Dermatology – Here and now

Dermatology is a branch of medicine that benefits from the use of photography, to assist in diagnosis and teaching through clinical discussion of the physical signs of a disease, and thereafter, for the monitoring of the condition throughout treatment. This paper describes the development of a dedicated medical photography service in the Welsh Institute of Dermatology at the University Hospital of Wales, Cardiff and Vale NHS Trust. As a consequence, a close working relationship has developed between the dermatologists and the photographers, leading to some interesting new approaches in the use of photography to enhance patient care.