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 10,579 practicing dermatologists. Broken out by state, dermatology doctor density in Alabama is 113, in Alaska is 8, in Arizona is 203, in Arkansas is 56, in California is 1,409, in Colorado is 155, in Connecticut is 186, in Delaware is 21, in District of Columbia is 77, in Florida is 784, in Georgia is 273, in Hawaii is 54, in Idaho is 39, in Illinois is 368, in Indiana is 142, in Iowa is 90, in Kansas is 71, in Kentucky is 114, in Louisiana is 158, in Maine is 27, in Maryland is 267, in Massachusetts is 447, in Michigan is 348, in Minnesota is 213, in Mississippi is 50, in Missouri is 207, in Montana is 34, in Nebraska is 36, in Nevada is 52, in New Hampshire is 49, in New Jersey is 347, in New Mexico is 60, in New York is 940, in North Carolina is 316, in North Dakota is 22, in Ohio is 386, in Oklahoma is 69, in Oregon is 128, in Pennsylvania is 464, in Rhode Island is 63, in South Carolina is 132, in South Dakota is 25, in Tennessee is 164, in Texas is 600, in Utah is 86, in Vermont is 23, in Virginia is 242, in Washington is 222, in West Virginia is 47, in Wisconsin is 180, and in Wyoming is 12.