Dermatology – derived from the Greek “derma”, meaning the skin – is the branch of medicine which focuses on the skin and its appendages (hair, nails, sweat glands etc.)
Skin can be affected by over 3,000 different conditions which can result from irritants, allergies, a person’s genetic make-up, certain diseases, and immune system problems. Dermatologists at FV Hospital have the expertise and equipment to treat a comprehensive range of skin diseases and disorders. These can include serious skin conditions such as skin cancer, bullous diseases, and erythroderma; chronic skin diseases, for instance, acne and eczema; as well as skin abnormalities, and common acute skin diseases, such as athlete’s foot, and impetigo.
FV’s Dermatology Department also provides for an extensive range of tests and treatments for Sexually Transmitted Diseases (STDs). Getting tested and treated for STDs at FV Hospital is straightforward and confidential. The Department offers advice, guidance, and counselling about all aspects of sexual health.
FV’s Dermatologists not only treat skin conditions but also have the resources and techniques to improve the appearance of patients’ skin, hair, and nails. Examples of cosmetic dermatological procedures available in FV Hospital’s Dermatology Department include: anti-aging therapies such as Botox, and chemical peels.
FV Hospital’s Dermatology Department manages the following skin conditions:
Cutaneous Oncology
- Providing skin cancer screenings, such as mole surveillance and detection of melanoma, basal cell carcinoma, squamous cell carcinoma and precancerous lesions.
- Dermatoscopy allows improvement of diagnosis accuracy and photographic monitoring
- Suspicious lesions are biopsied for histopathologic examination
Eczema and Allergies
- Contact dermatitis.
- Atopic dermatitis
- Adverse cutaneous drug reactions
- Urticaria and angioedema (hives)
Disorders of Sebaceous Glands
- Acne
- Rosacea and perioral dermatitis
- Hidradenitis suppurativa
Infectious Diseases
- Bacterial infections of the skin such as impetigo, ecthyma, abscess, furuncle, and cellulitis
- Fungal infections of the skin and mucosa: dermatophytosis (athlete’s foot, and ringworm), and candidiasis
- Viral infections of the skin and mucosa: herpes, chicken-pox, shingles, molluscum contagiosum, warts
Sexually Transmitted Diseases (STDs)
STDs diagnosed, managed and treated by FV’s team of Dermatologists include the following:
- Urethritis caused by chlamydia, gonorrhoea or other bacteria
- Genital ulceration resulting from herpes, syphilis or another cause
- Genital warts due to HPV
- HIV infection
Inflammatory Disorders
- Psoriasis
- Lichen planus
- Seborrheic dermatitis
- Erythema nodosum and other panniculitis
- Erythroderma and rashes
Insect Bites and Infestations
- Pediculosis
- Scabies
- Larva migrans
- Jellyfish stings
Skin Signs of Internal Diseases
- Generalised itching without skin lesions
- Diabetes
- Dysthyroidism
- Dyslipidaemia
- Internal cancer
Hair and Nail Disorders
- Alopecia – hair loss
- Hirsutism – excessive hairiness
- Hypertrichosis – abnormal hair
- Nails diseases and ingrown nails
Mucous membranes disorders
- Aphthous ulcers, and stomatitis
- Genital and anal dermatoses
Autoimmune Diseases
- Lupus erythematosus
- Dermatomyositis
- Scleroderma
- Cutaneous vasculitis
Bullous Diseases
- Hereditary epidermolysis bullosa
- Pemphigus vulgaris
- Bullous pemphigoid
- Pemphigoid gestationis
Pigmentation Disorders
- Hyperpigmentation (melasma and post inflammation)
- Hypopigmentation (vitiligo, albinism and post inflammation)
Congenital and Genetic Skin Diseases
- Ichthyosis
- Haemangiomas
- Neurofibromatosis
- Tuberous sclerosis
Scarring Disorders
- Keloid scars
To treat dermatological conditions, FV Hospital’s Dermatological Department is able to offer a range of procedures:
Dermatologic Surgery
There are a number of different forms of dermatologic surgical procedures, the majority of which are minimally invasive and require only local anaesthesia. Surgical procedures include:
- Cryotherapy for warts, seborrheic keratosis, and actinic keratosis
- Infiltrations of keloid scars
- Phenolization for ingrown toenails
- Curettage of molluscum contagiosum
- Electrocautery of small benign tumours
- Excision of cutaneous tumours, benign tumours such as moles, cysts, lipomas, skin tags or malignant like melanoma; basal cell carcinoma, and squamous cell carcinoma
Phototherapy
The Dermatology Department is able to administer both Narrow Band UVB and UVA phototherapy. This controlled treatment of ultraviolet light provides for effective treatment for certain types of skin diseases, mainly psoriasis but also in some cases of mycosis fungoid (a skin lymphoma), vitiligo and eczema.
Iontophoresis
A medical procedure that involves sending mild electrical currents through water and into the skin. This technique is used to treat excessive sweating of the palms and soles.
Skin Testing for Allergies
- Patch tests are used to determine whether a specific substance causes allergic inflammation of a patient’s skin. Any individual suspected of having allergic contact dermatitis or atopic dermatitis would undergo patch testing.
- Prick testing is used to demonstrate an allergic response to a specific allergen. In conjunction with an allergy focused history, a prick test can help to confirm the presence of an allergy to either a food or inhaled substance (allergen).
Dermatopathology
A subspecialty of dermatology and pathology which involves microscopic examination of skin samples for diagnosis. For dermatopathology examinations, FV Hospital works in collaboration with HI-TECH laboratory in Bangkok. For bullous diseases examinations, FV Hospital sends biopsies to a specialised laboratory in Paris, France, where, by using direct immunofluorescence on the skin biopsy of the skin, the type of bullous disease the patient has contracted can be precisely determined.
Cosmetic Procedures
FV Hospital benefits from offering experience and facilities for a range of cosmetic procedures related. These include chemical peels and anti-aging therapies such as Botox and dermal fillers.
FV Hospital’s Dermatology Department is located on the ground floor on the V Building.
The Department benefits from two consultation rooms, a phototherapy room, and its own dermatologic surgical room. Dermatologists have at their disposal a variety of highly specialised tools:
- Heine Delta 20 T Dermatoscope – offers unrivalled precision optics and the functionality to toggle between polarised and non-polarised illumination. No time consuming exchange of contact plates is necessary, at the same time contact dermatoscopy with immersion liquids is possible at any point, allowing the examination method to be matched with the respective pigmented skin lesion to obtain the best diagnosis.
- Waldmann UV 7002 Phototherapy Cabinet – a state-of-the-art narrowband UV-B phototherapy unit that automatically manages patients’ exposure to the ultraviolet rays to maximise treatment benefits based on a patient’s skin type and condition.
- Ionomat DE-204C Iontophoresis – a medical device used to pass a mild electrical current through water (usually utilizing shallow pans big enough for a patient’s hands or feet) and through the skin’s surface to treat excessive sweating of the palms and soles.
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