
Dermatologists are specialist doctors who diagnose and treat diseases of the skin, hair and nails. Skin diseases affect patients of all ages. There are over 2000 medical conditions which can affect the skin.
Common inflammatory skin diseases include eczema, psoriasis and acne. Hairloss (alopecia), nail disorders, allergic skin diseases e.g. contact dermatitis, urticaria (hives), warts and other types of skin infection are common patient concerns. Much of a dermatologist's workload concerns checking patients with new pigmented lesions on their skin or patients worried about changing moles.
As skin specialists, dermatologists have expertise in managing patients with sun damaged skin and treating those with skin cancer.
Dermatologists use creams, prescription medicines, cryotherapy (freezing treatment) and perform skin surgery to help their patients.
Dr Banfield is a skin specialist who offers private consultations at the Fitzwilliam Private Hospital in Peterborough and the Linia Cromwell Hospital in Huntingdon.