimmune skin disorders. The field increasingly intersects with oncology through the management of advanced melanoma, now transformed by immunotherapy and targeted therapies that dermatologists often oversee in specialised multidisciplinary teams.

Dermatologists evaluate and manage a broad spectrum of conditions affecting the skin, hair, and nails:

• Acne vulgaris: Chronic inflammatory condition of the pilosebaceous unit causing comedones, papules, pustules, nodules, and cysts; ranges from mild to severe (cystic/nodular) requiring systemic treatment with isotretinoin or antibiotics.
• Atopic dermatitis (eczema): Chronic, relapsing inflammatory skin disease characterised by intense itching, dry skin, and eczematous lesions, strongly associated with the atopic triad of asthma and allergic rhinitis.
• Psoriasis: Autoimmune condition causing rapid skin cell turnover resulting in thick, scaly, erythematous plaques; associated with psoriatic arthritis in approximately 30% of patients.
• Rosacea: Chronic facial condition causing central facial erythema, flushing, telangiectasias, papules, and pustules, sometimes accompanied by ocular involvement (ocular rosacea).
• Melanoma: The most dangerous form of skin cancer, arising from pigment-producing melanocytes; early detection is critical as advanced melanoma carries a poor prognosis despite modern immunotherapy.
• Basal cell carcinoma (BCC): The most common cancer in humans, arising from basal cells of the epidermis; slow-growing but locally destructive if untreated; treated with excision or Mohs surgery.
• Squamous cell carcinoma (SCC): The second most common skin cancer, with metastatic potential; higher risk in immunosuppressed patients, those with chronic sun exposure, or on immunosuppressive medications.
• Contact dermatitis: Inflammatory reaction to direct skin contact with irritants (irritant contact dermatitis) or allergens (allergic contact dermatitis); identified with patch testing.
• Urticaria (hives) and angioedema: Acute or chronic wheals and deeper swelling caused by mast cell degranulation; may be triggered by allergens, infections, medications, or be spontaneous (chronic idiopathic urticaria).
• Alopecia: Hair loss conditions including androgenetic alopecia (pattern hair loss), alopecia areata (autoimmune patchy hair loss), telogen effluvium (diffuse shedding after stress), and scarring alopecias.
• Vitiligo: Autoimmune destruction of melanocytes causing depigmented patches that may affect the face, hands, genitalia, and other areas.
• Sexually transmitted skin infections: Dermatologists manage genital herpes (HSV-2), syphilis skin manifestations, molluscum contagiosum, condylomata acuminata (genital warts), and other STI-related dermatoses.

Dermatologists perform a wide range of diagnostic and therapeutic procedures in both clinical and surgical settings:

• Dermoscopy: Non-invasive examination of skin lesions using a dermatoscope with polarised light magnification, dramatically improving the accuracy of distinguishing benign from malignant lesions compared to naked eye examination alone.
• Skin biopsy: Removal of a small skin sample for histopathological examination; performed as a shave, punch (3–6 mm circular cutter), or excisional biopsy under local anaesthesia to diagnose uncertain or concerning skin lesions.
• Excision of skin lesions: Surgical removal of benign or malignant skin lesions under local anaesthesia with primary closure or flap repair; margins determined by lesion type and histology.
• Mohs micrographic surgery: Staged excision of skin cancers with real-time microscopic examination of each layer to achieve complete tumour removal with maximum healthy tissue preservation. Offers the highest cure rates for BCC and SCC, especially on the face.
• Cryotherapy: Application of liquid nitrogen (-196°C) to freeze and destroy superficial skin lesions including actinic keratoses (precancers), common warts, seborrhoeic keratoses, and selected superficial BCCs.
• Phototherapy (narrowband UVB): Controlled exposure to specific ultraviolet light wavelengths to suppress skin inflammation in psoriasis, eczema, vitiligo, and other inflammatory dermatoses.
• Laser therapy: A spectrum of laser wavelengths are used for vascular lesions (pulsed dye laser), pigment removal, hair removal (Nd:YAG, diode), skin resurfacing (ablative CO2 or Er:YAG), and tattoo removal (Q-switched lasers).
• Patch testing: Standardised application of a panel of contact allergens to the back under occlusive dressings for 48 hours to identify causative allergens in contact dermatitis.
• Botulinum toxin and dermal fillers: Non-surgical injectable treatments for dynamic facial wrinkles and volume restoration, increasingly offered by dermatologists with cosmetic subspecialty training.

