Dermatology in Mexico City

Dermatology is a branch of medicine that focuses on health issues affecting the skin, nails, hair, and mucous membrane. It is a specialty with both surgical and medical aspects. A dermatologist can address cosmetic issues, which can help to rejuvenate the appearance of the skin, nails, and hair. Being a dermatologist requires a great depth of clinical knowledge, including the variety of internal health problems that may cause skin symptoms. Dermatologists can treat over 3,000 conditions. Some of the most common are acne, dermatitis and eczema, hair loss, nail problems, fungal infections, warts, vitiligo, and skin cancer.

Dermatology has a number of departments and specialties, including:

• Cosmetic Dermatology – dermatologists have been the leaders in cosmetic surgery. Many dermatologists are trained on the use of fillers, botulinum toxin, and laser surgery. Some dermatologists also perform blepharoplasty, liposuction, and facelifts. However, most dermatologists limit their cosmetic practice to minimally invasive procedures.
• Dermatopathology – this field is a joint specialty of dermatology and pathology. It focuses on the study of cutaneous diseases at molecular and microscopic levels. Dermatopathology can make a definitive diagnosis of various skin diseases, including melanoma.
• Trichology – this is the study of the hair and the scalp. This field of dermatology deals with diseases such as hair loss, scalp changes, hypertrichosis, and hair abnormalities.
• Immunodermatology – this filed specializes in immune-mediated skin diseases, such as bullous pemphigoid and lupus.
• Pediatric Dermatology – pediatric dermatologist specializes in the diagnosis and treatment of skin diseases in children, which include newborns and infants.

What does the Procedure Involve?

A range of medical and cosmetic procedures are used to manage issues affecting the skin, nails, and hair. Many skin conditions can be treated by medications and noninvasive procedures, while others may require more invasive approaches. The following are several dermatologic procedures:

• Cosmetic injections – cosmetic injections can temporarily address scarring, wrinkles, and reduced facial fullness. A dermatologist can inject botulinum toxic (Botox) or fillers, such as fat and collagen. The results may last for a few months before you need another injection.
• Chemical peels – this procedure is used to treat some types of acne, as well as sun-damaged skin. It can also treat other cosmetic complaints, such as lines under the eyes and age spots. During chemical peels, a chemical solution is applied to the skin. This chemical solution causes a layer of skin to peel off, revealing regenerated skin beneath it that is typically a lot smoother.
• Dermabrasion – this type of procedure uses a high-speed rotating brush to remove the top layer of the skin, which can help reduce the appearance of fine wrinkles and tattoos, scar tissue, and potentially precancerous areas of the skin.
• Cryotherapy – cryotherapy involves freezing skin lesions, usually with liquid nitrogen, to destroy the affected cells. It can be a quick treatment for a number of benign skin issues, such as warts.
• Hair removal or restoration – various methods can be used to address hair loss, such as hair transplants. On the other hand, dermatologists can use lasers to remove unwanted hair from the body.
• Excision of lesions – skin lesions may be cut away to prevent a disease from spreading, to improve symptoms, for cosmetic reasons, or to prevent reoccurring infection. Excision of lesions may be done under a local or general anesthetic.
• Laser surgery –can be used to treat a number of cosmetic problems or skin issues, such as warts, tumors, moles, scars, birthmarks, wrinkles, and unwanted tattoos.
• Tumescent liposuction – this procedure is used by dermatologists to remove fat. Large volumes of local anesthetic are injected into fatty tissue, then it is sucked from the body. Note that tumescent liposuction is performed to contour the body, not to treat obesity.
• Vein procedures – people with superficial leg veins, called spider veins, may want them removed. Several procedures can be done to remove them, but sclerotherapy is the most popular treatment. It involves injecting a special solution or a foam into the vein. The special solution and foam irritate the lining, causing the vein to become less noticeable or, in some cases, disappear completely.
• Skin grafts and flaps – missing skin can be restored using skin from other areas on the body. Dermatologists can also repair skin loss by making a flap of skin from a nearby area of the body. The flap of skin is then used to cover the damaged patch.
• Biopsies – a skin biopsy is usually needed to diagnose or rule out certain conditions.
• Mohs surgery – this procedure is a treatment for skin cancer. It involves removing layers of skin in order to get rid of cancerous cells. The removed skin layers are then examined under a microscope. Then, successive layers are removed until there are no more cancerous cells found in the skin.
• PUVA – Psoralen combined with ultraviolet radiation (PUVA) is a procedure to treat several skin diseases, such as vitiligo, dermatitis, and psoriasis. Psoralen is a drug that can make the skin more sensitive to radiation treatment.

