Dermatology has been around for thousands of years. As we know that sin problems were always a major concern for people of all ages and there has always been the need for research and development for skin issues, dermatology too has come a long way dealing with these problems. It is observed that the changes in the skin are instantly visible and there have been evidence that ancient cultures always invented new treatments of dealing with various skin problems. Let us look back and see a brief history of dermatology.

As far as the early history goes, it is believed that ancient Egyptians used arsenic to treat skin cancer. There were other common components such as animal oils, alabaster, sour milk and used salt among others, which were believed to improve the conditions of the human skin. In the later years, there was a special mixture invented by both Greeks and Romans that helped lighten the skin color. Interestingly, it was the same mixture that was thought of smoothening the wrinkles on the face, clean off the moles and freckles as well.

It is interesting to know that the field of dermatology was not considered to be a unique medical specialty till the nineteenth century. Although it was during the 11th century when most of the dermatology related studies and seminal work was released but it was only in the later years when the importance and distinctiveness of the field were realized. Some of the popular works of dermatology include Avicenna’s The Canon of Medicine released in the year 1052, Francesco Bianchi’s Dermatologia (1799), among others.

The modern era of dermatology is what we see today. However, there are constant researches, studies and medical developments in the field of skin care. It was during the mid-1800s when specially trained dermatologists started being a vital part of the medical field and developing various skin care treatments and repairs. The introduction of cryosurgery, which came at the end of the 19th century became the breakthrough of all times. The treatment was used to treat the cancerous skin lesions and even today this particular treatment remains one of the popular ways of treating skin cancer. Some of the other developments in dermatology are dermabrasion, chemical peels, electrosurgery, laser treatments, to name a few!