Choose a Wise Doctor for Your Skin Disease Treatment

[lightbox full=”http://www.askdrshah.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/wise-doctor-skin-disease.jpg”][/lightbox]When it comes to the treatment of skin disease, role of treating doctor is very important. Here are few tips for selecting a suitable doctor for the treatment of skin diseases.

Take advice from your family doctor or primary care doctor: Family doctor or the primary care doctor is the one who can guide the patient to a suitable skin doctor. He can decide whether patient should be sent to a dermatologist or a cosmetologist.
Difference between a dermatologist and a cosmetologist: Dermatologist is a medically trained doctor who is into treating skin ailments with medicines and local application. They usually do not perform any major surgeries on the patients. Cosmetologists usually put the patients under the knife and usually they perform surgeries known as cosmetic surgeries to enhance the look of the patient.
Consulting the doctor: When you sit in the waiting area of a dermatologist you can get a fair idea about the doctor from the patients sitting in the waiting area. They give a fair idea about doctor’s nature, his success rate in treating various diseases and their experiences with that particular doctor.
Your doctor should have adequate experience in the treatment of the disease that you have. For example, if you want to be treated for lichen planus or psoriasis, your doctor should have treated at least 25 cases of this disease.
Please check, if your doctor has good knowledge if your disease can be treated by the conventional medicine or by homeopathy or by some other mode. Your doctor must be able to guide you on this.
Listen to the doctor carefully: Patients must carefully listen to the doctors after telling them their problems. Patient must be able to understand the view point of the doctor and how is he going to fix up the patient’s problem.
Take a second opinion: It is very important for a patient to take a second opinion before undergoing any surgery. This will help him by producing more clarity in his mind about the disease and its solution.
Availability of the doctor: Ask the doctor about his timings, whether he has more than one office for consultation. If yes, then find out whether his timings are suitable to your timings.
Emergency call: Ask your doctor in case of emergency at night whether he will answer the call or whether he has a set up where in his associate can handle the emergency well.
What if your treating doctor is not available: Ask and confirm with the dermatologist that if he is not available for consultation is there any associate doctor who can attend to the patient.
Payment options: Get a clear cut idea on his consulting fees, follow ups and fees for any other procedures which may be required.
Finally, after consulting your dermatologist, you should feel confident and comfortable. If the doctor has answered all your queries well and when you feel confident after consulting him, it can be said that you have chosen a right doctor for treating your skin problem.