How Long Should I Stay in Mexico City?

Depending on the type of procedure you have, you may be able to leave the hospital on the same day or stay for several days. For noninvasive treatments, such as chemical peels and cosmetic injections, you should be able to leave the hospital on the same day and fly home within a couple of days. For invasive procedures, particularly to treat serious medical conditions, such as cancer, you may need to stay in the hospital for several days, and stay in Mexico City for at least 10 to 14 days. Your surgeon and/or medical travel team will advise you on this matter.

What's the Recovery Time?

Recovery time will vary depending on the type of procedure you have, the reason why you have the procedure in the first place, and your general health. Your dermatologist will usually give you a detailed recovery timeline for each procedure. In general, recovery time for nonsurgical procedures is typically short and you should be able to resume your normal routine within a few days. For surgical procedures, it may take several weeks until you are allowed to return to your full daily activities.

What About Aftercare?

Your dermatologist will give you a set of instructions to care for yourself during the recovery period. The instructions will be different for each type of procedures, but they may include a diet plan, light exercises to follow, how to care for your surgical wounds or affected area, activities you can or cannot do, signs of complications to be aware of, and medication to take. It is important that you follow your dermatologist’s instructions closely in order to avoid complications and to obtain the best possible results.

Some cosmetic procedures may not be permanent, such as dermal fillers and Botox, so you will need to have regular treatments in order to maintain the results. For skin cancer treatment, you may need to attend follow-up checkups to ensure that cancer has not come back.

What's the Success Rate?

Experienced and skilled dermatologists will be able to deliver a high success rate and satisfactory results. However, every type of procedure carries some risk, which may include infection, swelling, bleeding, adverse reaction to anesthesia, and unsatisfactory results.

Are there Alternatives to Dermatology?

If you have any problems with your skin, going to a dermatologist is the only way to treat it. However, if the skin problem is caused by an underlying condition, your doctor or dermatologist will recommend you to see relevant doctors to treat it.

What Should You Expect Before and After the Procedure?

Before seeing a dermatologist, you may have a problem with your skin. You may not like the wrinkles on your face, or you may have a lesion that needs to be removed. After receiving treatment from a dermatologist, your skin problems should be addressed. You may be able to achieve your dream appearance, any disease you had before may be treated.

Dermatology in and around Mexico City

About Mexico City

Mexico City is the capital of Mexico and is the largest and populated city with a population of around 9 million, whereas the greater metropolitan area has around 21.2 million.

Mexico City is not only the political, administrative, and financial center of Mexico but also a major center for medical tourism within the country. It is a popular destination for affordable and quality medical care for many US and Canadian citizens and recently has started to attract Europeans and some Asian medical.

The City offers health care facilities and procedures at international standards and at a fraction of the cost when compared to the US and other countries. According to the Ministry of Health in Mexico, the competitive cost of medical care in the country allows an average saving of about 50% to 70% in various treatments and surgical procedures, and with the added benefit of small waiting times.

Mexico City offers state-of-the-art medical care in Cosmetic and Plastic Surgery, Cardiology, Orthopaedic, fertility treatments, and dental procedures. It has many famous hospitals with well-trained and board-certified doctors, and advanced medical equipment. Medica Sur, Hospital Espagnol, and Hospital Angeles, Dentalia Mexico City, and Ortopedia DF are some renowned hospitals and clinics in Mexico City. They have private rooms with all modern facilities and offer high standards of nursing care and the hospital staff all speak good English, which makes communication very easy.

Popular Areas in Mexico City

The City is located in the valley of Mexico and is surrounded by Mountains and two stunning snow-covered volcanoes, Popocatepetl and Iztaccihuatl tower above it. Though the city is very large, most of the popular attractions are in the historic city center, ‘Centro Historico de la Ciudad’. This is a 5.8 square mile UNESCO World Heritage site that has more than 14,000 important structures from the 16th to 19th Century.

