Dermatologists - West Des Moines, IA

What is Dermatology?

Dermatologists are medical doctors who take care of your skin, hair, and nails. Their work can involve everything from treating uncomfortable and itchy allergic rashes, to injecting Botox and removing wrinkles, to performing surgery to remove life-threatening skin cancers.

Dermatology is divided into several branches. A dermatologist may perform all of these services in his or her daily work, or he or she may specialize and focus on just one field.

Dermatopathology deals with the identification of skin diseases. Dermatopathologists diagnose skin problems, usually by taking scrapings of skin and examining them under a microscope.
Cosmetic dermatology is the branch of dermatology that works to improve the appearance of the skin. This can include wrinkle reduction, liposuction, hair loss treatment, or the treatment of scars.
Dermatological Immunology is a subspecialty that deals specifically with immune related problems of the skin, such as eczema or lupus.
Pediatric dermatologists treat newborns and children with skin disorders. They also provide help to families with inherited skin problems.
Mohs surgeons are specialized dermatologists who can remove skin cancers using a microsurgery known as Mohs technique, where slides of the tissue are examined as they are removed. This is a very exact surgery with an extremely high cure rate.

The skin is extremely important: it covers and protects everything in the body. A dermatologist helps keep it healthy, as well as looking and feeling good.