Dermatology

Dermatology brings together three kinds of work that overlap in everyday practice. Medical dermatology diagnoses and controls diseases of the skin, hair and nails, many of them chronic, using creams, tablets, light therapy and, increasingly, targeted modern medicines. Surgical and interventional dermatology removes or treats lesions in the clinic, from a suspicious mole to a troublesome cyst or an ingrown nail. Cosmetic dermatology refreshes and protects the appearance of healthy skin. The same specialist may, in one visit, reassure a patient about a harmless mole, start treatment for stubborn psoriasis and advise on sun protection, because the skin rarely respects neat boundaries and a single trained eye sees the whole picture.

The range of conditions is wide. Inflammatory disease includes acne, the many forms of eczema such as atopic and seborrhoeic dermatitis, psoriasis, urticaria and rosacea. Pigment and hair disorders include vitiligo, melasma and the various patterns of hair loss. Infections of the skin and nails, including fungal infection and warts, are common reasons to be seen, as are nail problems such as thickening and ingrown nails. Dermato-allergy investigates contact and other allergic skin reactions with patch and prick testing. Dermato-oncology focuses on benign and malignant skin tumours, and a dedicated area manages sexually transmitted infections that show on the skin. Many of these conditions appear in childhood, so paediatric skin care is part of the field.

Treatment is matched to the diagnosis. Topical creams and gels, tablets and, for selected inflammatory disease, modern targeted and biologic medicines bring most conditions under control, while phototherapy helps in psoriasis, eczema and some pigment disorders. In the clinic, cryotherapy freezes warts and small lesions, electrocautery and curettage remove others, and a simple excision under local anaesthesia takes away a mole or skin cancer for laboratory examination. Nail surgery treats severe ingrown or diseased nails. Cosmetic dermatology adds skin care, chemical peels, mesotherapy, platelet-rich plasma, laser rejuvenation and injectable treatments for lines and volume. Most of these are quick outpatient procedures with little or no downtime, and many patients combine a medical assessment with a cosmetic one in the same trip.

A careful history and a full skin examination remain the foundation, and much can be diagnosed by trained inspection alone. Dermoscopy, a handheld magnified light that reveals structures invisible to the naked eye, sharpens the assessment of moles and is central to spotting melanoma early. When a diagnosis is uncertain, a small skin biopsy taken under local anaesthesia gives the laboratory a tissue sample, and digital photography can track a lesion or a whole-body mole map over time. Allergy testing identifies triggers in contact eczema and related conditions, and bloods, swabs and fungal tests support the picture when infection or a systemic cause is suspected. These tools let the team separate harmless changes from those that need treatment with confidence.

For people travelling from abroad, dermatology is one of the more straightforward journeys, because most care is outpatient and the timeline is short. A typical visit often begins with a remote review of photographs and history, followed by a full examination and dermoscopy on arrival, with any biopsy or minor procedure done the same day or shortly after. Biopsy results usually take a few days, so many patients plan a stay long enough to receive their result and a clear plan before flying home, often a handful of days rather than weeks. There is no general anaesthetic for routine work and no overnight stay, so travel after a visit is usually unrestricted. Interpreter and international patient support help with appointments, consent and instructions, and ongoing conditions can be reviewed remotely once you are home.