Dermatology

Dermatology

Dermatology involves the study, research, diagnosis, and management of any health conditions that may affect the skin, fat hair, and membranes. The skin is the largest organ of the body, which acts as a barrier to protect the internal organs from injury and bacteria. It is also a good indicator of the overall health of the body, making the field of dermatology important in the diagnosis and management of many health conditions.

Conditions of the hair, skin, or nails are very common and almost everyone experiences symptoms of one or other dermatologic condition at some point in their life. Some of the most common dermatologic conditions include:

• Acne: pimples on the skin due to inflammation of the sebaceous glands.
• Dermatitis: red, swollen and sore skin caused by irritation or allergy.
• Eczema: rough and inflamed skin that is itchy and may bleed.
• Psoriasis: itchy, red, scaly patches on the skin.
• Fungal infections: infection of the skin or nails caused by a fungus.
• Warts: small hard growth on the skin caused by a virus.
• Cold sore: inflamed blister near the mouth caused by herpes simplex virus.
• Skin cancer: uncontrolled growth of skin cells.

The dermatologist will investigate about your skin condition. When it began, whether you are aware of what makes it better or worse, any associated symptoms and treatments to date which help them know the better condition of the problem. The dermatologist will begin by looking at the area of skin involved. They usually examine the skin of the entire body to exclude other areas of involvement. They will also examine the mucous membranes – eyes and mouth particularly.

Dermatologists perform skin surgery in many situations:

• To prevent or provide early control of disease, eg remove skin cancer.
• To improve the skin's appearance by removing growths, discolorations, or damage caused by ageing, sunlight or disease.
• To establish a definite diagnosis (biopsy).