DOTTOR@HOUSE — DERMATOLOGY

Dermatology Clinical

Your skin says a great deal about your health.

Clinicall dermatology deals with the diagnosis, treatment and monitoring of conditions of the skin, hair and nails, from the most common presentations to the most complex.

A dermatology consultation makes it possible to identify the origin of skin manifestations, distinguish between conditions that look alike and define a personalised diagnostic and treatment pathway.

Inflammation and skin reactions

Dermatitis and eczema — atopic, seborrhoeic, irritant and contact dermatitis
Psoriasis — diagnosis, assessment of extent and monitoring over time
Urticaria and skin reactions — assessment of acute, chronic or recurrent presentations
Hypersensitivity dermatoses — conditions linked to altered skin reactivity
Photodermatoses and dermatoses from physical agents — manifestations linked to sun, cold and other environmental factors

Infections and infestations

Fungal infections of the skin and nails
Bacterial skin infections
Viral infections — warts, herpes simplex and herpes zoster
Skin parasites

Acne, rosacea and skin changes

Acne in adolescence and in adulthood
Rosacea and couperose
Marks and pigmentation disorders
Scars and post-acne marks
Skin barrier disorders and sensitive skin

Hair and nails

Specialist assessment of hair loss, alopecia, scalp disorders and nail conditions, with further diagnostic investigation where indicated.

From diagnosis to the care pathway

Not all skin manifestations have the same origin. That is why the pathway starts with a specialist dermatology consultation and, where necessary, continues with diagnostic tests and targeted check-ups, through to defining the most appropriate therapy and follow-up.

Dermato-Oncology & Advanced Diagnostics

Recognising a skin cancer while it is still a detail.

Dermato-oncology is the clinical and instrumental branch that prevents skin cancers and detects them at an early stage, when treatment is straightforward and the outlook excellent.

You ask a specialist for more than a diagnosis. You ask for a method: your own risk profile defined precisely, the signs that genuinely matter and a schedule of check-ups built around you as an individual.

Why prevention matters

Prevention does not stop at sun protection. It includes daily skin care and the choice of cosmeceuticals, diet and vitamin supplementation, and above all the ability to recognise a suspicious lesion before the next check-up. This is what the specialist teaches the patient.

Clinicall history and risk monitoring

Skin phototype, the number and morphology of moles, history of sun exposure, personal history and family history: the clinical history turns these elements into a risk profile. From there follow the frequency of check-ups and the instrumental tests indicated. No one-size-fits-all protocol.

The diagnostic model — two levels of technology

The two levels do not replace one another: they work together. The first monitors the whole body surface over time and flags what has changed; the second goes into the detail of the individual lesion and reaches cellular resolution without taking tissue.

01

Digital mole mapping — Total Body Mapping

A digital videodermatoscope photographs the entire body surface at high resolution and pairs each shot with dermoscopic images of the most significant lesions. The result is a genuine digital archive of the skin, compared check-up after check-up: it is the comparison over time that reveals a mole changing or a new lesion appearing — exactly what a single examination could never show.

High-resolution total body photography
Digital dermoscopy of representative lesions
Digital archive of the skin and sequential comparison
Particularly indicated for high-risk patients

02

In vivo confocal laser microscopy — the virtual skin biopsy

It is the most advanced level. It allows a lesion to be observed at cellular resolution, directly on the patient and without taking tissue: hence the name virtual skin biopsy. It produces images comparable to histology, immediately, accurately and entirely painlessly. It is used to investigate suspicious lesions, melanomas and skin carcinomas and, in selected cases, makes it possible to avoid biopsies and excisions that would not be necessary. Where a biopsy is still essential, it helps pinpoint exactly where to take it from.

Immediate diagnosis, at cellular resolution, non-invasive
Useful on the face, genitals and semi-mucosa, where excision is more delicate
Effective on lightly pigmented marks and in children
Reduces the number of unnecessary surgical excisions
Guides the choice of where to biopsy when a biopsy is needed anyway

The information on this page is provided for informational purposes, describes uses documented in the literature and constitutes neither a promise of results nor advertising within the meaning of art. 1 subsection 525 of Italian Law 145/2018. Suitability for any examination or treatment is determined solely by the specialist.

What happens during the visit

Your clinical history

Reported symptoms, how long the problem has lasted and how it has developed, personal or family conditions, medication taken, allergies, lifestyle and exposure to risk factors.

The clinical examination

A thorough examination of skin, hair and nails. Where needed, the dermatologist uses digital dermoscopy: an in-depth analysis of moles and lesions with no invasive procedures.

Further investigations

Where needed: skin biopsies, microbiological swabs, allergy tests, blood chemistry and other specialist investigations.

