General Dermatology

What is General Dermatology?

General dermatology is a branch of medicine that focuses on diagnosing, treating, and managing a wide range of skin, hair, and nail conditions. Dermatologists are medical professionals who specialize in the health of the skin, the body’s largest organ, and are trained to address both medical and cosmetic concerns. General dermatology covers a broad spectrum of conditions, from common issues like acne and eczema to more complex diseases such as psoriasis, skin cancer, and autoimmune skin disorders.

General dermatology encompasses a variety of treatments and procedures to manage and improve skin, hair, and nail health. The main types of treatments in general dermatology include:

Topical Treatments:

• Corticosteroids: Used to reduce inflammation and treat conditions like eczema, psoriasis, and dermatitis.
• Antibiotics: Topical antibiotics are used to treat bacterial skin infections such as impetigo and folliculitis.
• Retinoids: Vitamin A derivatives used to treat acne, psoriasis, and signs of aging.
• Antifungals: Used to treat fungal infections like athlete’s foot, ringworm, and yeast infections.

Oral Medications:

• Antibiotics: Oral antibiotics are used to treat more severe bacterial infections and conditions like acne and rosacea.
• Antifungals: Oral antifungal medications are used for systemic fungal infections and stubborn skin infections.
• Immunosuppressants: Used to manage autoimmune skin disorders such as lupus and severe psoriasis.
• Oral Retinoids: Used for severe acne and other persistent skin conditions.

Phototherapy:

• UVB Therapy: Exposure to ultraviolet B light to treat conditions like psoriasis, eczema, and vitiligo.
• PUVA Therapy: Combination of psoralen (a photosensitizing drug) and UVA light, used for more severe skin conditions.

Cryotherapy:

Freezing skin lesions with liquid nitrogen to remove warts, actinic keratoses, and other benign growths.

Laser Treatments:

• Laser Resurfacing: Used to reduce wrinkles, scars, and blemishes.
• Laser Hair Removal: Removal of unwanted hair using laser technology.
• Laser Treatment for Vascular Lesions: Treatment of broken blood vessels, spider veins, and port-wine stains.

Surgical Procedures:

• Excision: Removal of moles, cysts, and skin cancers.
• Mohs Surgery: A precise surgical technique used to treat skin cancer, removing thin layers of skin until no cancerous cells are detected.

Chemical Peels:

Application of a chemical solution to exfoliate and improve the appearance of the skin by removing dead skin cells, reducing wrinkles, and treating acne.

Dermabrasion and Microdermabrasion:

• Dermabrasion: A more intensive procedure to remove the top layers of skin for scar and wrinkle treatment.
• Microdermabrasion: A less invasive procedure for exfoliating the skin and treating minor skin imperfections.

Botox and Fillers:

• Botox: Injections to reduce the appearance of wrinkles and fine lines by temporarily paralyzing muscles.
• Dermal Fillers: Injections to add volume and smooth out wrinkles and facial folds.

Patch Testing:

Identifying allergens causing contact dermatitis by applying small amounts of potential allergens to the skin and observing reactions.