What is Dermatology?

Dermatology involves the study, research, diagnosis, and management of any health conditions that may affect the skin, fat hair, nails, and membranes. A dermatologist is the health professional who specializes in this area of healthcare.

The skin is the largest organ of the body, which acts as a barrier to protect the internal organs from injury and bacteria. It is also a good indicator of the overall health of the body, making the field of dermatology important in the diagnosis and management of many health conditions.

Differences Between Dermatology and Dermatopathology

Because dermatology and dermatopathology both deal with the skin, people can confuse the two specialties. Dermatology is the study, diagnosis, and treatment of skin, hair, and nail conditions. Dermatologists also may perform procedures such as hair transplants; wrinkle reducing, the removal of tattoos, burn or scar tissue, or skin cancer; and tissue sampling or Mohs surgery to test skin cells for cancer or other underlying conditions.

Dermatopathology is the study and identification of problems in tissue samples. Dermatopathologists have training and expertise in both dermatology and pathology. They typically work in a laboratory and use a microscope to examine tissue samples at a molecular level and make a diagnosis. The diagnosis is shared with the dermatologist, patient, and medical team via a pathology report.