Dermatologist, aesthetic doctor or medical spa: who to see for your skin in Dubai

Dermatologist vs skin specialist or skin doctor: what's the difference?

A dermatologist is a medical doctor who specialises in the skin, hair and nails. The American Academy of Dermatology describes the work as diagnosing and treating more than 3,000 conditions, from rashes, eczema and psoriasis to melanoma, a skin cancer, as well as cosmetic concerns, in people of all ages, newborns included. The training is long: in the United States, four years of medical school are followed by three years of residency in dermatology.

“Skin specialist” and “skin doctor” are everyday words, not titles: they can describe a dermatologist or someone who isn't one. In Dubai, the title that counts is the one on the practitioner's licence. The Dubai Health Authority's standard for non-surgical cosmetic procedures tells professionals not to use any title that differs from their DHA licence, and names examples such as “aesthetic specialist”, “cosmetic consultant” and “beauty expert”. So if you want a dermatologist, check that the licence says dermatology: search the practitioner's name in the Dubai Health Authority's Dubai Medical Registry, on its Sheryan website.

Aesthetic doctor vs dermatologist: who does anti-wrinkle injections and microneedling?

“Aesthetic doctor” is how people describe a physician whose work is how the face and skin look. Dubai's standard calls the field non-surgical cosmetic procedures: elective treatments, non-invasive or minimally invasive, focused on appearance. Dermatologists and plastic surgeons need no additional training for it. Other doctors need recognised in-person training, at least half of it hands-on, and a general practitioner also needs a year of mentorship under a dermatologist or plastic surgeon after it.

The standard classes cosmetic botulinum toxin (anti-wrinkle injections) and fillers as prescription-only medicines, to be given only by a trained, licensed physician with privileges for them, and not to anyone under 18; nurses, beauty therapists and massage therapists may not give them. So the person who does your anti-wrinkle injections doesn't have to be a dermatologist, but does have to be a doctor. Microneedling deeper than 0.5 mm is for doctors too; shallower microneedling may be done by a trained nurse or beauty therapist, though not in a salon.

Lasers, light and other energy devices, radiofrequency among them, are used by licensed professionals working to the treating physician's written plan. At CREAMÉ, anti-wrinkle injections and fillers are with Dr. Olga Ibrakova and Dr. Daria Banina, both physicians, and so is Sylfirm X radiofrequency microneedling; Dr. Svetlana Tagaeva, our Medical Director, leads the clinic's medical work.

Aesthetic, skin, beauty or cosmetology clinic: what the names mean

These are names, and none of them tells you on its own who will treat you or what they may do; in Dubai, the licence does. Non-surgical cosmetic procedures belong in DHA-licensed health facilities, from hospitals and day surgery centres to outpatient clinics, and each facility may offer only the procedures its licence covers.

An aesthetic clinic, whether it calls itself a skin clinic, a medical aesthetic clinic or a beauty clinic, is built around appearance; a rash or a changing mole belongs with a dermatologist instead.

At CREAMÉ the names map onto three layers in one villa: the Aesthetic Clinic, our medical layer of injectables and laser and energy treatments; Cosmetology, facials and skin care such as the HydraFacial, Dermadrop and Heleo4 LED; and Wellness, recovery and body care.

Medical spa vs aesthetic clinic: what a spa or salon may do in Dubai

“Medical spa” is a name too. The 2022 version of Dubai's standard lets beauty and massage therapists do a limited list of treatments in a salon or other non-clinical setting without a healthcare professional supervising them: for a beauty therapist, these include blackhead extraction, superficial peels, microdermabrasion and a HydraFacial. Laser hair removal, IPL and microneedling are not among the treatments they may do there, and no injection is on a beauty therapist's list.

So a spa or salon offering anti-wrinkle injections, fillers or medical lasers is offering medical treatment, which belongs in a DHA-licensed health facility under licensed doctors, whatever the sign says. Before you book anything with a needle or a laser, ask who will do it, what their licence says, and whether the place is a DHA-licensed health facility.

