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. California has 1,820 practicing dermatologists. Broken out by city, dermatology doctor density in Alameda is 4, in Anaheim is 45, in Bakersfield is 17, in Berkeley is 10, in Beverly Hills is 56, in Bishop is 6, in Burbank is 12, in Burlingame is 3, in Camarillo is 6, in Campbell is 1, in Chula Vista is 12, in Corona is 14, in Coronado is 6, in Costa Mesa is 4, in Covina is 3, in Daly City is 4, in Danville is 6, in Encinitas is 37, in Escondido is 11, in Fountain Valley is 6, in Fremont is 25, in Fresno is 21, in Fullerton is 12, in Glendale is 12, in Glendora is 5, in Hercules is 2, in Huntington Beach is 22, in Irvine is 24, in La Mesa is 17, in La Palma is 5, in Laguna Hills is 15, in Laguna Niguel is 4, in Lake Forest is 6, in Lakewood is 11, in Lancaster is 13, in Loma Linda is 19, in Long Beach is 27, in Los Alamitos is 15, in Los Altos is 7, in Los Angeles is 172, in Los Gatos is 8, in Malibu is 3, in Manhattan Beach is 10, in Mill Valley is 5, in Milpitas is 4, in Mission Viejo is 27, in Modesto is 11, in Monterey is 15, in Monterey Park is 5, in Mountain View is 14, in Newport Beach is 48, in Oakland is 21, in Oceanside is 19, in Orange is 27, in Orinda is 4, in Oxnard is 9, in Palm Desert is 5, in Palm Springs is 10, in Palo Alto is 81, in Pasadena is 37, in Petaluma is 6, in Pleasanton is 11, in Poway is 6, in Rancho Mirage is 5, in Redding is 10, in Redlands is 14, in Redondo Beach is 6, in Ridgecrest is 4, in Riverside is 38, in Rolling Hills Estates is 4, in Roseville is 15, in Sacramento is 79, in San Clemente is 11, in San Diego is 137, in San Francisco is 112, in San Jose is 54, in San Luis Obispo is 7, in San Mateo is 10, in San Pablo is 2, in San Ramon is 8, in Santa Ana is 11, in Santa Barbara is 20, in Santa Cruz is 9, in Santa Maria is 4, in Santa Monica is 31, in Santa Rosa is 19, in Simi Valley is 7, in Solana Beach is 6, in Stockton is 10, in Sunnyvale is 8, in Tehachapi is 1, in Temecula is 11, in Thousand Oaks is 15, in Torrance is 28, in Upland is 12, in Vallejo is 6, in Vista is 9, in Walnut Creek is 24, in Westlake Village is 13, and in Yucca Valley is 2.

California’s population is 36,142,137, and it is America’s third largest and most populous state. It also claims the highest and lowest altitudes in the lower 48 states. The lowest point in the country, Death Valley, is also home to the nation’s highest recorded temperature, 134 degrees. Tourists flock to this state for its many outdoor activities and attractions, including Universal Studios, Disneyland, Rodeo Drive shopping, the Golden Gate Bridge in San Francisco, wine country tours, and California’s numerous beaches and parks. Los Angeles is the nation’s second largest city, but California’s capital is Sacramento. The giant sequoias in California’s forests are among the oldest living things in the world, and a redwood in the Redwood National Park is said to be the world’s tallest tree, at 365 feet. California achieved statehood in 1850, and was named the Golden State after the beginning of the Gold Rush in 1848.

According to 2005 Census estimates, California has a population of 36,132,147. Of this population, 9,308,563 are under the age of 18 and 3,827,038 are at or above the age of 65.