An accurate diagnosis is gold.

And it’s not as simple as it might seem.

Dermatology has one of the broadest ranges of possible diagnoses in medicine. What looks like acne could be keratosis pilaris (a condition of dry skin). And there are different types of acne and acne-like conditions the may require different treatments — pityrosporum folliculitis, for example, is a fungal condition and will not respond to typical acne antibiotics. Some bumps could be milia or scars or a myriad of other things. Skin cancers can be misdiagnosed. Dry patches of skin could point to a thyroid condition. And the best doctors can look at your skin and see possible internal problems worth exploring further.

Tip 1: Tempting as it can be to rely on the internet for information, don’t think you know better than a doctor.
Tip 2: If you have a complex, chronic or stubborn skin problem, be picky. Dermatologists who research, teach and publish, who treat hospitalized cases, and who regularly work with diagnostic tests such as patch tests and biopsies may be the specialists you need.