How to prepare

What to bring with you:

Previous dermatology visits, reports and tests already carried out
Your most recent blood tests, if available
An up-to-date list of medicines and therapies
Allergies, intolerances or past reactions
Histology reports or previous biopsies
Therapies, treatments or products already used

On the day of your appointment

Come without make-up on the area to be examined
Avoid nail polish and fake tan for a mole check
Wear comfortable clothes
Bring all the clinical documentation you have

Frequently asked questions

Moles, marks and skin cancer: the questions we are asked most.

01What is confocal laser microscopy?

It is a diagnostic technique that allows the skin to be observed at cellular level without cutting into it: the answer is immediate, accurate and entirely painless. It is particularly useful on facial lesions, on lightly pigmented marks and in children.

02Do all suspicious moles have to be removed?

Where melanoma is suspected, yes: excision and histological examination — commonly, though improperly, called a «biopsy» — are essential. In many other cases the specialist's trained eye and advanced diagnostic instruments make it possible to avoid surgery that serves no purpose.

03What is «mole mapping», really?

It is not a simple photograph. A single instrument combines two techniques — total body photography and digital dermoscopy — and the high-resolution images are then compared over time. It is precisely this sequential comparison that reveals skin cancers which would remain invisible at any single check-up. It is the tool of choice for high-risk patients.

04Are they just cosmetic blemishes, or skin diseases?

Moles, or naevi, are to all intents and purposes benign skin tumours. Melanoma, which is malignant, often looks like an ordinary mole at the outset: at precisely that stage, if recognised and removed promptly, it is easily cured.

05Do I really have to have a lot of moles removed?

Excision with histological examination remains the safest route to a definite diagnosis. Those with many moles or a high level of risk, however, end up undergoing numerous excisions that turn out — fortunately — to be benign. Advanced diagnostics — confocal microscopy and digital mapping — exists precisely to reduce the number of procedures.

06Why does a basalioma come back?

Basal cell carcinoma — also called basalioma or basal cell epithelioma — is the most common skin cancer: it appears mainly after the age of 50-60 on sun-exposed areas and is almost always curable with surgery. Sometimes it grows in an infiltrative way and escapes conventional excision with margins of a few millimetres. At other times, and not infrequently, it is not a recurrence at all but a new basalioma: these tumours do tend to be multiple.

07What is my risk of skin cancer?

Your risk is higher than average if you have very fair skin, blond or red hair, if you have been sunburnt many times — especially in adolescence — if you have already had skin cancer or if there are cases in your family.

08What are skin carcinomas?

They are the most common skin cancers. They appear as patches or raised lesions, red or pink, sometimes covered by a crust, and grow slowly over months. They mainly affect the face, hands, scalp and limbs, that is, the areas most exposed to the sun. The more aggressive forms are rare and they too, in most cases, are identified at a dermatology consultation and treated successfully.

09What can I do to prevent skin cancer?

Avoid sunburn, use sunscreen, wear a hat and sunglasses, stay out of direct sun in the middle of the day, eat a diet rich in vitamins, moisturise and care for your skin every day, and book regular dermatology check-ups, as often as the specialist recommends for your level of risk.

10Do children need mapping too?

Under the age of 12-15 it is normally the paediatrician who requests a dermatology assessment when particular conditions are present, such as congenital naevi or Spitz naevi. For everyone else, the first mapping is recommended in adolescence: it is also the moment to measure individual risk and to teach the young person about prevention.

11When should a mole be a concern? What should I look out for?

The ABCDE rule applies. Show the specialist any mole that is Asymmetrical, with Borders that are irregular, of uneven Colour, with a Diameter over 6 mm — the head of a pencil — and above all Evolving, that is, changing over time.

12Is surgery the only treatment for skin cancer?

No. When they are superficial and flat they can also be treated with the laser, with photodynamic therapy (PDT), with topical immunomodulators or with topical chemotherapy creams. The choice always follows a precise diagnostic assessment: that is what makes it possible to tailor the treatment.

13Are actinic keratoses dangerous? Are they already cancer? How are they treated?

Patients often experience them as unsightly or irritating patches. In fact, depending on the school of thought, they are either pre-cancerous lesions or superficial tumours: they usually appear in numbers, on skin heavily damaged by ultraviolet rays, and for the doctor they signal a risk of skin cancer developing, as well as a therapeutic challenge. A few lesions on otherwise healthy skin are treated locally, for example with the laser; when they are multiple, the whole affected anatomical area needs to be treated (photodynamic therapy, laser-assisted PDT, topical drugs). Lesions that resist treatment should be considered suspicious and removed surgically.

Our goal

Early diagnosis is the best treatment.

Prevention, diagnosis and treatment of dermatological conditions, for the health of skin, hair and nails.

Book your consultation

Dermatology