Whether it’s mild acne or severe eczema, skin concerns can be so frustrating to deal with. Many people resort to DIY skincare remedies or buy hundreds of products before eventually giving up and feeling hopeless. The science of dermatology is a crucial part of understanding your skin, and meeting with a dermatologist can finally give you the results you’ve been searching for.
What is Dermatology?
Dermatology is a branch of medicine that deals with the skin and diseases of the skin. It concerns the study, research, and diagnosis of disorders of the skin, whether they’re mild or severe. Cancers, cosmetic and aging conditions of the skin, fat, hair, nails, and oral and genital membranes are all aspects of dermatology.
There are many subspecialties of dermatology, such as immunodermatology, specializing in treating immune-mediated skin disorders, including lupus, bullous pemphigoid, and pemphigus vulgaris. If you have a tumor on your skin, your dermatologist will likely perform Mohs surgery, which involves removing tumors from the skin without harming healthy cells.
There is even pediatric dermatology, which is used to treat infants and children who develop or are born with skin conditions. A dermatologist is an expert and medical professional in dermatology. They can perform surgical procedures, diagnose your skin condition(s), and prescribe special treatments or over-the-counter medications and products for your skin.
However, many dermatologists today specialize in cosmetic dermatology, which focuses more on the aesthetic desires of their patients rather than painful problems they want treated. This includes minimally invasive procedures, such as injecting filler or BOTOX, laser resurfacing technology, or even simply recommending a unique skincare routine to help with acne.
Dermatologists in South Miami can also perform photodynamic therapy, phototherapy, tattoo removal, tumescent liposuction, radiation therapy, and vitiligo surgery. Other treatments in the dermatology field include cryosurgery, which is the treatment of warts, skin cancers or other dermatoses, allergy testing, systemic therapies such as antibiotics, immunomodulators or injectable products, etc.
The skin is the largest organ in the body, so it’s important that you take care of it and monitor changes in your skin.
What is Cosmetic Dermatology?
While many dermatologists can help you with both medical and cosmetic concerns, it’s in your best interest to see a dermatologist who is more specialized in one area than the other if you are only seeing them for a specific concern in that area.
However, both medical and cosmetic dermatologists strive to help their patients overcome their skin conditions and concerns from a healthy standpoint and an aesthetically pleasing one. Dermatologists want you to be healthy and also feel confident in your skin.
Cosmetic dermatology caters to patients looking to maintain their youthful appearance by reversing the signs of aging or wanting to make aesthetic changes or improvements to their skin. This field of dermatology has become increasingly popular over the years as more and more cosmetic procedures and products come out on the market.
Deborah Longwill: Dermatology in South Miami
Having served the South Miami, FL community in private since 1992, Dr. Deborah Longwill DO, FAOCD, has developed a loyal patient following and is too familiar with how the climate and weather can affect each patient’s skin.
Her expanding medical practice is directly related to her holistic clinical approach, which involves first listening to patients’ concerns, then thoroughly diagnosing and explaining their individual treatment options, with both short and long-term personalized treatment plans.
Dr. Deborah Longwill has served the South Miami community for over 25 years. She was born in Los Angeles, California, but grew up in Wilmington, Delaware, before relocating to her current home in Pinecrest, Florida.
After graduating with a Bachelor of Arts from George Washington University, she obtained her Medical Degree from the Southeastern University of Health Sciences College of Osteopathic Medicine.
Dr. Longwill became Board Certified in Dermatology in 1992, bringing expertise and the latest treatments to her patients. Dr. Longwill supports her community, lending more than just her dermatological expertise.
She commits time to mentoring medical, physician assistant, nurse practitioner, and high school students, as well as medical residents. On a personal level, Dr. Longwill is a devoted wife of 33 years, mother of 4, and grandmother of 3.
In her time away from her practice, she enjoys the outdoors, photography, yoga, cooking, and celebrating with friends and family. She spends her time in Miami, FL, and North Carolina, where she can experience the best of both worlds!
Be sure to check out all the services we have to offer at the Miami Center for Dermatology, including medical, surgical, and cosmetic procedures. We also have an extensive line of skincare products that are dermatologist-recommended and perfect for building the right skincare regimen for you. Book an appointment with us today!