A dermatologist is a medical doctor who specializes in treating conditions that affect the skin, hair, and nails. They are experts in diagnosing and treating a wide variety of skin conditions, ranging from deadly skin cancers to warts. Dermatologists also recognize symptoms that appear on the skin which may indicate problems inside the body, such as organ disease or failure. They perform specialized diagnostic procedures related to skin conditions and use treatments including externally applied or injected medicines, ultraviolet (UV) light therapy, and a range of dermatologic surgical procedures, such as mole removal and skin biopsies. Dermatologists also handle cosmetic disorders, like hair loss and scars, and many have the training to provide cosmetic treatments such as Botox, fillers, chemical peels, and more. A dermatopathologist is a dermatologist that diagnoses skin conditions on the microscopic level. They examine tissue samples and skin scrapings using methods such as electron microscopy. Dermatologists attend school for at least 12 years, including four years of college for a bachelors degree, four years of medical school to become a doctor, a one-year internship, and three years of residency training. They can then take a challenging exam to become board-certified. If you have skin, hair, or nail problems or notice changes to your skin, it may be time to see a dermatologist.