Trusted Dermatology Resources
Places Worth Reading About Skin
These are a small number of dependable places to keep reading about skin, hair and nails. They are general education and cannot replace care for you personally. We keep the list short on purpose, say what each source is good for, and check the links rather than publishing a long directory nobody maintains.
These are a few dependable places to keep reading about skin, hair and nails. They are general information and cannot take the place of someone looking at you. We keep the list short on purpose, say what each one is good for, and check that the links still work.
General Resources: the essentials
The short version
General education about skin, hair, nails, sun protection and common dermatologic conditions.
General reading about skin, hair, nails, sun protection and common skin problems.
Self-diagnosis, emergency care or choosing prescription treatment without clinical evaluation.
Working out what is wrong with you, dealing with an emergency, or choosing a prescription treatment without being seen.
Professional medical societies and government/public-health resources with clear authorship and review processes.
Medical bodies and government health organisations, where you can see who wrote something and who checked it.
Links are checked periodically for accuracy, broken addresses and any major change in guidance.
We check them from time to time, in case a page has moved or the advice has changed.
Which dermatology resources are worth bookmarking?
Which sites are worth bookmarking?
Favour sources that say plainly who wrote and reviewed the information, and that keep education separate from advertising.
Look for places that tell you who wrote the information and who checked it, and that are not trying to sell you anything at the same time.
| American Academy of Dermatology (AAD) | Dermatologist-reviewed information on skin, hair and nail conditions, treatments, everyday care and sun protection | Primary external patient-education source |
|---|---|---|
| MedlinePlus (U.S. National Library of Medicine) | Plain-language overviews, medical encyclopedia content and links to reliable health resources | General health/dermatology reference |
| U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) | Safety communications, approved product/device information and consumer warnings | Regulatory/safety reference |
| Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) | Public-health guidance relevant to infections, vaccines, wound/tetanus topics and prevention | Public-health reference |
| Practice-authored instructions | Condition/procedure-specific instructions that match the patient’s actual treatment plan | Highest relevance after an individual visit; must be clinician-approved |
| American Academy of Dermatology (AAD) | Information about skin, hair and nails, treatments, everyday care and sun protection, checked by skin doctors | The main place to read up on things |
|---|---|---|
| MedlinePlus, from the US National Library of Medicine | Plain-language explanations, a medical encyclopedia, and links to health information you can trust | General health and skin reference |
| US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) | Safety notices, information about approved products and machines, and warnings for the public | For rules and safety |
| Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) | Public health guidance on infections, vaccines, wounds and tetanus, and on prevention | For public health |
| Instructions written by the practice | Instructions for your condition or procedure that match the plan you were actually given | The most relevant thing after a visit. They have to be approved by a clinician. |
How can I tell whether online skin information is trustworthy?
How do I know if what I read online is trustworthy?
Look for who wrote or reviewed the information, when it was updated, what evidence supports it, and whether the page is trying to sell a product. Reliable education acknowledges uncertainty and does not promise guaranteed cures.
Look for who wrote it, who checked it, when it was last updated, what evidence sits behind it, and whether the page is trying to sell you something. Reliable information admits when something is not certain, and never promises a guaranteed cure.
- Prefer named medical organizations, government sources and clearly credentialed authors/reviewers.
- Look for a recent review/update date on guidance that changes over time.
- Be cautious with dramatic before-and-after claims, “detox” explanations or guaranteed results.
- Do not use online photos alone to diagnose a mole, rash or infection.
- Bring questions from your research to your appointment so they can be interpreted in your clinical context.
- Prefer named medical organisations, government sources, and authors whose qualifications are stated.
- Look for a recent review date, especially on advice that changes over time.
- Be wary of dramatic before and after claims, talk of detoxing, and guaranteed results.
- Never try to identify a mole, rash or infection from photos online.
- Bring what you have read to your appointment, so it can be applied to your actual situation.
Trusted dermatology education resources for skin, hair and nail health
Dependable places to read about skin, hair and nail health.
Checklist for evaluating trustworthy online dermatology information
How to tell whether skin information you find online can be trusted.
What topics should the resource library cover?
What does this list cover?
It is organised by what you are actually looking for. Each topic points first to the relevant page on this website, then to one or two trustworthy outside sources.
