A skin doctor is another name for a dermatologist. These healthcare specialists have education and expertise in caring for skin that is normal and healthy as well as in caring for skin that has problems. Skin care doctors prevent and treat numerous skin conditions such as psoriasis, warts, rosacea and forms of skin cancer. Dermatologists do not just deal with skin disorders, but also with disorders that affect the nails and the hair. Those who are suffering from hair loss, nail fungus or scars can be referred to a skin doctor to be diagnosed and treated for the problem at hand. If you need to locate a dermatologist for a skin, hair or nail problem that you have developed, then your general practitioner can refer you to a professional or can recommend someone to you. Another place to look would be the American Academy of Dermatology because they keep lists of doctors that are board certified. Still another resource is to place a call to a local medical school that is within a university setting and ask for names and recommendations of dermatologists.When you do come across a dermatologist or two who seems to fit your criteria, there are certain questions that you need to ask of him or her. These questions include: -What types of health insurance do you accept?-Can you provide patient references? -If I have a problem, can I get an appointment on short notice? -Does your office offer evening hours or weekend hours?-Do you specialize in a particular area of dermatology? -How many patients have you performed this specific procedure on? To become a skin doctor, a physician must spend approximately three years following graduation from medical school in getting further education in disorders that affect the skin, nails and hair. They also are trained to perform surgical procedures on the skin and other related procedures. You have probably been told in the past that you should only go to board certified doctors. While board certification does matter, it is by no means a guarantee that the doctor in question will be a good skin doctor. What it does demonstrate is that the medical practitioner completed the training that was required and has acquired the knowledge that was necessary to pass the required examination. For your own peace of mind you can easily verify that a dermatologist has received board certification by visiting the American Board of Dermatology website.When you are looking for a dermatologist to tend to the skin, hair or nail condition that you have developed, you need to research the speciality of every doctor who looks of interest to you. The area of expertise is important to finding the physician who can provide you with the right type of treatment. The vast majority of dermatologists are able to diagnose and treat most skin problems but some choose to obtain additional certifications for specific areas of the medical discipline. Examples of the specialist certifications that a skin care physician can obtain include clinical and laboratory dermatological immunology, pediatric dermatology, and dermatopathology.