It’s easy to assume that skin conditions like acne or scars may be worth treating at home or leaving alone. However, there may be a need at any time to reach out for the help of a dermatology specialist. Then, there are other things like moles and melanoma that may not appear to be a skin problem until later in life, but they can always be managed in a preventative fashion by a dermatologist.
What to Look for in a Dermatology Specialist
It is important to know that a quality dermatology specialist can cover any possible skin condition, from the acne that starts as a teen to the basal cell carcinoma that affects over four million annually. It is important to know that any little spot or mole that you see may not be what you expect, so a highly trained and certified dermatologist is important. While there may be things like anti-aging treatments or Botox injections that you would like to pursue, there may be the unexpected flare up of psoriasis, eczema, or other skin condition at any point. At that point a serious treatment or even surgical procedure may be needed to ensure your long-term skin health.
Skin Cancer or Other Serious Issues
With the amount of skin cancer cases diagnosed every year in the U.S., there is much to consider in what the dermatology specialist can offer in treatments and surgical procedures. About 20% of Americans are diagnosed before their senior years, usually by age 70. Luckily, Mohs surgery, often provided by a skin doctor or dermatologist, has up to a 99% success rate for curing skin cancer. Therefore, the melanoma and other cases across the nation are found on what appears to be healthy skin, offering the need for what would be preventative treatment. With about 20% or so of skin cancers found in moles, the need for mole removal procedures is more of an immediate cure.
With so much to consider, the search for a skin care specialist is quite a challenge, especially considering the amount of damage we all face in the sun exposure we face over the years. While there is great value placed on sunscreen, there is a lot of sun exposure that leads to sunburns in our younger years, and when playing outside there is much time where we don’t keep our skin as protected as we should. So, the search for a good dermatology specialist and keeping them on the record is important for future skin health.