Skin is our skill. It’s what we do and it’s been the sole focus of all of our training.  If it involves the care of your skin it falls within the dermatologist’s area of specific expertise.

In fact, historically, dermatologic surgeons have been the pioneers and leaders in the field of aesthetic medicine.   It may surprise you to know that the science of many of the cosmetic surgery procedures performed today were either originated or enhanced by dermatologic surgeons. For example, dermatologists invented laser surgery for birthmarks, liposuction using local anesthesia, Cool Sculpting®, hair transplantation, the use of many filler substances, most chemical peeling treatments, botulinum toxin type A therapy, laser hair removal, laser resurfacing for wrinkles, many leg vein treatments, and more.

Your safety is always our first concern. Nowadays it is increasingly difficult to draw a line between purely cosmetic services and those best done under medical supervision. Elsewhere, skin health and rejuvenation treatments are often administered in the absence of a physician, or by providers with no  in-depth knowledge of the skin. This is never the case at DVDG.  A board-certified dermatologist -- the most knowledgeable physician when it comes to your skin -- has personally trained all of our providers and is virtually always just steps away from your treatment room.  Dr. Saruk is a Clinical Professor of Dermatology at the University of Pennsylvania and on the premises five days a week.

At DVDG  we have a practice philosophy  -- an approach to patient management -- that we call Continuum of Care™. We think that some of the distinctions between cosmetic and medical concerns are artificially created and that that division can lead to problems.  Whoever you are seeing for your aesthetic skincare concerns should be able to identify and properly treat any medical conditions underlying the symptomatology that is viewed as a cosmetically undesirable.  Healthy skin and good looking skin are on the same continuum -- and can sometimes be one and the same.  Rosacea is both cosmetic and medical. Acne is both, as well.  Warts are clearly unattractive, but can  be serious and debilitating depending on their location.  And there is always the possibility that what presents as a cosmetic problem is actually something that requires medical care. The skin is a window onto internal health.

One thing of particular concern is the possibility that a non-dermatology provider might inadvertently alter the appearance of a cancerous (or otherwise, medically significant) lesion by the misapplication of cosmetic treatments -- and, in doing so, make the lesion harder to spot and diagnose.  When you get your services with dermatology providers you establish a relationship with someone who is monitoring your skin in the context of your overall well-being.  For this reason, all of our providers are well-versed in  both general and cosmetic dermatology.  In our practice you will never receive care from anyone whose orientation is exclusively cosmetic.

Read more: Who's most qualified to perform your cosmetic procedures?