One of the most important and versatile doctors that you should be visiting on a regular basis is a dermatologist, mostly because he or she can diagnose and treat a wide range of illnesses and disorders. Listed below are just a few of the many reasons to make an appointment with a dermatologist.

Severe Acne

One big reason to consider visiting a dermatologist is if you develop severe acne that is simply not going away. Now, the type of acne that you will want to speak to a dermatologist about is the type where you get large, painful, and red pimples that seem to linger for a very long time. This is often referred to as cystic acne and is often not treatable with over-the-counter acne creams or medications.

A dermatologist can often assist you with cystic acne by providing you with oral antibiotics and prescription acne creams that can cause the cystic to heal. However, if those resources do not work then your dermatologist can also use cortisone shots that involve injecting a steroid directly into the cystic pimples. The benefits of this approach are that the process is relatively painless and can cause a pimple to go away in a few hours.

Skin Growths

Another reason to see your dermatologist is if you notice that a new growth has appeared on your skin. The types of growth can include everything from spots on your skin to moles and you should pay particular attention to ones that consistently change in size. The reason for this is that those growths can be an early warning sign of skin cancer, which is actually one of the easiest types of cancer for a doctor to treat provided he or she detects it as early as possible.

Nail Issues

Finally, you will want to speak with a dermatologist if you are experiencing issues with your fingernails, such as the skin around your fingernails becoming inflamed or the fingernails themselves changing shape or color. The reason that a dermatologist visit is essential is that he or she will be able to determine if the nail issues are a sign of a more serious disease. It is not uncommon for heart or liver disease to cause fingernail discoloration or swelling around the nail.

Contact a dermatologist today in order to schedule an appointment to discuss the many different ways in which he or she can help you with your particular skin or nail issues. A dermatologist like Billings Clinic can help you deal with severe or cystic acne and inspect skin growths in order to attempt to catch and treat skin cancer as early as possible.

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