WHAT IS MEDICAL DERMATOLOGY?
Medical dermatology is a field of medicine in which doctors diagnose, assess, and treat health conditions affecting the skin, hair, and nails. Dermatologists are trained to treat patients of all ages, from newborns to the elderly. Conditions common among children are moles and birthmarks, dermatitis, acne, warts, vitiligo, insect bites, and birth defects. In adults, we treat a range of conditions such as cancers and pre-cancers, rosacea, psoriasis, and shingles. We also treat eczema, skin allergies, and other disorders that occur in all age groups, and carefully examine moles or other growths to determine whether they are or may become cancerous.
COSMETIC VS MEDICAL DERMATOLOGY
There are two branches of dermatology: cosmetic and medical dermatology. While both branches improve the lives of patients, there are notable differences between the two. Cosmetic dermatology is purely aesthetic and involves services that make patients look better, such as Botox, dermal fillers, and chemical peels. Medical dermatology, by comparison, focuses on treating medical conditions to reduce health risks. A medical dermatologist treats skin cancer, for example, and provides treatments for psoriasis, eczema, vitiligo, and brown patches, known as melasma.