Dermatology is the study of disorders of the skin. A dermatologist is a physician who diagnoses and treats diseases of the skin. This specialist also diagnoses and treats problems of the skin, mouth, external genitalia, and some sexually transmitted diseases. A dermatologist is knowledgeable regarding skin cancers, moles, tumors of the skin, allergic reactions to chemicals or other substances, and changes of the skin associated with aging.

Dermatologists also treat cosmetic disorders of the skin such as hair loss and scars, internal disorders and diseases that affect the skin, and are qualified to perform standard surgical techniques used in the field of dermatology.

Physicians in this specialty treat patients suffering from numerous diseases and illnesses, but some of the most common are melanoma, moles / warts, tattoo removal, acne scarring, skin cancer, skin rash, psoriasis, lice, scabies, rosacea, boil, cysts, lesions, eczema, dandruff, canker sore, baldness, basal cell carcinoma, genital wart, and mycosis.

Once properly diagnosed, practitioners can perform numerous procedures on patients including facial peels, burn care, liposuction, laser surgery, botulinum toxin (botox) injections, photodynamic therapy (pdt), blepharoplasty, sclerotherapy, cryosurgery, uvb phototherapy, skin cancer surgery, mohs' micrographic surgery, electrosurgery, and minimally-invasive facelift surgery (s-lift).

To diagnose patients with possible illnesses and diseases, specialists will often perform one of many tests including culture, x-ray, biopsy, patch test, physical examination, wood's light, and dermatoscopic exam.

Doctor density varies by specialty and location. The United States has 11,951 practicing dermatologists. Broken out by state, dermatology doctor density in Alabama is 135, in Alaska is 12, in Arizona is 235, in Arkansas is 67, in California is 1,820, in Colorado is 173, in Connecticut is 194, in Delaware is 24, in District of Columbia is 70, in Florida is 892, in Georgia is 301, in Hawaii is 57, in Idaho is 42, in Illinois is 420, in Indiana is 177, in Iowa is 97, in Kansas is 66, in Kentucky is 194, in Louisiana is 178, in Maine is 32, in Maryland is 272, in Massachusetts is 463, in Michigan is 368, in Minnesota is 245, in Mississippi is 53, in Missouri is 203, in Montana is 45, in Nebraska is 44, in Nevada is 63, in New Hampshire is 66, in New Jersey is 365, in New Mexico is 70, in New York is 1,027, in North Carolina is 494, in North Dakota is 28, in Ohio is 434, in Oklahoma is 76, in Oregon is 143, in Pennsylvania is 513, in Rhode Island is 69, in South Carolina is 158, in South Dakota is 26, in Tennessee is 188, in Texas is 651, in Utah is 87, in Vermont is 21, in Virginia is 279, in Washington is 261, in West Virginia is 52, in Wisconsin is 213, and in Wyoming is 15.