What's the difference between dermatopathology and dermatology?

Both are doctors, just different specialties...

Dermatopathology is a sub-specialty of pathology. Pathologists, as a general rule, spend most of their time in a lab...looking at specimens sent to them by other physicians.

For example, a dermatologist will see patients that come to them at an office with a skin problem. Often, based on what the skin problem is, they will just treat the problem. Sometimes, when a diagnosis is in question (or the extent of disease is in question), a dermatologist will take a sample of skin from the patient (punch biopsy, shave biopsy, incision biopsy, etc). They put the skin into a container and send it to a lab. The dermatopathologist then obtains the container and examines the specimen carefully to figure out what it is. They will look at it under a microscope, stain it, and do other tests on it or with it to try to figure out what is going on. Then, they send their report back to the dermatologist. The dermatologist then reports to the patient and continues to treat it accordingly.

Some doctors are certified in dermatoloy and dermatopathology, so that they can do both - see the patient, take samples, and test and look at the sample under a microscope to make an accurate diagnosis.

Hope this helps some!