Dermatology Overview

Our department's clinicians have one overarching goal: helping patients enjoy their everyday activities while minimizing or eliminating their symptoms. Referring clinicians also consult us to clarify challenging diagnoses.

Our specialist outpatient clinic (SOC) was first created to cater to discharged patients who required follow up. It was subsequently opened up to referrals from the Outram Polyclinic, Singhealth Polyclinics and General Practitioners (GPs). We provide a wide range of consultation and treatments for common skin conditions such as atopic dermatitis, acne, psoriasis, urticaria, fungal, viral and bacterial skin infection, benign and malignant growths of the skin. Electrosurgery, biopsy, excision and carbon dioxide lasers are performed in either of our two procedure rooms. We have a narrow band UVB machine in one of our consultation rooms to treat psoriasis and atopic dermatitis. Cryotherapy treatment is also available to treat viral warts, benign and malignant growths of the skin. For patients with allergic contact dermatitis, skin patch tests are available.

Immunobullous diseases and psoriasis are two skin diseases that required long-term follow up and treatment with immunosuppressive drugs. We have set up two sub-specialty clinics, namely an Immunobullous Disease Clinic and a Psoriasis Clinic for these patients. 

In addition, NBUVB Phototherapy, Standard Patch Test, Cyrotherapy, Electrocautery, Skin Surgery and Laser Surgery are available.

Our unit works with other departments to co-organise seminars for the continuing education and development of our GPs, nursing and pharmacy colleagues.  These seminars are highly subscribed to and are platforms for dialogue among the different professions.  Last year, we launched a Psoriasis Forum which allowed interaction between patients, their relatives and our team of doctors and specialty nurses.  Through such platforms, we are better able to understand the needs and concerns of patients with psoriasis and that of their relatives.

We are an accredited training centre for dermatologists and we train medical officers in Basic Specialist Training and registrars in Advanced Specialist Training.  SingHealth Family Physician trainees who have rotated to our Unit to familiarise themselves with dermatological conditions have found the attachment very helpful in their daily practice.  Both local and overseas medical students have also come to our Unit for their electives. 

Trainees and dermatologists find hospital dermatology challenging and the working conditions harsher in comparison to counterparts in ambulatory dermatology, which is seen in a clinic setting. Hence, it has been a great challenge to attract and retain staff in hospital dermatology in SGH. We aspire to eventually develop the unit into a full department and teaching centre for hospital dermatology in Singapore and the region.