10 Reasons People Visit Dermatology Centers

A dermatology center is a type of healthcare facility where specialists called dermatologists provide treatments for conditions affecting the hair, nails and skin. Although you might not realize it, those three parts of your body are closely related. Conditions affecting one can sometimes affect the other two.

Dermatologists can help with a number of different conditions. Here’s a look at some of the things you might go in for.

Cosmetic

Cosmetic dermatology is a growing field. Many of the minimally invasive procedures performed by a cosmetic surgeon can be performed by a dermatologist. Examples include:

  • Liposuction-suction assisted fat removal usually performed on the abdomen, buttocks, neck, backs of the arms and other problem areas
  • Botox Injections-a solution primarily for crow’s feet and forehead wrinkles
  • Wrinkle Fillers-these include collagen, elastin, hyaluronic acid and synthetic injections to smooth out fine lines or wrinkles
  • Laser hair removal-mostly requested by women for excessive hair on the face or other parts of the body
  • Hair transplantation-a treatment for balding, involves removing hair follicles from one part of the head and transplanting them to fill in bald spots
  • Tattoo, scar and birthmark removal-all done with lasers

Dermatologists can also prescribe topically applied drug treatments like tretinoin for wrinkles.

Conditions and Diseases

There are dozens of diseases and conditions affecting the hair, skin and nails. You might consult a dermatology center for:

  • Eczema-an inflammatory skin condition accompanied by itching, redness and silvery plaque formations
  • Psoriasis-an inflammatory condition that can affect the nails or skin-white spots appear beneath the nails, red spots appear on the skin
  • Acne-one of the most common problems, numerous treatments are available
  • Nail fungus-commonly affects the toenails, causes changes in color and thickness-topically applied and oral treatments are available
  • Hair loss-both men and women may experience hair loss either suddenly or gradually over time, all cases should be evaluated

Those are some of the most common reasons that people visit a dermatology center. There should be a location near you.

Keeping New York Young – A Brief Look At The Cosmetic Dermatologist

When it comes to career paths, a career in a medical capacity will likely be very rewarding. As a doctor you can expect to earn an excellent wage, and you get to help people while you work. When you choose to become a general-practitioner, or a specialized surgeon you can expect to find employment right away, and earn wages that many people only dream about.

In New York one type of physician is currently in high demand. With a career in dermatology in the empire state, you can expect a starting wage that is $20,000 higher than in most places in the country. As you gain experience in your field, or further specialize you can earn a salary that far exceeds that of most physicians in the country.

In a recent New York Times article, reporter Natasha Singer stated that the average New York dermatologist earns $390,274/year. That is more than double the national average for most physician related fields.

One area where dermatologists work, to make top wages, is in the field of cosmetic dermatology. These specialized physicians work to keep the skin looking good, and help people to stay young. They use complicated equipment such as lasers to perform cosmetic procedures. They are the physicians who work to keep New York looking young.

If you chose to specialize in this field you would earn your wage doing some of the following procedures.

1. Hair Removal and Transplants

2. Botox, Restylane, and Collagen Injections

3. Liposuction

4. Spider and Varicose Vein Treatment

5. Laser Skin Resurfacing

6. Micro Abrasions

By choosing to specialize in cosmetic dermatology you have a chance to earn an even higher salary. Some of the top performing practitioners in this field earn wages that go into seven figures. As a private practice or working for someone else a career in cosmetic dermatology can be a very rewarding career (both financially and mentally).

Whether you choose to specialize or not, one thing is certain. Working as a dermatologist in the New York area will give you the right start in your career. The job outlook for this field is excellent and as a highly trained physician you will not have any trouble finding work. You’ll likely find that you have your choice of places to work, and with by earning a top wage you’ll erase those student loans quickly.

Laser Dermatology – Focused Light to Treat the Skin

The term laser is an acronym for Light Amplification by Stimulated Emission of Radiation. Without getting too technical- this basically means that light source is specially focused into a very intense beam and is usually coherent, meaning it is reduced to a very particular wavelength of the light spectrum and is controlled to “vibrate” in only one plane. Some laser light is visible to the naked eye and some is in a part of the spectrum that can not be seen visually.

