Dermatology - Skin, Hair, & Nails

Dermatology is a field that specialises in the treatment of the skin, hair, and nails. Being the largest and heaviest organ, the skin serves a variety of functions including being the first line of defence against infectious agents, protecting your internal organs, regulating your body temperature, and even indicating how well your health is.

A dermatologist is a doctor trained in the diagnosis and management of dermatological conditions including cosmetic ones. On the other hand, a beautician is not a medical professional, and their role is to help improve the appearance of your skin using nonmedical procedures like exfoliation, suggesting skin care products, and using makeup to conceal scarring. Unlike a dermatologist, a beautician cannot diagnose skin conditions nor prescribe medications.

The health of your skin, hair, and nails can be affected by factors like sun exposure, hormones, genetics, and other existing internal disorders. Dermatological conditions can range from cosmetic issues like scarring and hair loss to a more serious underlying issue like diabetes and heart disease.

Therefore, it is important for you to be able to recognise abnormal dermatological conditions and consult a skin specialist so that you can receive early intervention. Symptoms of skin diseases or skin problems may appear as rashes, hives, abnormal or irregularly shaped moles, infections, warts, persistent skin irritation, nail disorders, or hair loss.

Dermatologists use a combination of medical and surgical techniques, including prescription medications, topical treatments, and procedures such as laser therapy to help patients achieve healthy skin.