Dermatological History and Examination

The 2017 document highlights the critical role of a thorough dermatological history and examination in diagnosing and managing skin diseases, which can significantly affect quality of life. It outlines the importance for primary care physicians to effectively manage common skin conditions and identify when specialist referral is necessary. The document details the need to gather comprehensive patient history, including the onset and duration of skin lesions, distribution, associated symptoms, family and general medical history, and medication use. It also describes the examination process, which should cover the entire skin, mucosae, scalp, and nails, and utilize diagnostic methods such as swabs, skin scrapings, dermatoscopy, allergy testing, and skin biopsy. Additionally, the document addresses hair and nail disorders, mentioning specific conditions like aplasia cutis, androgenic alopecia, telogen effluvium, and hirsutism, along with their potential causes and diagnostic tools, including hair analysis and quality-of-life measures like the DLQI.