dermatologist

American  

[dur-muh-tol-uh-jist] / ˌdɜr məˈtɒl ə dʒɪst /

noun

• dermatologists
  plural

1. a specialist in dermatology, especially a doctor who specializes in the treatment of diseases of the skin.

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Other Word Forms

Noun Inflected Forms

• dermatologists
  plural

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Etymology

Origin of dermatologist

First recorded in 1860–65; dermatolog(y) + -ist

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Explanation

The person who examines your moles, acne, and other skin problems is called a dermatologist. Once visited mainly for acne problems, dermatologists have become more important, as skin problems have grown more common with our increased exposure to the sun. You know that an "-logy" at the end of a word means "study" and that "-logist" means "one who studies. In the noun dermatologist, the object being studied is the derma, the Greek word for "skin." (The Greeks also used it to refer to "leather" or "hide," which still works for diehard sun worshipers. And think of elephants being called "pachyderms," with their "thick skin.") Dermatology and dermatologist both appeared in English in the 19th century.

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

dermatologist dermatologists

Pimples come and go, but if breakouts stick around and cause discoloration or changes in skin texture, it’s a good idea to see a dermatologist.

From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 13, 2026

For consultant dermatologist Dr Jonathan Kentley, the most concerning influence social media is having is the "relentless images of unrealistic beauty standards".

From BBC ● Sep. 21, 2026

As she crossed the border, Anna Klymenko, a dermatologist in Kyiv, saw the locomotive that Russia had destroyed the day before.

From Barron's ● Sep. 14, 2026

“This is an individual-level based vaccination for somebody’s individual tumor,” said Michael Christopher, a dermatologist in Tucson, Ariz., who specializes in early detection of skin cancer.

From MarketWatch ● Aug. 20, 2026

She was a dermatologist, midfifties, trim except for a potbelly.

From "Genuine Fraud" by E. Lockhart

Some dermatologists recommend birth control, which can help stabilize hormones, or treatments such as spironolactone.

From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 13, 2026

For more serious scarring, dermatologists can recommend more aggressive treatments such as lasers that probe deeper into the skin.

From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 13, 2026

If you’re heading outside, dermatologists recommend applying sunscreen in addition to SPF cosmetics.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 3, 2026

A new term has been coined by dermatologists and academics: cosmeticorexia, which they define as having an unhealthy obsession with achieving "flawless" skin from a young age, leading to an obsessive use of cosmetic products.

From BBC ● Jun. 6, 2026

They visit plastic surgeons and dermatologists for costly and frequent cosmetic procedures.

From "Class Matters" by The New York Times

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