Both “aesthetic physician” and “dermatologist” are prevalent terms and are often used interchangeably. But the question is: Are they really the same? Which one should you visit for your skin concerns?
Let’s break it down in simple words.
What Is a Dermatologist?
A dermatologist is a well-qualified medical doctor who has a specialization in a range of skin, hair, and nail diseases and disorders. These specialists are trained to diagnose and treat broad-spectrum conditions, such as eczema, rosacea, rashes, persistent breakouts, suspicious moles, scarring, acne, hair loss, pigmentation, psoriasis, nail problems, and more. They are trained for both medical and surgical aspects of skin, hair, and nail care.
What Is an Aesthetic Physician?
An aesthetic physician, also known as an aesthetic medicine doctor or cosmetic physician, is trained to focus more on the cosmetic part of skin care, rather than the medical aspect. Their domain is to apply minimally invasive or non-surgical procedures (like Botox, fillers, laser therapies, body contouring, skin tightening, thread lifts, and other procedures) to enhance appearance. Their focus is often on improving looks rather than treating the underlying condition.
Aesthetic physicians may come from a medical background, or some are plastic surgeons, general practitioners, or dermatologists with additional training in cosmetic procedures.
Key Difference at a Glance
| Criteria | Dermatologist | Aesthetic Physician |
| Training | Skin diseasePathologySurgery | Cosmetic proceduresAppearance enhancement |
| Approach | Medical diagnosisTreatment | Cosmetic interventions: Non-surgicalMinimally invasive |
| Scope | Medical Surgical | AppearanceRejuvenation |
| When to visit | Skin problemsSuspicious lesions | Want to: Reduce wrinklesTighten skinEnhance glow |
Who Should You Visit and When?
Dermatologist
If you have any medical concerns related to skin, hair, and nails, like severe acne, eczema, actinic keratosis, scarring, pigmentation, suspicious moles, or hair loss, you should look for a dermatologist. These experts combine medical and cosmetic care.
Aesthetic Physician
If your skin is mostly healthy but you want to restore volume, fine-tune appearance, tighten, and resurface through minimally invasive and non-surgical approaches, consulting an aesthetic physician is your go-to choice.
Wrapping it up!
Instead of seeing these as different roles, think of dermatologists and aesthetic physicians as complementary. When both expertise combine, you can expect better results both medically and cosmetically. At ISAAC Luxe, we house internationally-renowned skin experts who blend dermatology and aesthetic science to offer you the best possible treatment for your skin, nail, or hair concern.