Skin diseases are among the most common health complaints. They are observed in all cultures of all age groups and affect between 30% and 70% of the population. Some risk groups are being affected even more often.
The skin is our largest organ in the body and its health is very important for our overall well-being. With so many things that can go wrong with it, a good dermatologist is invaluable and can help us with the way we look and feel.
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What is a dermatologist?
Dermatology is a field of medicine that studies skin diseases as well as the methods for their diagnosis, treatment, and prevention. Dermatologists deal with babies and newborns, with teenagers during puberty when they are dealing with acne, as well as adult people.
Dermatology focuses not only on the treatment of skin diseases but also includes cosmetic and aesthetic subspecialties. The specialists have inexhaustible opportunities to influence the processes associated with skin ageing through new high-tech methods and medicines.
What are examples of typical cases the dermatologist sees?
In dermatology were finding both the atypical things that come out that not a lot of people have and normal skin problems. The most common things that the skin specialists in Singapore see in their daily clinics are acne, warts, eczema psoriasis, hair loss, and moles. Often, sexually transmitted infections also fall in the dermatologist’s hands.
What do dermatologists do?
The vast majority of the dermatologist’s practise is cosmetic dermatology. They often perform specialized diagnostic procedures related to skin conditions. The treatments that can be done by the skin specialists are:
- Cosmetic skin treatments such as microdermabrasion, chemical peels, laser therapies, and all treatments improve the look of the skin, as well as skin surgery;
- Injected internal and external medicines;
- Dermatologic surgical procedures;
- Ultraviolet light therapy.
What is the difference between dermatologists and skin specialists?
A dermatologist is a medical doctor who has gone to medical school and then had four years of post-medical school training. Typically the dermatologist would do one year of either general medicine or paediatrics followed by three years of dermatology residency. A dermatologist is trained overall as a physician and specializes in skin diseases as well as diseases of hair and nails, skin infections including sexually transmitted infections, and skin cancers.
There is almost no difference between a dermatologist and a skin specialist – a doctor who is specialized in treating skin rash, acne, removing dark circles, performing laser treatments, and other skin diseases such as hyperpigmentation. The only difference between both is that dermatologist not only takes care of the skin conditions but also cares for problems of skin hair and nails.
If you should have any kind of skin problem you must find a board-certified physician.
What to expect at a dermatology appointment?
The first thing that you should know is you may not necessarily be seen by a physician. There are a lot of other people that also study and practice dermatology such as nurse practitioner, physician assistant or you may be seen by a board-certified specialist. There are some family practice doctors as well that incorporates some dermatology into their practice.
Most dermatologists like to perform a skin check on all new patients. You may go just for a little acne pimple on the face but expect the doctor to make a full-body skin check. That is because he needs to make sure you don’t have any suspicious lesions.
It’s recommended to not wear makeup and go fresh-faced. Makeup even if it’s sheer can really obscure the way moles and things look. You also don’t want to wear nail polish or even any artificial nails. Nails are part of the skin and the dermatologist is going to examine them.
You can expect some questions such as: “Do you have any family history of skin cancer? “, “Do you take any medications or supplements?”, and so on.
The doctor can take a picture of your body if is necessary.
If the specialist sees any suspicious lesion he may want to biopsy it.
On average dermatologist is given about at the most usually ten or 15 min with a new patient. Particularly for the first visit their priority oftentimes is on the exam and in documenting that and in addressing a skin concern.
A common question is: “Can I expect the dermatologist to make suggestions based upon my specific skin situation?”. Yes, the dermatologist will definitely do that. You can ask the specialist for recommendation skincare if you have oily or dry skin or eczema-prone skin. You may ask what sorts of cleansers, moisturizers that you should be using based on your skin type.
What do you need to know before your appointment?
- Do your research and know what you want before you go into the dermatologist office. The doctor is there to advise you and help you but it’s going to be a quick consultation.
- Prepare a list of questions before you go to your first dermatologist visit so you can get the most out of that visit.
- Be prepared to be fully examined.
- Keep your doctor up to date. Tell him about any medications or supplements you take.
- Be prepared for procedures to happen when you are there, be prepared for them to put you on medications if it’s necessary. When you go to a dermatologist appointment they are going to look at your skin and they are going to judge the quality and then make it a judgment decision on what medication that you are going to use.
Remember your dermatologist is there to help you. They might not have the advice that maybe you want, they might not agree with your dietary changes and things like that but they are there to help you.
When should you start seeing a dermatologist?
The skin can serve as a window inside the body which might give you clues to other things that are going on. The most common reasons patients visit dermatologists are acne and eczema for children, rashes in both adults and children, and then checking out spots in adults to making sure that it’s not skin cancer.
There are three different types of acne. One is kind of obstructed pores or comedones – blackheads and whiteheads. The second type is inflammatory form – you can have kind of red bumps and papules, cysts, and nodules. The third type is just a combination of both of the first two types.
For mild cases of acne, patients can use an over-the-counter product. If you are doing basic at-home treatment and things aren’t getting better it might be time to consult with a specialist.
Here are some other reasons to visit a skincare doctor:
- Extremely dry skin;
- Itching;
- Scars from acne, blemishes or cuts and scrapes;
- Hair loss or nail disorder;
- Rashes and skin allergies;
- Yellow deposits around the eyes;
- Persistent redness;
You have a new rash or weird mole, or your skin just bothering you – these are some signals for your body that is time to see a dermatologist.
How to choose a good dermatologist in Singapore?
“The best dermatologist Singapore” is a phrase many locals are searching for. If you look at the website of The National Skin Centre you will see a number of specialists. Finding a good skin specialist might be difficult given the variety of skin clinics in Singapore.
Before visiting a dermatologist, it is important to consider their experience and level of training. The first thing that you should do is to check whether your doctor is board-certified. You can easily check that on the dermatologist’s website. If the initials FAAD appear after his name it means he is certificated.
If you are going to a dermatologist for the first time you will want to ask for a recommendation from your friends or family, or you can review the patient’s survey.
Make sure that you find the right skin clinic and your doctor is properly licensed, and certificated by the ministry of health.
If you are going to a dermatologist for the first time you will want to ask for a recommendation from your friends or family, or you can review the patient’s survey.
Look for a specialist who offers the treatment you are interested in. Some dermatologists only work with skin disorders, some do cosmetic procedures while others are pediatric dermatologists. You should keep that in mind when you are looking for a physician.
How much does a dermatologist cost in Singapore?
At the National Skin Centre, the subsidized rates for seeing a skin doctor in Singapore vary between $30 – $60 for consultation.
If you see a dermatologist at the National Skin Centre via the private roads the rates are
Private dermatologists in Singapore typically charge about $100 – $150 for a first consultation. Follow-up consultation may vary between $35 – $60.
The cost of cosmetic skin procedures depends on the type of treatment (laser, dermal fillers, chemical peels, and so on).