Dr. Ellene Papazis Alquati has her experience in Aesthetic Dermatology formally recognised by the Ordem dos Médicos
- Vitor Pratte
- 2 days ago
- 4 min read
The dermatovenereologist Dr. Ellene Papazis Alquati has been officially admitted to the register of the Subspecialty of Aesthetic and Cosmetic Medicine, within the Specialty of Dermatovenereology, by deliberation of the National Council of the Ordem dos Médicos. This institutional recognition, based on scientific and clinical criteria, reflects the experience she has accumulated over years of clinical practice. It does not correspond to obtaining a new academic title on its own, but to the formal validation of a competence already exercised and consolidated in her career since Brazil.
“It is important to clarify that a dermatovenereologist already has, through their own training and specialty, the scientific and clinical tools needed to treat the skin responsibly, ethically and safely, including in the aesthetic field. That competence is part of Dermatovenereology itself.
The subspecialty in Aesthetic and Cosmetic Medicine reinforces and institutionally recognises those doctors who, within that specialty, have developed a deeper and more dedicated path in this specific area.
In my case, for example, beyond my practice in aesthetic dermatology I also have an in-depth area of study in skin cancer, undertaken at the Instituto Nacional de Câncer (INCA) in Brazil — training that, although it does not formally exist as a subspecialty in Portugal, informs and qualifies my daily clinical work at the Instituto Português de Oncologia (IPO). Dr. Ellene Papazis
For this reason, it is essential that the public seek out professionals who are properly qualified and registered with the Ordem dos Médicos. This recognition reinforces the standing of Aesthetic Dermatology recognised by the Ordem dos Médicos as a regulated medical field, based on scientific criteria, technical competence and clinical responsibility. This information is public and can easily be confirmed on the Ordem dos Médicos website, by consulting the specialty of Dermatovenereology and checking which doctors hold formal recognition in this area. That transparency is an additional guarantee of safety and quality for the patient.
National and regional distribution of the subspecialty in Aesthetic and Cosmetic Medicine
Based on data gathered on 1 February 2026 from the Ordem dos Médicos website, although there are 486 dermatovenereologists registered in Portugal, only 73 hold the formal subspecialty in Aesthetic and Cosmetic Medicine, which corresponds to around 15% of the specialty as a whole.
The geographical distribution of these professionals also reveals a significant concentration in a few urban centres. Porto stands out as the main national hub, with 25 of the 73 doctors holding this distinction (34.2%). It is followed by Lisbon (city), with 16 professionals (21.9%), Braga, with 12 (16.4%), and Coimbra, with 10 (13.7%). The Greater Lisbon region accounts for 6 doctors, representing 8.2% of the total.
By contrast, regions such as the Azores, Ribatejo, Setúbal and Viseu each have only one dermatovenereologist with this subspecialty, corresponding to 1.4% per region. Taken together, Porto, Lisbon (city), Braga and Coimbra account for more than 86% of all dermatovenereologists with a subspecialty in Aesthetic and Cosmetic Medicine in Portugal.
Region | No. of dermatovenereologists with the subspecialty | Percentage |
Porto | 25 | 34.2% |
Lisbon (city) | 16 | 21.9% |
Braga | 12 | 16.4% |
Coimbra | 10 | 13.7% |
Greater Lisbon | 6 | 8.2% |
Azores | 1 | 1.4% |
Ribatejo | 1 | 1.4% |
Setúbal | 1 | 1.4% |
Viseu | 1 | 1.4% |
Total | 73 | 100% |
These figures show that, despite the growth of the aesthetic field, access to doctors with specific institutional recognition remains limited and geographically uneven, reinforcing the importance of the public confirming professionals' qualifications through the Ordem dos Médicos public register, an essential mechanism of transparency, safety and patient protection.
Dermatovenereology and Aesthetic Medicine: how are they related?
Dermatovenereology is the medical specialty with the most complete knowledge of the skin, the mucous membranes and their appendages, the areas directly involved in medical aesthetic procedures. It is on this scientific basis that the subspecialty of Aesthetic and Cosmetic Medicine rests, created by the Ordem dos Médicos on the recognition that medical aesthetic practice requires in-depth knowledge of anatomy, skin physiology, clinical assessment and the management of complications.
What is a medical aesthetic act?
According to the official definition of the Ordem dos Médicos, a medical aesthetic act is one whose diagnosis, planning, therapeutic decision and execution are the exclusive competence of doctors. This type of act is performed on biologically normal tissue with the aim of improving or enhancing appearance without affecting function, and is reserved exclusively for doctors legally qualified and registered with the Ordem dos Médicos. This definition marks the distinction between medical acts of exclusive competence and other general aesthetic procedures carried out outside the regulated medical sphere.
The medical role in aesthetics
The Ordem dos Médicos, through its technical and regulatory bodies, reinforces the role of doctors in protecting patients' health, including in the aesthetic field. The creation of the subspecialty of Aesthetic and Cosmetic Medicine, which involves a rigorous curricular assessment of training, clinical experience and command of medical techniques, aims to ensure that procedures are carried out according to scientific, ethical and clinical safety criteria. This framework protects the public and ensures that medical acts with a direct impact on health are performed exclusively by properly qualified professionals.
The importance of formal recognition
The admission of Dr. Ellene Papazis Alquati to the subspecialty register represents formal recognition by the Ordem dos Médicos of a professional path of more than 15 years as a doctor, built on clinical knowledge and the continued practice of Dermatovenereology applied to medical aesthetics. This is not a simple academic certificate or a one-off course, but a rigorous assessment process attesting to competence, experience and technical qualification.
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