Everyone wants beautiful, healthy skin, but what’s the best way to
decide whether your doctor can handle your skin issue, or you need to
seek the advice of a dermatologist? Here are a few things that should
send you running to schedule a professional evaluation.
Every year, thousands of people visit their dermatologist to prevent
skin ailments or be treated for them, while hundreds more look to a host
of other care providers to manage their skin’s health. With the rising
cost of medical care, it is important to avoid unnecessary doctor
visits, but there are some issues that are best treated or managed by a
doctor who specializes in the care and treatment of skin.
If you suffer from one of the more common skin conditions such as acne,
rosacea, or moderate to severe psoriasis, you may benefit more from a
dermatologist’s care than other types of doctors. Since dermatologists
deal with these and other conditions on a daily basis, they are best
qualified to diagnose the cause of the condition, determine its
severity, and suggest the best course of treatment, which can be as
simple as prescribing a face wash, or as dramatic as administering
radiation therapy or even performing a minor surgical procedure. It is
suggested that you visit your dermatologist annually, just as you would
your eye doctor or dentist, to have a full body examination done. Based
upon the results of the examination, along with your family’s medical
history, he may recommend additional visits to treat a problem before it
becomes more serious, or begin a regimen to prevent an ailment from
developing.
Another issue that should be left to a skin care specialist is skin
cancer, the most common, and easily treatable---and preventable-- of all
cancers. There are several risk factors for developing skin cancer,
including a family history of the condition, previous extensive x-ray
treatments, the sudden appearance or change of a mole, or being a member
of certain ethnic groups. If you have any of these factors, it is
important that you see a dermatologist right away to have yourself
examined. If caught early, nearly all forms of skin cancer, including
the lethal melanomas, can be successfully cured. If you don’t have skin
cancer, you may wish to set up a schedule of routine visits, to better
monitor your skin and any significant changes that develop over time.
Finally, if you have a skin condition that has been going on for a
considerable amount of time, or one that appears to be clearing up, only
to recur later on more severely, you may need to seek the treatment of a
dermatologist. Other situations that may require an appointment with a
specialist include situations where you have paid a visit to your
primary care provider and have seen little or no improvement to your
condition after following his course of treatment, and the sudden onset
of a severe condition, such as drastic hair loss or a severe outbreak of
hives without obvious cause. It is also imperative to seek professional
help if you have performed a routine check on yourself, and notice an
unusual rash or mole that you can’t explain. Immediate care is
particularly important if the area is painful, bleeds, or appears to be
spreading. Depending upon the results of the initial visit and the
results of any tests she orders, the doctor will prescribe a schedule
for follow-up visits and additional treatments.