Skin clinic vs dermatologist: moles, rashes, acne and dark spots on the face

• A mole or spot that is new, unlike your others, or changing in size, shape or colour, itching or bleeding. These can be warning signs of melanoma, a skin cancer, and the American Academy of Dermatology advises having them checked by a dermatologist.
• A rash, eczema or psoriasis, or a red rash with joint pain, fever or unusual tiredness.
• Acne with deep, painful lumps (nodules or cysts), or acne that is scarring, leaving dark marks that persist, not improving after two completed courses of treatment, or getting you down. The UK's acne guideline advises referring, or considering referral, to a team led by a consultant dermatologist in these cases, and they usually need prescription treatment.
• A dark spot on your face that is new, changing or unexplained. Sun spots and melasma are treated in aesthetic clinics too, but a doctor looks before any light or laser, and anything suspicious is checked medically first.

In each of these, see a dermatologist, or a doctor who can refer you to one, before any cosmetic treatment.

An aesthetic or skin clinic is a sensible first stop when the question is how your skin looks and nothing needs diagnosing: lines, lost volume, sun spots and melasma that have been looked at, redness, texture, firmness, unwanted hair. A good one still examines before it treats: Dubai's standard expects practitioners to know the limits of their own scope, and to recognise when a treatment is not in your interest.

Hair loss in men and women: a dermatologist or a hair specialist (trichologist)?

Start with what the loss looks like. Gradual thinning at the temples, the crown or the parting, or shedding a few months after an illness, a birth or a stressful time, is common, and an assessment of the scalp and hair is a sensible first step. Hair that falls out suddenly or in patches, a scalp that is painful, red or scaly, or smooth, shiny skin where the hair has gone needs a doctor promptly, as does a child losing hair. Scarring conditions are rare, but hair lost to them does not regrow, and a review for family doctors advises that scarring hair loss is assessed by a dermatologist.

“Trichologist” on its own doesn't tell you whether someone is a medical doctor, so whoever you see, check what their licence says. At CREAMÉ, the trichology assessment is with Dr. Olga Seredina, a doctor in trichology and cosmetology, for men and women alike: your history, the pattern of loss, and the scalp and hair examined under magnification, with blood tests such as iron or thyroid function suggested when they would help. If what we see points to a condition that needs a dermatologist, we tell you plainly.

Acne and stretch marks in pregnancy: when to see a dermatologist

In pregnancy, tell any doctor who treats your skin that you are pregnant or planning to be. Several standard acne medicines are not used then: the UK's acne guideline says topical retinoids and oral tetracyclines, a group of antibiotics, are not for use in pregnancy or when planning one, and that isotretinoin can seriously harm a developing baby. So acne in pregnancy is a question for a doctor, and for a dermatologist when it is deep or scarring. Stretch marks are very common in pregnancy; check with your doctor before using any cream on them, as some contain retinol, which can harm a baby. At CREAMÉ, anti-wrinkle injections, fillers and our device treatments, from lasers to the HydraFacial, wait until after pregnancy and breastfeeding.

CREAMÉ in Jumeirah 1: what we see you for, and when a dermatologist comes first

We are a doctor-led aesthetic clinic, cosmetology and wellness villa at 350 Al Wasl Road, Jumeirah 1. Our doctors don't practise dermatology, so if any of the reasons above applies, see a dermatologist first: we would rather say so than treat around a question that needs a diagnosis.

We see you when your concern is how your skin, face or body looks or feels: lines and lost volume, pigmentation, redness, acne scars and texture, sagging, dull skin, unwanted hair, and acne care alongside any medical treatment. Clinic treatments start with a doctor's assessment, and if something needs a dermatologist or another specialist, we tell you plainly and fit our part around the medical plan. Thinning hair starts with Dr. Olga Seredina's trichology assessment; leg veins, with Dr. Marat Takoev.

We don't publish prices: the cost depends on the treatment, the area and the number of sessions, and is set at the consultation, so you know the full plan and cost before you start.

How to choose a good dermatologist or aesthetic doctor in Dubai

• Check the licence: the name, title and specialty on it should match what you are told.
• Expect a face-to-face consultation before any cosmetic procedure. Dubai's standard does not accept a remote consultation or a home visit as that assessment.
• Expect written information on the procedure, its risks, its cost and possible complications, and written consent, confirmed again on the day.
• Ask who will treat you, and whether the same person will be there for your follow-up.
• Notice whether they ever say no. A doctor who explains when a treatment isn't in your interest, or sends you elsewhere, is doing what Dubai's standard asks.

Our guide to choosing an aesthetic clinic in Dubai covers the questions worth asking at that first consultation.