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The skin is the largest organ of the body and certainly the most visible. Although many skin diseases are isolated, a significant portion of skin symptoms reflects a more generalised disease that affects other organs. Hence, a dermatologist is required to have a working knowledge of basic surgery, rheumatology (many rheumatic diseases can feature skin symptoms), neurology (the "neurocuteaneous syndromes", such as neurofibromatosis and tuberous sclerosis) and endocrinology.
Dermatology is often practiced in tandem with venereology , the specialism that diagnoses and treats sexually transmitted diseases, and phlebology , the specialism that deals with problems of the superficial venous system.
The first step of any contact with a doctor is the medical history. In order to classify a cuteous eruption, a dermatologist will ask detailed questions on the duration and temporal pattern of skin problems, itching or pain, relations to food intake, sunlight, over-the-counter creams and clothing. When an underlying disease is suspected, a more detailed history of related symptoms might be elicited (such as arthritis in a suspected case of lupus erythematosus).
Physical examination is generally under bright light and involves the whole body. At this stage, the doctor may apply Wood's light , which may aid in diagnosing types of mycosis , or a dermatoscope , which enlarges a suspected lesion and may help differentiating lesions, e.g. between a naevus from melanoma.Dermatology has the benefit of having easy access to tissue for diagnosis. CultureA microbiological culture is a way to determine the cause of infectious disease by letting the agent multiply ( reproduce) in predetermined media. For example, a throat culture is taken by scraping the lining of the tissue in the throat and blotting the s or Gram staining of suspected infectious lesions may identify a pathogenA pathogen is a biological agent that can cause disease to its host. A synonym of pathogen is " infectious agent". The term "pathogen" is most often used for agents that disrupt the normal physiology of a multicellular animal or plant. However, pathogens and help direct therapy.
If the diagnosis is uncertain, or cutaneous malignancy is suspected, a small punch-hole biopsyA biopsy is a medical test involving the removal of cells or tissues for examination. The tissue is often examined under a microscope and can also be analyzed chemically (for example, using PCR techniques). When only a sample of tissue is removed, the pro can be taken under local anestheticA local anesthetic is a drug that reversibly inhibits the propagation of signals along nerves. When it is used on specific nerve pathways, effects such as analgesia (loss of pain sensation) and paralysis (loss of muscle power) can be achieved. While many, to be examined by a specialist of histopathology.