Washington, D.C. is home to 77 practicing dermatologists who have offices in 1 county and 20 zip codes, including zip codes 20037, 20010, 20007, 20036, 20006, 20060, 20016, 20002, 20422, 20017, 20307, 20515, 20306, 20301, 20073, 20024, 20015, 20009, 20003, and 20001.

According to 2005 Census estimates, Washington, D.C. has a population of 550,521, which gives it a specialist to resident ratio of 1 dermatologist for every 7,149 residents.

Description

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.

Diseases / Illnesses Treated

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.

Procedures Performed

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).

Tests Performed

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.