A professional who diagnoses and treats diseases of human skin. Responsibilities include:

• Examines skin to determine nature of disease, taking blood samples and smears from affected areas, and performing other laboratory procedures.
• Examines specimens under microscope, and makes various chemical and biological analyses and performs other tests to identify disease-causing organisms or pathological conditions.
• Prescribes and administers medications, and applies superficial radiotherapy and other localized treatments.
• Treats abscesses, skin injuries, and other skin infections, and surgically excises cutaneous malignancies, cysts, birthmarks, and other growths.
• Treats scars, using dermabrasion.