Dermatology Mastery: Elevate Your Skin Care Journey.

“I have fixed an appointment with a dermatologist for my acne. I hope it works out. Oh wait! But I have also have marks and scars. The cherry on the cake? My uneven skin tone and dry skin patches. I have been meaning to talk to someone about my hair fall too.

What should I talk about first? Will all my questions be entertained? Will the doctor be annoyed if I ask too many questions?”

Every First-time Patient Ever

I have been a practicing dermatologist for a long time now and believe me when I say that all these questions are extremely common. Don’t worry. You are not alone in this boat.

This makes it all the more clear that patients need help with not just their medical concerns, but also with their approach to consulting a doctor. Here are some tips that I think can help patients make the most out of their visits to any dermatologist:

1. Make a list of any and all your queries. Don’t worry about whether this will annoy the doctor. It will ensure that none of your questions go unanswered, so that you can leave the doctor’s office a lot more satisfied, and a lot less worried.

2. Apart from questions directly relating to the concern you are seeking medical help for, please also consider asking your dermatologist the following questions:

Can you help me devise a regular skincare routine for my skin and hair type?
How do I keep a check on moles and growths?
Can you help me improve the texture and tone of my skin?
What can I do to reverse visible signs of ageing?
Do I need diet and lifestyle changes?
So on and so forth…

3. Do remember that most doctors dislike half doctors. Remember that you are at a doctor’s clinic to ask them for medical advice, and not to check if they know their areas of expertise well. Stating a self-diagnosis that you may have arrived at after surfing the internet is unscientific and may create unnecessary (and fully avoidable) troubles.

4. They say one man’s food may be another man’s poison. Refrain from comparing prescriptions and procedures with your friends and family. What you may have and your friend or family member may have, could be two absolutely different problems, even if they appear identical to you.

5. Can you speak to your dermatologist about your hair or scalp problems too? The short answer is YES. A dermatologist can help you with all problems related to skin, hair and nails. Also, please remember that we help patients with venereal diseases too.

6. We tend to focus on taking care of the skin on our face and end up ignoring the skin on our palms, soles, hands, covered areas, etc. Do keep a watch on the skin all over your body and consult a dermatologist regularly.

7. Is there a difference between dermatology and cosmetology? Dermatology deals with all things skin, hair and nails, and extends beyond aesthetics. Cosmetology uses advanced procedures that focus on improving the aesthetics of your skin and hair.

8. While choosing a dermatologist to visit, check whether your doctor is an expert in dermatology or cosmetology. At InUrSkn, we have an established track record for both.

9. When in doubt, always check the doctor’s qualifications. Unfortunately, our noble profession has been tainted by one too many quacks. Please research into and verify their medicine degrees. Try and understand if they are relevant to your medical concerns. You can even openly talk to the doctor about this, if you are concerned. I have never taken offence to someone asking me this. I, in fact, ‘wear’ my degrees with pride and am happy to educate my patients.

10. Avoid bringing up advice given by salon professionals and family members in a discussion with your dermatologist. While there is good advice that they can offer, it is often riddled with a many myths which make it tedious for the doctor to gather facts.

11. Go into a consultation session with trust and open mindedness. We as doctors are sworn to do no harm and patients will always remain our priority. It is your wellbeing that takes the precedence in any conversation. And if you feel that you are not being cared for, look for another doctor who you can connect with better.
I hope these tips help you find a suitable dermatologist, and also to make the most of your consultations with them. More power to you!

About INURSKN:

Built on more than a decade of experience of Dr. Sejal Saheta, we are an honest and affordable skin and hair care clinic in Mumbai. Our goal is to make each patient comfortable and happy with their appearance with the least amount of intervention.

Our qualified and trained doctors, equipped with the latest technology, conduct and supervise all procedures in strict adherence to protocols developed by Dr. Sejal.

We are happy to be a part of your journey to reach your health goals. If you think we have been able to help you, please do review us:

On Practo: http://prac.to/vkpj

On Google: https://goo.gl/zHfACo

Disclaimer:

This article is one in a series of articles on skin conditions by Dr. Sejal Saheta – MD, DNB -Dermatology and Venereology. The objective of this series is to educate the reader and help them take precautions against various skin conditions they come across on an everyday basis. These articles are not meant to be used by patients for self-diagnosis or for avoiding proper medical treatment. The images used in the above blog are only for visual representation purposes. Actual results may vary from patient to patient.

Feature Posts

April 2024