A visit to your Dermatologist’s Office, may aim to the accurate diagnosis and proper treatment of any abnormality of you skin, hairs or nails. You may also consult your Dermatologist preventively in order to have a skin check or an aesthetic examination.
THE FIRST OFFICE VISIT
During the first visit the Doctor will ask your medical history, comprising details about any chronic or concomitant diseases, any medication you might be taking, potential allergies or any surgeries you might have had in the past, as well as any family history of skin diseases. Than, you will be asked to give a thorough description of your main complaint that brought you to the Office.
Subsequently, Dr. Matekovits will examine your skin.
In the majority of the cases, a thorough medical history and a careful clinical examination usually lead to the correct diagnosis
Additional tests (eg Wood’s lamp examination, blood/urine tests, cultures, skin biopsy) are sometimes required to confirm the diagnosis. Your Dermatologist will decide and inform you if any supplementary tests are needed.
Once the diagnosis has been established, the Doctor will give you all the relevant information you should know about your condition and will answer all your questions. Recommended treatment and alternatives will be discussed. The most suitable therapeutic regimen will be prescribed and explained to you in detail.
You will also be informed if your condition requires any follow-up, in order to book your next appointment.
A typical first visit usually takes about 30 min.
FOLLOW-UP VISIT
After your first office visit, a follow-up appointment might be recommended, in order to review your laboratory tests or to estimate the efficacy of the treatment you have received.
Moreover, many skin diseases have a protracted, chronic course and necessitate long-term follow-up.
Follow-up visits are usually of shorter duration than the first visit.
PREVENTIVE EXAM
A preventive skin examination is performed for two main reasons:
- In order to confirm the absence of any serious skin disorder, such as a contagious skin disease. This is usually required for subscriptions to swimming pools or gyms. This kind of examination is carried out whenever deemed necessary.
- In order to facilitate the early diagnosis of any pre-cancerous or cancerous skin lesion. This kind of skin check should be done at least once every year.
During the preventive skin check the whole surface of the skin is thoroughly examined. A dermatoscope may be used for specific skin lesions. Suspicious lesions are than demarcated and scheduled for follow-up or treatment.