There are three main bases of a dermatologist’s examination:

• Obtaining information about the development of the skin disease and any other circumstances that may be related to it,
• examining the skin and
• laboratory tests.

Based on these, the dermatologist can make a diagnosis of your disease, suggest therapy, or further diagnostic tests. The dermatologist will ask you about your current and past illnesses, illnesses in your family and your current well-being. The following step is a skin examination, with a focus on specific areas of the body, skin lesions, their shape, number and location.

Sometimes additional tests are needed to confirm the so-called working diagnosis, which most often include laboratory blood tests, Wood’s lamp examination, dermoscopy, allergy tests (blood, prick and patch tests), swabs of skin lesions to determine the type of bacteria and fungi, and histological examination of a skin sample.

• The dermatologist will ask you questions about your skin disease and your skin-related concerns, past medical conditions that may be related to your skin disease and the time course of your skin disease.
• make a clinical examination of the areas of your skin that are of concern to you,
• explain the diagnosis (or give a working diagnosis) in a meaningful way,
• recommend any investigations needed to investigate the disease or confirm the diagnosis,
• explain possible therapies and medications.

 Confide in the dermatologist the true and accurate course of your skin. lesion or disease.

• When was the onset?
• Which part of the body did the disease/change first appear on?
• What was the first thing I was treated with? With medicines or medical devices from the pharmacy? Were these your own or someone else’s?
• Is there any circumstance that causes your skin disease to improve or worsen?
• Does your skin itch or hurt?
• Does itching/pain wake you up at night?
• Have you had similar problems in the past?
• What have you been treated with? Has the condition improved after treatment?
• Do any of your family members have similar problems?

2. Bring along a list or an instruction leaflet of any prescribed medicines or over-the-counter medicines you have bought. 

Give your dermatologist the following information:

• Which medicines do you take regularly?
• Which medicines do you take occasionally?
• Do you have a known allergy to medicines? What happened when you took a medicine you are allergic to?
• Do you have other known allergies (e.g. to pollen, food, contact eczema)?
• What happens when you come into contact with these allergens?