It is organised by what you are looking for. Each topic sends you first to the page on this website, then to one or two trustworthy outside sources.
| Acne / acne scars | /conditions/acne/ and /conditions/acne-scars/ | AAD Acne Resource Center |
|---|---|---|
| Eczema / dry skin | /dermatology/medical/eczema/ and /dermatology/medical/dry-skin/ | AAD Eczema / everyday-care resources |
| Hair loss | /conditions/hair-loss/ and /dermatology/medical/alopecia/ | AAD Hair Loss Resource Center |
| Psoriasis | Psoriasis | AAD Psoriasis Resource Center |
| Rosacea | Rosacea & Facial Redness | AAD Rosacea Resource Center |
| Skin cancer / melanoma | /dermatology/medical/skin-cancer/ and /dermatology/medical/melanoma/ | AAD Skin Cancer Resource Center / FDA where relevant |
| Acne, and acne scars | /conditions/acne/ and /conditions/acne-scars/ | AAD Acne Resource Center |
|---|---|---|
| Eczema, and dry skin | /dermatology/medical/eczema/ and /dermatology/medical/dry-skin/ | AAD eczema and everyday-care pages |
| Hair loss | /conditions/hair-loss/ and /dermatology/medical/alopecia/ | AAD Hair Loss Resource Center |
| Psoriasis | Psoriasis→ | AAD Psoriasis Resource Center |
| Rosacea | Rosacea & Facial Redness→ | AAD Rosacea Resource Center |
| Skin cancer, and melanoma | /dermatology/medical/skin-cancer/ and /dermatology/medical/melanoma/ | AAD Skin Cancer Resource Center, and the FDA where it is relevant |
When should online research stop and a clinician evaluate the problem?
When should I stop reading and get seen?
Seek professional evaluation when a skin, hair or nail problem is persistent, worsening, painful, bleeding, rapidly changing, associated with systemic symptoms, or simply uncertain. Suspicious lesions and severe reactions should not be managed by internet advice alone.
Get seen when a problem with your skin, hair or nails will not go away, is getting worse, hurts, bleeds, is changing quickly, comes with feeling unwell in yourself, or when you are simply not sure. A spot that worries you, or a severe reaction, should never be handled with internet advice alone.
- A new or changing mole/spot, especially one that bleeds or looks different from others.
- A widespread or severe rash, blistering, facial swelling or symptoms affecting breathing.
- Signs of skin infection such as rapidly increasing pain, warmth, redness, pus or fever.
- Hair loss that is sudden, patchy, scarring or accompanied by scalp inflammation.
- Any concern where treatment choices depend on diagnosis or prescription therapy.
- A mole or spot that is new or changing, especially one that bleeds or looks unlike your others.
- A rash that is widespread or severe, blistering, a swollen face, or anything affecting your breathing.
- Signs of infection: pain, warmth and redness spreading quickly, pus, or a fever.
- Hair loss that comes on suddenly, comes out in patches, leaves smooth bald skin, or comes with a sore scalp.
- Anything where the right treatment depends on knowing what it is, or needs a prescription.
Questions patients ask
Are these resources a substitute for an appointment?
Can I use these instead of an appointment?
No. They are general education. Diagnosis and treatment depend on your medical history and examination.
No. They are general information. Working out what is wrong, and what to do about it, depends on your history and on someone examining you.
Why does the website link to outside organizations?
Why link to other organisations at all?
Authoritative organizations can provide broad, regularly updated education that complements the practice’s condition and treatment pages.
Because large medical organisations keep broad, up to date information that goes further than our own pages can.
Does the practice endorse every product mentioned on an external site?
Do you endorse everything on those sites?
No. Linking to an educational source does not mean the practice endorses every product, advertisement or statement found elsewhere on that site.
No. Linking to a page for its information does not mean we endorse every product, advert or opinion elsewhere on that site.
Can I diagnose a rash from online photos?
Can I identify a rash from photos online?
No. Many conditions look similar in photographs, and image quality, skin tone, lighting and history can change interpretation.
No. Very different conditions look alike in photographs, and lighting, photo quality, skin tone and your history all change the answer.
What if two reliable websites say different things?
What if two reliable sites disagree?
Guidance can differ because evidence evolves or recommendations apply to different patients. Bring the question to your clinician for interpretation in your situation.
Advice can differ because the evidence has moved on, or because the two pages are talking about different patients. Bring the question to us and we will tell you which applies to you.
How often should this page be reviewed?
How often is this page checked?
On a regular schedule, and whenever a linked guideline, safety notice or web address changes.
Regularly, and whenever one of these organisations changes its advice or moves a page.
Talk it through with a physician first.
Every plan starts with an assessment of your skin, your anatomy and what you actually want to change.
This page is general health information, not medical advice. It cannot tell you whether a treatment is right for you. Approved uses, risks and results differ from person to person, and product labelling changes. Ask us at Dermatology and Laser Centre about your own situation, or make an appointment, and seek urgent care for any serious symptom.
