Dermatology

Dermatology is the branch of medicine that focuses on health issues affecting skin, hair, nails, and mucous membrane disorders and diseases. The skin is the largest organ of the body. It is also the first line of defense against pathogens and injury, and it can be a good indicator of overall health. Below are some of the most common conditions that dermatologists treat:

• Acne – one the most prevalent skin issues, acne has a range of causes that can lead to different types of pimples
• Dermatitis and eczema – inflammation of the skin, that typically leads to swelling with an itchy rash
• Fungal infections – a group of yeasts called Candida can cause a wide range of fungal infections, including oral thrush, ringworm, athlete’s foot, and balanitis
• Hair loss – a range of health issues can also cause hair loss, including head lice, which affects around 6-12 million children aged 3-11 in the US annually
• Warts – these are contagious, benign skin growths that appear when a virus has infected the top layer of skin
• Nail problems – dermatologists treat health issues that damage the skin around and under the nails; ingrown nails, fungal infections, and various other conditions can cause this damage
• Vitiligo – a condition that results from the skin losing melanin, resulting in some patches of skin becoming lighter in color
• Psoriasis – chronic autoimmune disorder that speeds up the growth of skin cells, resulting in patches of skin that may be thick, red, purple, or silvery and scaly
• Rosacea – chronic inflammatory skin condition that often affects the face, sometimes with pus-filled bumps, visible blood vessels, and swelling of the eyelids
• Shingles – known as Herpes Zoster, it is a viral infection that causes a rash that may be painful; results from the same virus that causes chickenpox
• Skin cancer – about 1 in 5 people in the US develop a type of skin cancer by the age of 90; the most common forms include basal cell carcinoma, melanoma, and squamous cell carcinoma