Many skin conditions can be initially assessed and managed by a primary care physician or general practitioner, but several clinical scenarios warrant prompt or routine dermatology referral.

Seek urgent dermatology evaluation within days for any changing, asymmetric, multi-coloured, or rapidly growing mole or skin lesion — particularly if it bleeds spontaneously or is ulcerated. The ABCDE criteria (Asymmetry, Border irregularity, Colour variation, Diameter >6mm, Evolution/change) serve as a useful screening tool. Any lesion on the face, scalp, ears, or hands of a patient with a history of significant sun exposure, immunosuppression, or prior skin cancer deserves expedited assessment.

Routine dermatology referral is appropriate for chronic skin conditions significantly affecting quality of life, such as severe eczema, moderate-to-severe psoriasis, or rosacea not controlled by topical treatments. Hair loss that is progressive, patchy, or associated with scalp inflammation should be evaluated. Nail abnormalities including thickening, pitting, onycholysis, or subungual discolouration may represent psoriasis, fungal infection, or rarely a malignant process. Patients requiring systemic treatments such as biologics (dupilumab, secukinumab, ustekinumab, tralokinumab) need specialist monitoring. Any skin lesion your primary care physician cannot confidently diagnose clinically should be referred rather than empirically treated.

The pathway to becoming a dermatologist in the USA begins with a 4-year medical degree (MD or DO), followed by a 1-year transitional or preliminary year in internal medicine or paediatrics. This is followed by a 3-year dermatology residency, during which trainees gain experience across medical dermatology, dermatologic surgery, paediatric dermatology, dermatopathology, and cosmetic procedures.

Board certification is conferred by the American Board of Dermatology (ABD) following successful completion of a written qualifying examination and a dermatopathology component. Recertification is required every 10 years through continuing medical education and examination, ensuring maintenance of current knowledge and skills.

Fellowship training is available in Mohs micrographic surgery and dermatologic oncology (typically 1–2 years); dermatopathology (1 year, which can lead to dual certification in both dermatology and pathology by the ABD and ABP); paediatric dermatology (1 year); and cosmetic dermatology. In the UK, dermatologists train through the Joint Royal Colleges of Physicians Training Board (JRCPTB) programme, achieving CCT in Dermatology after a 5-year specialty training period, and may pursue subspecialty interest certificates in areas such as cutaneous oncology, paediatric dermatology, or laser medicine.

Your primary care physician can refer you to a board-certified dermatologist for most skin conditions. For suspicious or rapidly changing lesions, request an urgent or expedited referral — early detection of melanoma is the single most important factor in survival outcome. Verify board certification through the American Board of Dermatology (ABD) online directory.

Many dermatology practices have developed teledermatology services that allow patients to submit photographs of skin lesions for remote evaluation, improving access in areas with limited specialist availability. Teledermatology is increasingly validated for triage of potentially malignant lesions, acne management, and chronic disease monitoring.

For your first appointment, arrive without makeup, nail polish, or heavy moisturisers on the areas to be examined. Bring a list of all current medications (oral and topical), known allergies, and any family history of skin cancer or melanoma. A full-body skin examination — including the scalp, between fingers and toes, genitalia, and under the nails — is standard at an initial visit and should be repeated annually for patients with a history of skin cancer, atypical naevi, or significant sun exposure.