Some important landmarks to visit in Mexico City are –

• Zocalo – The Constitution Square is right at the heart of the city. It measures around 240 meters in each direction and is the largest square in the world. The three major tourist attractions, the National Palace, the Metropolitan Cathedral, and the Templo Mayor dominate this area.
• The National Palace –is the official seat of power of the President and is situated on the east side of the Zocalo, The combination of history, beautiful architecture, and the best Diego Rivera murals in Mexico City make it a must-visit destination.
• Mexico City Metropolitan Cathedral – Made out of basalt and grey sandstone, this structure rests on top of the old Aztec temple precinct. It is one of the oldest and largest churches in the western hemisphere. Its prominent features are the bell towers and the statues of Faith, Hope, and Charity on the Clock Tower.
• Templo Mayor – It comprises the remains of the Great Temple of Tenochtitlan (of the Aztec period). It includes the finely sculpted circular disc which is more than three meters in diameter and weighs eight-and-a-half tons.
• The National Museum of Anthropology – One of the famous museums in the world and is in Chapultepec Park. It is very prominent due to the large monolithic figure at its entrance. It has a vast and impressive collection of archaeological discoveries and information about the life of the contemporary Indian inhabitants of Mexico.

The Palace of Fine Arts, Chapultepec Park, National History Museum, and Paseo de la Reforma and the Angel of Independence are other important landmarks of the city.

Weather and Climate in Mexico City

Mexico City has a subtropical climate because of its location in the high plateaus. It experiences mild and pleasant weather throughout the year. Summers are warm and winters are mild. The annual average temperature is 64°F. The temperature does not vary much throughout the year but the warmest month is May and the coldest is January. The average maximum temperature in summer is 77°F and the average winter temperature is 45°F.

The average annual rainfall of Mexico City is high at 33.31 inches (846.0 mm). June to September is the rainy season, with July being the wettest month. During the summer, there can be a few spells of rain.

The City has dry periods from January to April and November to December. February is the driest month of the year.

Getting Around in Mexico City

You can reach Mexico City by flying into Mexico International Airport which is known as Benito Juarez International Airport. It is the busiest airport in Mexico and serves many airlines. The major Mexican airlines Aeromexico and Aeromexico Connect operate flights to many Latin American cities and domestic and international destinations from this airport. Many American Carriers also have direct flights to Mexico City. Domestic carriers like Interjet and Volaris also operate out of the airport, connecting Mexico City to other domestic cities. The other airport in the city, Licenciado Adolfo Lopez Mateos International Airport (TLC) services low-cost domestic airlines.

There are many bus operators that offer bus service from US cities to Mexico City. The City also offers a well-planned transportation system to get around in which is the metro system, the downtown rail, light rail, normal buses, BRT (bus rapid transport), minibusses, and trolleybuses. Public transportation is very cost-effective and efficient, but can also be very crowded.

If you don’t want to travel by public transport, then you can choose Uber and other private taxi services. They are a bit more expensive but are stress-free.   

Tourist Visas in Mexico City

Foreign Nationals wanting to enter Mexico must get a visa in advance unless they belong to any of the 67 eligible visa-exempt countries like the United States, UK, Canada, and Australia, or one of the three Electronic Authorization System eligible countries. Mexico also offers visa exemption to the people of any nationality who have a valid visa from the US, UK, Canada. They can travel to Mexico with their valid passports and can stay for up to 180 days.

However, citizens of countries like India, Russia, China, Sri Lanka, and many other countries need to apply and get a visa in advance to travel to Mexico for tourism.

Additional Information

• The currency used in Mexico City is the national currency of Mexico, the Mexican Peso (MXN). You can exchange your national currency for Pesos at any of the banks, or at Foreign Exchange Bureaus. The currency value of one US dollar is 18.84 MXN. You can also use your debit, credit, and travel cards in the city.
• Mexico City has all the major national and international banks. In such a large city, there are no shortages of ATMs.
• Spanish is the language widely spoken in Mexico City. Nahuatl, Otomi, Mixtec, Zapotec, and Mazahuaare are other commonly spoken indigenous languages. Due to the large expat population, English is also popular in the city.
• The family community is an important aspect of Mexican life. The locals are very conscious of their responsibilities towards their family members.
• Catholic Christianity or Roman Catholicism is the major religion in Mexico City. 83% of the population follow this religion.
• You will find the City celebrating Mexican holidays, both historic and religious throughout the year. Some of the important holidays are the –
  • Constitution Day – First Monday of February
  • Benito Juarez Day – Third Monday in March
  • Independence Day – September 16
  • Revolution Day – Third Monday in November
  • Navidad (Christmas) – December 25