Dr. Kiran Sethi, MD

Dermatology is the study of medicine that deals with your skin, hair and nails. It refers to the branch of science that relates to the concerns and conditions that may arise in regards to the aforementioned aspects of your body.

These concerns could be hereditary, start to show due to age or external factors such as your lifestyle, diet and possibly even if you’re not using the right products or not using enough.

To qualify as a dermatologist in India, one must have completed 12 years of education and have a high school diploma, and then gone on to pursue a MBBS degree which stands for Medicinae Baccalaureus Baccalaureus Chirurgiae in Latin. Translated in English, this means Bachelor of Medicine, Bachelor of Science.

The doctor should then complete a masters program in dermatology as the minimum qualification to certify as a dermatologist.

In America, you complete 12 years and get a high school diploma, then do a four year bachelor’s degree and then go on to get your MD after another 4 years, following which you do your residency training for specialisation and then Board certification.

Qualifications

Dr Kiran Sethi received her Bachelor of Arts degree majoring in Pre-Med and Economics from Columbia University in New York.

She then went on to get her Doctor of Medicine from SUNY Downstate Medical Centre. Dr Sethi has a diploma in Cosmetic Science and Formulation and has a Masters degree and Diplomate in Dermatology.

She is further double American board certified in Aesthetic Medicine and Dermatological Lasers from the American Board.

She is also a member of the following: 

1. American Medical Association
2. American College of Physicians
3. American Society of Dermatology
4. American Society of Laser Medicine and Surgery
5. European Society of Cosmetic and Aesthetic Dermatology
6. International Academy of Cosmetic Dermatology 
7. Indian Association of Dermatologists, Venereologists and Leprologists (IADVL) among others

Dr. Kiran Sethi is one of few expert physicians worldwide with both cosmetic formulation and dermatology degrees.

While all dermatologists are trained in medical and aesthetic dermatology, a medical dermatologist is one who specialises in treating your skin and hair concerns from a curing and healing perspective as opposed to an aesthetic one.

A doctor who considers themselves to be a specialist in medical dermatology is one who focuses on treating your concerns from a medicinal standpoint. For example, if you’re dealing with chronic acne that needs healing, reach out to a medical dermatologist and then consider seeing an aesthetic one.

Of course, the best case scenario is to consult with a dermatologist who has enough experience from a medical and aesthetic perspective so they can heal and correct your skin all at once—undoubtedly one of the best in the business and can provide you with both forms of care.

The most common skin and hair concerns that require a medical dermatologist to treat them include acne, dryness, sensitivity, rosacea, eczema, psoriasis, hives, hairfall and hair breakage amongst others.

If you’re suffering from either of these concerns, it’s best to reach out to a medical dermatologist to set you on the right course of medication. You can always sign up for aesthetic treatments once your skin starts to heal to ensure good skin days ahead.

While dermatology as a science focuses on healing your skin and hair, aesthetic dermatology is an arm of the science that emphasises on improving your appearance in regards to both. It includes injectables, lasers, facials, peels, essentially all treatments meant to improve the way your skin and hair looks.

Aesthetic or  cosmetic dermatology works to heal skin and hair concerns in a way that they appear healthier, even going as far as boosting self-confidence of patients who have been unhappy with the way they look.

Aesthetic dermatology deals with issues that have more to do with aesthetics as opposed to medical concerns, as the name suggests.

This includes aesthetic concerns such as thinning of hair, sagging skin, droopy or puffy eyes, dark circles, pigmentation, thin lips or a nose that needs restructuring, a jawline that doesn’t suit your face, fine lines and wrinkles, dullness or an uneven skin tone.

Dr. Kiran’s expertise

Dr Kiran Sethi is an expert in aesthetics and skin because she has been certified by the American Board in Aesthetic Medicine. She has also been certified by the American board of Laser Surgery with an additional qualification in cosmetic lasers.

This has been her course of study and dedication for over 10 years. She got her MD in 2008 and has been practicing ever since, for 13 years now. She’s worked with all forms of lasers, BOTOX, fillers, threads and also trained other doctors to successfully administer each of these procedures.

She’s also been a faculty member for multiple courses pertaining to aesthetics has been on countless panels.

Why Dr. Kiran?

Dr Sethi has studied in an American education system in New York which emphasises on educating the patient, following a certain protocol to choose the procedures that have shown the best results, being aware about the latest technologies and techniques out there and also about preventing harm.

Her responsibility is to provide results while minimising side effects. The American system is about targeting what you’re treating, treating it the best you can, all while avoiding risks.

It’s a very holistic and long term approach that considers the benefit of each treatment and treats you keeping in mind what you need on the whole as opposed to just what your skin needs.

Simply put, when your skin concerns have more to do with aesthetic requirements such as anti-aging concerns, youngering of skin, reconstruction or alterations to certain parts of your face, you should see an aesthetic dermatologist.

An aesthetic dermatologist is trained to treat your skin while keeping your entire face in mind; they evaluate the result of each procedure from an aesthetic point of view to ensure minimum bruising and downtime while also elevating your features to look their aesthetic best.

Paediatric dermatology is the branch of dermatology that deals with skin concerns in infants and young children. While some children may be born with certain genetic skin issues, others may deal with temporary issues that crop up as they grow and require treatment for the same.

Some of the most common skin concerns include eczema (atopic dermatitis), seborrheic dermatitis (a common skin issue pertaining to dry, flaky skin that tends to persist for a year after birth), heat rashes, pigmentation, milia, neonatal acne and diaper rashes.

The primary difference between a dermatologist/aesthetic specialist and a general physician is that of their education and their practical experience.

While both are required to get an MBBS degree to qualify as doctors, a certified dermatologist or aesthetic specialist is required to put in the work to additionally study about skin and specialise in it to qualify as a dermatologist and/or skin expert.

Yes, you can speak to your general physician about a skin concern while you’re at your appointment, but their knowledge and expertise in treating the concern will be very limited—they will also most likely direct you to a dermatologist themselves!

Also, a dermatologist will naturally have a lot more years of practical experience in treating skin and hair concerns as opposed to a general physician, which is what makes them the better candidate to reach out to in this scenario.

It’s always best to see an expert in the field you’re most concerned with and when skin, hair and nails are in question, a dermatologist should be your go-to.