What is a Dermatologist

A dermatologist is a highly qualified medical doctor/physician who specialises in diagnosing and treating skin, hair, and nail-related medical conditions, as well as cosmetic problems.

A consultant dermatologist has to undergo years of specialist training after qualifying as a doctor before becoming a fully accredited dermatology specialist and gaining entry to the GMC specialist register. This is the highest level of professional training in the UK. Some of our consultants have also undertaken research in a particular area, for example skin cancer, and been awarded a postgraduate higher degree such as a PhD.  

Consultants at The Devonshire Clinic work alongside other medical colleagues with expertise in head and neck surgery and oral & maxillofacial surgery, as well as in plastic surgery and Mohs micrographic surgery to treat skin cancer. The Devonshire Clinic provides specialist private dermatology expertise in skin cancer, medical dermatology, and cosmetic dermatology.

What does a dermatologist do?

A dermatologist is a medically trained and qualified doctor with expertise in diagnosing and treating medical and cosmetic conditions affecting the skin, nails and hair. Dermatologists work with adults, teenagers, young children and the elderly.

• Our team of dermatologists at The Devonshire Clinic help diagnose and treat conditions such as acne and acne scarring as well as psoriasis and eczema. They can also advise about whether your symptoms might be indicative of other medical conditions such as dry, irritated skin being a sign of a kidney problem
• As well as diagnosing and treating skin conditions, our dermatologists carry out minor surgery. This includes removing warts, moles and skin tags or taking skin biopsies (where a sample of skin cells is removed for further analysis). They can also remove benign (harmless) lumps such as sebaceous cysts
• Dermatologists at The Devonshire Clinic also treat cosmetic skin problems that can affect your self-esteem. This includes laser therapy for acne scarring or age spots
• Some of our dermatologists  have undergone additional specialist training in dermatologic surgery, lasers and Mohs micrographic surgery for skin cancer

What’s the difference between a dermatologist and an aesthetician?
Dermatologists are medically trained doctors who specialise in the health of your skin. They can diagnose and treat thousands of types of skin diseases. Aestheticians are not medically trained but focus on treatments that improve the way you look. Dermatologists can prescribe medication and perform minor surgery, while aestheticians tend to carry out treatments that focus on the skin’s surface.

What conditions does a dermatologist treat?

Skin conditions that dermatologists treat include:

• Acne
• Cysts
• Dermatitis
• Drug-related skin problems
• Eczema
• Hair loss
• Nail fungus
• Psoriasis
• Rosacea
• Scarring
• Skin cancer
• Skin infections
• Skin lesions (skin abnormalities), including skin discolouration/pigmentation
• Warts
• Wrinkles and sagging skin

What can a dermatologist offer me?

At The Devonshire Clinic, our dermatologists can diagnose and treat problems that affect your skin, nails, and hair.

Skin diseases can have a significant impact on your life. Severe psoriasis or eczema, for example, can be disabling and skin cancer, if not diagnosed and treated early, can be life-threatening. Skin problems can also affect your mental health. They can cause embarrassment, anxiety, low self-esteem and depression.

At The Devonshire Clinic, we understand the physical and mental impact of skin problems. In most cases, you’ll be able to see one of our consultant dermatologists within a few days. That means you’ll get a fast diagnosis and rapid access to the latest proven and licensed therapies.

You can book an appointment with us today.

What skin treatments can a dermatologist offer?

Dermatologists at The Devonshire Clinic offer rapid access to expert opinion, diagnosis and treatment. They can advise on skin problems and diseases ranging from skin cancer, acne, psoriasis and eczema to cosmetic dermatology issues.

Skin cancer treatments, including Mohs micrographic surgery

Medical dermatology treatments, such as skin surgery, scar treatment, photodynamic therapy (PDT), laser treatment, microneedling, radiofrequency, IPL, chemical peels, steroid injections, botulinum toxin injections and platelet rich plasma (PRP) treatment

Cosmetic treatments, including radiofrequency, botulinum toxin injections, dermal fillers, skin peels, thread vein treatment, lasers and microneedling, radiofrequency

What qualifications does a dermatologist need?

To become a dermatologist in the UK a doctor must have successfully completed:

• Training at medical school for 4-5 years, leading to a degree in medicine
• A two-year Foundation Programme. At the end of year one, a student can become a doctor, but dermatologists need to undertake additional specialty training lasting at least 6-7 years
• Further advanced training in dermatology
• After 4 or 5 years of full-time training in a registered and supervised NHS dermatology post, a doctor can be listed by the General Medical Council (GMC) as an accredited specialist in dermatology
• Some doctors also undertake research and are awarded a higher degree such as a

PhD. Once accredited as a specialist, a doctor may decide to undertake further subspecialist training in skin cancer or dermatologic surgery, for example

• Most consultant dermatologists have appointments at an NHS hospital
• You can check if a doctor is an accredited specialist on the GMC medical register. You can do this by searching their record using their name or GMC reference number

At The Devonshire Clinic, our team of consultants all hold additional appointments at leading NHS hospitals in London. Our team includes male and female dermatologists, so please let us know if you have a preference when you book your consultation with the Appointments team – there’s no need to explain why.

Read more about our dermatologists and consultant surgeons.