So, where and how does this focused light technology come into play in the field of dermatology and more specifically cosmetic dermatology? All lasers, regardless of type or wavelength, basically cause some form of localized heating to occur when applied to the skin. The trained laser dermatologist makes use of this epidermal or dermal heating effect to achieve a desired outcome. Some procedures may literally be designed to burn away a small portion of the layer of skin, while other procedures may be designed to cause some heating and slight burning of the skin layers with the intent to cause healing to take place which in turn causes new skin growth and a tightening effect. Lasers are also used to burn away undesirable growths such as tumors or moles and also to remove items such as tattoos or scars. Some of the most common dermatological lasers and their common applications are listed below. Each laser has a particular wavelength of light, a variety of beam focus and pulsing options and a variety of intensities allowing minor heating to major burning capabilities. The skill of the laser dermatologist is the key to a good laser outcome as the highly trained physician will understand how to apply the right laser in the right intensity to gain the desired outcome.

1450 nm diode Laser: This is a deeply penetrating laser that is very effective for treating acne and wrinkles. Typically, no recovery time is needed after treatment. The 1450 diode can even clear the most stubborn cystic acne on the face, back, and chest. This particular wavelength will also improve older and deeper acne scars.

CO2 High Intensity Super Pulse Laser: This is a very powerful laser generally used for skin tumors and skin cancer removal.

CO2 Silktouch Laser: A stronger resurfacing laser usually used for severe wrinkles.

Erbium 294 Yag Laser: This is a fast healing resurfacing instrument used for wrinkles, scars, and tumors. There is a new Erbium version called microerbium for fractional resurfacing with no down time recovery.

Fractionated CO2 Laser: This is a newer CO2 technology targeted for use in removing acne scars, wrinkles, surgical and trauma scars.

Long Pulse Alexandrite Laser: This version laser is most often used for hair removal on individuals with olive complexions.

Long Pulse Dye Laser W/ Cooling: This version laser is most often used for vascular lesions, stretch marks, scar revision, skin rejuvenation, acne treatments, and acne scars.

Long Pulse Ruby Laser: This instrument is most often used for hair removal on fair skinned individuals.

Long Pulse Yag Laser: This instrument is used for removal of unwanted hair on dark skinned individuals and also removal of leg veins, and general skin tightening. Also used for removal of fine hair.

Photo-Dynamic Therapy (PDT): PDT involves a chemical application that is applied to the skin prior to laser treatment for active acne and is also used to augment skin rejuvenation.

PhotoMedex XTRAC Excimer Laser: This instrument is most often used for treating psoriasis and vitiliago.

Q-Switch Ruby Laser: This is the most powerful laser for tattoo and birthmark removal and pigmented lesion treatment.

Q-Switch Yag Laser: This instrument is a common choice for tattoo removal, pigmented lesion treatments, acne scar removal, and general skin rejuvenation.

Q-Switch Yag 5 Laser: This laser is popular for skin rejuvenation, pigmented lesions, and removing tattoos that contain color.

Radio frequency Laser: This instrument is commonly used for non-surgical face lift and skin tightening. The procedure is an advanced way to tighten skin with the touch of a sophisticated computerized treatment tip to the skin. It requires no incisions and no recovery time. Excellent results can often be seen with just one treatment.

Short and Long Pulse Flashlamp Dye Laser: This instrument is most often used for vascular lesions, stretch marks, scar revision, skin rejuvenation, acne treatments, and removal of acne scars.

These are some of the more common dermatological lasers and their common applications. Some laser dermatologists will own and operate several of these instruments while some clinics may only own one or two particular lasers. It is really up the preference of the laser physician and what tools they feel they need to do the procedures that are the forte of their particular practice. Lasers have helped open up a whole new field of skin treatments and have also helped to make previously performed procedures faster and often less painful with much shorter recovery times and decreased chance of complications.

Always consult only a licensed physician or similarly licensed medical facility before undergoing any medical procedure.