A Dermatologist Can Prevent a Do-it-Yourself Disaster

With the increasing popularity of the internet, many people are turning away from professional help to natural, do-it-yourself remedies. Many of them see it as a way to save money. Although this might work in some cases, in many instances seeking the help of a specialist can greatly increase one's chances of seeing successful results, especially when dealing with medical issues.

A dermatologist, for example, would be able to advise a patient and diagnose a skin problem using the years of prior knowledge, study and training they've attained. Someone who tries to treat themselves would more than likely go through many instances of trial and error.

Consider a pre-teen or young adult who is experiencing a bad case of acne. If they decide to bypass the advice of a professional dermatologist and figure out their own facial remedy, it could cause them more harm than good. For instance, they conduct what they believe is extensive internet research and decide to try one of the natural mixtures they've found. A few days later, they find that, instead of improving, their acne problem has become much worse. They go back to their drawing board and decide to ask one of their friends for advice. Unfortunately, they end up with the same disastrous result.

A specialist, on the other hand, would have been able to run tests that would help them to come up with a proper treatment. Because, they would have the appropriate expertise, medical equipment and facial medication, they would be much less apt to come up with an improper diagnosis.

The knowledge of a dermatologist would also allow them to help debunk the many skin care misconceptions that are floating around. Believing these mistaken notions can cause more harmful circumstances than a teenager having trouble getting rid of a pimple before the prom.

For example, in the area of skin cancer, someone who believes they are experiencing symptoms of the disease may believe they can prevent further damage by completely avoiding the sun and frequently putting on sun tan lotion before exposure.

What they may not realize is that completely staying out of the sun is not the answer, because of the Vitamin D that is provided by exposure. There may also be some underlying symptoms and skin damage that has already occurred that they are not skilled to detect. They would only be able to look at the surface and draw their own conclusions based upon skimming a few articles and advice columns online. A dermatologist, however, would be able to quickly come up with a clear-cut diagnosis and medication that would properly treat the patient's symptoms.

Although some may have found creative ways to remedy their skin issues, the need for a dermatologist cannot be denied. These professionals are well-trained in their field of study and are able to correctly remedy their patient's skin trouble with more precision than an untrained individual who decides to haphazardly or even efficiently conduct their own research.