title: Top dermatologic diagnoses by age.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Although some skin conditions predominate in patients of certain ages, little data exists about the relative prevalence of dermatologic conditions by age.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To determine the common skin conditions by age group in the United States, both in dermatologist samples and for all specialties.
  
  
  METHODS
  The National Ambulatory Medical Care Survey (NAMCS) was queried for top diagnoses at dermatologist and all skin disease visits from 1993-2010. ICD-9 coding was used for diagnoses.
  
  
  RESULTS
  There were 588 million estimated visits to dermatologists in the US from 1993-2010. Atopic dermatitis, acne, and actinic keratosis were the top diagnoses in all age groups. Common diagnoses in all groups included contact dermatitis and benign neoplasm. There were 740 million estimated skin disease visits to all physicians; more of these were acute or infectious. The percent of skin diseases seen by dermatologists gradually increased with age to a maximum of 55% in the 75-84 year age group.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Dermatologic conditions seen in different age groups and between dermatologists and non-dermatologists vary. With advancing age, Americans increasingly seek a dermatologist rather than a non-dermatologist physician for skin conditions.
authors.forename: Erin T
authors.initials: ET
authors.lastname: Landis
authors.forename: Scott A
authors.initials: SA
authors.lastname: Davis
authors.affiliation: Wake Forest School of Medicine.
authors.forename: Arash
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Taheri
authors.forename: Steven R
authors.initials: SR
authors.lastname: Feldman
mesh_terms: D000152:Acne Vulgaris / Q000453:epidemiology; D017677:Age Distribution; D003876:Dermatitis, Atopic / Q000453:epidemiology; D003877:Dermatitis, Contact / Q000453:epidemiology; D019538:Health Care Surveys; D006801:Humans; D055623:Keratosis, Actinic / Q000453:epidemiology; D009819:Office Visits / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D015995:Prevalence; D012871:Skin Diseases / Q000453:epidemiology*; D012878:Skin Neoplasms / Q000453:epidemiology; D014481:United States / Q000453:epidemiology