Tag Archives: Medical

As a dermatologist in Coral Springs, I’m often asked whether a particular skin or hair condition is something that a dermatologist would handle, or if it falls under the realm of another profession. So, in this article, we’re going to discuss the field of dermatology and the role of dermatologists. This way, you’ll know if a dermatologist is what you really need. So let’s dive in.

Believe it or not, there’s quite a bit of confusion about the field of dermatology. People generally know that it has to do with the skin, but then things start to get a little fuzzy.

What is Dermatology?

Dermatology is a medical field. It is the study, diagnosis, and treatment of the skin, hair and nails. A dermatologist is a real medical doctor. We can write prescriptions and perform surgeries.

So, for example, if you have skin cancer or think that you have it, a dermatologist has the education, experience, and resources to diagnose and treat it. By the way, did you know that the skin is the human body’s largest organ?

What are the Educational Requirements to Be a Dermatologist?

Becoming a dermatologist requires a lot of dedication, discipline, and perseverance. First of all, you must earn a college bachelor’s degree. That can take 3 to 4 years. Next, you must attend medical school and earn your medical degree (MD). That’s another 4 years. After that, there’s a 1 year internship to gain real world experience. And finally, there’s 3 year’s of residency in an approved Dermatology Program. There’s quite a bit of competition to get into this field, so good grades are a must.

What are the Job Duties of a Dermatologist?

The day to day responsibilities of a skin doctor are many, but the patient always comes first. So, a dermatologist in Coral Springs spends quite a bit of time meeting with his or her patients. The meetings will include diagnosing skin conditions, discussing general health problems, following up to determine if or how well a treatment is working out, and writing prescriptions.

In addition, some dermatologists perform surgeries to remove skin cancer or deal with other skin ailments. And if a patient is in need of a cosmetic skin procedure, the best dermatologists will perform those as well.

Dermatologists understand what beautiful skin means to every patient. So we spend a lot of time listening to the patient’s desires and expectations, and we do our best to meet and exceed them.

Do Dermatologist Treat People at All Ages?

Within the dermatology field, there are practitioners who have chosen to specialize based on their own interests. You’re probably most familiar with the popular general and cosmetic dermatology doctors, surgeons, or consultants. But others include:

Pediatric Dermatologist – This is someone who has chosen to focus their practice on babies and small children.

Dermatolopathologist – This is someone who gets very deep into the research and study of skin diseases. They also have a desire to find cures for those diseases.

Immunodermatology – This is someone who works with skin related diseases and disorders that are linked to the immune system. For example, lupus and pemphigus vulgaris would fall in this area.

So now you know what it takes to become a dermatologist, what we do, our job duties, and how some of us choose to specialize. Regardless of which type of dermatologist you’re seeking, we can help you or point you in the right direct. Call our Coral Springs FL dermatology office today to schedule an appointment or to get more information (954-906-9099).

In our Coral Springs dermatology practice, we treat many acne cases. And whether you’re a teen or adult, there’s nothing more frustrating than looking in the mirror and seeing pimples, zits, blackheads, and bumps on your face.

Even just one big pimple can be a distraction and make you self-conscious about your appearance.

All of the terms that I used above to describe facial outbreaks are what make up a disease called Acne. Of course, if you’re only experiencing is a pimple or two, you can probably purchase an over-the-counter acne solution that will clear up your skin.

But not all acne is mild, and sometimes it can appear on other areas of the body, such as the neck and back. When acne gets out of control, that’s when it’s time to visit a dermatologist for help.

In a moment, we’ll discuss the types of treatments that we offer to help fight acne. But first, you should gain an understanding of this disease and what causes it.

What is Acne?

Without a doubt, acne is the the most common skin disease in the United States. It affects more than 17 million pre-teens, teens, and adults. Of course, teens make up the majority of this total. The main factors thought to trigger acne include hormones, diet, and certain medications.

And while acne won’t result in death, it can cause permanent scarring and emotional distress if not addressed.

Acne is caused by blocked pores on your skin. You see, many of those pores are the home of hair follicles. And at the root of the follicles are glands called sebaceous glands. These glands produce an oily substance called sebum. The reason why your skin produces this substance is to keep it, as well your hair, lubricated and waterproofed.

However, when the hair follicles get blocked and the sebum can’t reach the surface of your skin, bad things begin to happen.

The trapped sebum will begin to produce a nasty bacteria under your skin. That bacteria will then mix with other chemicals and enzymes in your body that attract the attention of the disease fighters in your body. The fighters are your white blood cells.

When the white blood cells start to attack the bacteria, that area of your face will become inflamed. As the battle rages, pimples, blackheads, and other skin lesions will occur on the surface of your skin. This, my friend, is acne.

The more bacteria there is to fight, the more widespread the acne. Unfortunately, the disease can be very pronounced for some people and barely a zit for others. But certainly if you believe that your acne is severe, you should visit a dermatologist.

Acne Treatments

When you visit our Coral Springs dermatology office, we will diagnose whether you have a mild or severe case. This can lead to one or more of the following treatments:

Over-the-counter medications – There are certain over-the-counter treatments that are quite effective for handling very mild acne. Usually the active ingredients will have benzoyl peroxide, resorcinol, salicylic acid, or sulfur as their active ingredient.

Prescription medication – More than likely you will have tried some of the over-the-counter medications, without much luck, before contacting the dermatologist. So the skin doctor will be able to prescribe a stronger solution such as lotions that contain tretinion, adapalene, tazarotene, and more.

Antibiotics – If we determine that your acne is severe, we may prescribe an antibiotic to help kill off the bacteria. We may then move you to a milder acne lotion to clear up any remaining problems.

Dermabrasion and microdermabrasion – If your skin has somewhat healed, but shows scarring and deep marks, we may use a special instrument that essentially sands away the top layer of your skin to allow a smoother layer to replace it.

These are just some of ways that a dermatologist can help to end your acne woes. There’s also laser therapy, oral contraceptives, chemical peels, soft tissue fillers, and more. If you’re currently dealing with acne — whether mild or severe — we invite you to schedule an appointment (954-906-9099) and stop by our Coral Springs office for a consultation.