Cosmetic Dermatologists vs Skin and Hair Doctors

The rising popularity of cosmetic dermatological procedures can be attributed to the modern culture's fixation on outward appearance. Cosmetic dermatology is focused on improving one's look to boost self-esteem and quality of life. On the other hand, medical dermatology treats skin illnesses and ailments that can have major health consequences. Any professional skin and hair doctor in Tirunelveli and other big cities of Tamil Nadu fall under the medical dermatology category. There are a lot of distinctions between medical and cosmetic dermatology, and their procedures have different recovery times. Hence, let's delve deeper and investigate why it has become so important to us.

An Overview of Cosmetic Dermatology & Their Importance

A cosmetic dermatologist is a dermatologist who focuses on cosmetic concerns, such as erasing the signs of aging, evening out skin tone and texture, and toning down saggy skin. The field of cosmetic dermatology is expanding to meet the needs of people who want to improve their appearance but have no medical condition that necessitates it.

Cosmetic dermatology is not covered by health insurance because it is purely aesthetic and driven by desire rather than necessity. The most popular cosmetic dermatology treatments include:

• Dermal fillers
• Botox
• Vein reduction
• Chemical peels
• Laser rejuvenation and resurfacing
• Laser hair removal
• Skin tightening

All About Medical Dermatology & The Need for Skin and Hair Doctors

Medical dermatology is the study of skin, hair, and nail diseases. Various photomedicine and medications are the backbones of medical dermatology's treatment. There are two important aspects of the field. To begin, people who seek medical dermatology care have a severe medical condition that, if untreated, can seriously cause health conditions that might prove to be fatal. Secondly, it prevents the need for surgical incisions to treat skin conditions.

A medical dermatologist's in-depth understanding of the skin's anatomy and physiology enables them to treat the conditions of the skin and restore the patient's natural beauty effortlessly. A medical dermatologist's work can be divided into diagnostic and therapeutic. Insurance companies will cover the cost of medical dermatology treatments because they are essential to a person's health and well-being.

Diagnostic procedures are:

• Photography of the affected area
• Scrape, pull, and swab
• Dermoscopy
• Biopsy

Therapeutic procedures are:

• Photodynamic therapy
• Phototherapy
• Radiotherapy

Medical dermatologists are trained to treat a variety of skin diseases and disorders:

• Skin Cancer
• Alopecia
• Acne
• Eczema
• Psoriasis
• Warts
• Rosacea

Read Also:Laser Away Your Skin Woes at the Skin and Laser Centre

Differentiating Cosmetic Dermatologists From Skin and Hair Doctors (Medical Dermatologists)

There is a lot of overlap between medical and cosmetic dermatology. First-line treatment for mild to severe psoriasis, UVB phototherapy, can also improve skin tone. Salicylic acid helps with eliminating acne scars when used to remove small warts.

Cosmetic dermatology treats skin problems that aren't caused due to illness. This means that even if these conditions are left alone for an extended period of time, they pose no significant health risks. Medical dermatology, on the other hand, employs surgical methods, medication therapy, and photomedicine to treat skin conditions. Surgical procedures include the use of energy to extract or cut undesirable tissues. When a dermatologist uses a surgical knife to remove a cyst, for instance, mechanical energy is being put to use. The process of removing hair using a laser uses light energy.

In contrast, non-invasive medical procedures do not include any intervention. Photomedicine technologies and phototherapy are also non-invasive because they do not cut into the body to treat patients. The fields of medical, cosmetic, and surgical dermatology share a lot of common ground. In some cases, such as when skin cancer is removed by Mohs surgery, surgical procedures may be the best option for treating the underlying medical problem. Similarly, skin tags and other purely aesthetic disorders can become serious health issues if infected. Whether a dermatologic operation is medical or aesthetic, the length of time it takes to heal mostly relies on the following:

• The invasive nature of the process
• The size and anatomical location of the affected area of the skin
• Patient's health condition

Unless you expect severe side effects, such as those experienced by cancer chemotherapy patients, therapeutic interventions do not interrupt their daily lives. Biopsies and cryotherapy produce visible incisions and need two to four weeks of recovery. Recovery time is minimal (a few days) for procedures like Botox injection and micro-needling, which cause only minor damage.

Older adults take longer to get better than younger people. Usually, it takes longer for more extensive postoperative wounds to recover than smaller ones. In addition, locations with inadequate blood circulation, areas subjected to recurrent trauma, or areas under persistent heavy pressure have slower skin regeneration. Regardless of age, however, recovery is impeded by infection in surgical wounds as well as abnormalities with the connective tissues, immune system, blood clotting function, and blood sugar management.

Wrap Up

Our society's importance on outward appearance has led to the rise of cosmetic dermatology. Thus, dermatologists may do wonders for our looks, health, and happiness. However, medical dermatology is essential for curing skin, hair, and nail illnesses. Recognizing the distinctions between the two kinds of dermatologists and their variances in recovery timeframes is crucial before opting for any treatment.