What to Expect at Your First Dermatology Appointment
Updated October 30, 2014.
Congrats on making an appointment for your very first dermatology visit! Seeing a dermatologist is the single best thing you can do to help clear your acne.
If you’ve never been to a dermatologist before, you may be wondering exactly what goes on during your first visit, and what you should expect.
Your first visit to the dermatologist begins much as a typical visit to your primary care physician. You’ll be asked about your medical history, medications, health problems, and the like.
You may be wondering, what do all these questions have to do with my skin? But it’s important that your dermatologist knows your medical history so that he/she can appropriately treat your acne. It’s all relevant, even the issues that aren’t directly related to your skin.
Don’t be surprised if you’re asked to disrobe and put on one of those lovely paper gowns. Really? Yes.
If it’s the first time you’ve ever seen a dermatologist, you may be treated to a full body check for other skin problems, like suspicious moles for example. Although this may seem odd if you’ve made the appointment because of acne, remember that your dermatologist is there to help you with all of your skin problems (even ones you may not know about yet).
During a routine visit for acne treatment, a friend of mine had her dermatologist find a suspicious mole that turned out to be melanoma! She was lucky that her dermatologist took the time to examine her entire skin, not just her face.
For my women readers -- To make easier for the dermatologist too look over your entire skin, don’t wear makeup and take off polish from your nails and toes.
The vast majority of dermatologists are professionals whom genuinely want to help and have their patient’s best interests at heart. That said, there are a few random “bad apples” out there.
Don’t stand for a dermatologist who is rude or demeaning, doesn’t spend time looking at your skin, or gives you a hard-sell for skin care products. You should feel comfortable with this person, and your dermatologist should act professionally and respectfully.
Remember, though, respect must go both ways. Most dermatologists I know welcome their patients’ questions, but they don’t appreciate those who aren’t willing to listen to the answer. And yes, Google is an amazing tool, but you should ultimately trust in the experience of your dermatologist. Isn’t that why you made the appointment in the first place?
Once your dermatologist has examined your skin and gotten all of the pertinent information, he/she will prescribe an acne treatment medication for you. Expect to leave with a prescription that day.
Make sure you understand how to use your new acne medication, and know which side effects to look out for and how to manage them. Also ask how long it will take to see improvement, and what you should do if you aren’t seeing good results.
It would be amazing if all you had to do was make one appointment, get a medication, and never have to worry about acne again. Unfortunately, acne doesn’t work that way.
Your dermatologist will want to see you periodically to make sure that the medication you have is working well, that you aren’t bothered too much by side effects, and to simply monitor the overall health of your skin.
Use these subsequent visits to your advantage, both for acne treatment and beyond. This first dermatology appointment is the first step to a lifetime of healthy skin.
Next Steps:
Preparing for Your Dermatology Appointment
Congrats on making an appointment for your very first dermatology visit! Seeing a dermatologist is the single best thing you can do to help clear your acne.
If you’ve never been to a dermatologist before, you may be wondering exactly what goes on during your first visit, and what you should expect.
1. Expect to answer questions about your medical history.
Your first visit to the dermatologist begins much as a typical visit to your primary care physician. You’ll be asked about your medical history, medications, health problems, and the like.
You may be wondering, what do all these questions have to do with my skin? But it’s important that your dermatologist knows your medical history so that he/she can appropriately treat your acne. It’s all relevant, even the issues that aren’t directly related to your skin.
2. Expect the dermatologist to check your skin for things other than acne.
Don’t be surprised if you’re asked to disrobe and put on one of those lovely paper gowns. Really? Yes.
If it’s the first time you’ve ever seen a dermatologist, you may be treated to a full body check for other skin problems, like suspicious moles for example. Although this may seem odd if you’ve made the appointment because of acne, remember that your dermatologist is there to help you with all of your skin problems (even ones you may not know about yet).
During a routine visit for acne treatment, a friend of mine had her dermatologist find a suspicious mole that turned out to be melanoma! She was lucky that her dermatologist took the time to examine her entire skin, not just her face.
For my women readers -- To make easier for the dermatologist too look over your entire skin, don’t wear makeup and take off polish from your nails and toes.
3. Expect to be treated with respect.
The vast majority of dermatologists are professionals whom genuinely want to help and have their patient’s best interests at heart. That said, there are a few random “bad apples” out there.
Don’t stand for a dermatologist who is rude or demeaning, doesn’t spend time looking at your skin, or gives you a hard-sell for skin care products. You should feel comfortable with this person, and your dermatologist should act professionally and respectfully.
Remember, though, respect must go both ways. Most dermatologists I know welcome their patients’ questions, but they don’t appreciate those who aren’t willing to listen to the answer. And yes, Google is an amazing tool, but you should ultimately trust in the experience of your dermatologist. Isn’t that why you made the appointment in the first place?
4. Expect to leave with a prescription.
Once your dermatologist has examined your skin and gotten all of the pertinent information, he/she will prescribe an acne treatment medication for you. Expect to leave with a prescription that day.
Make sure you understand how to use your new acne medication, and know which side effects to look out for and how to manage them. Also ask how long it will take to see improvement, and what you should do if you aren’t seeing good results.
5. Expect to make more than one visit.
It would be amazing if all you had to do was make one appointment, get a medication, and never have to worry about acne again. Unfortunately, acne doesn’t work that way.
Your dermatologist will want to see you periodically to make sure that the medication you have is working well, that you aren’t bothered too much by side effects, and to simply monitor the overall health of your skin.
Use these subsequent visits to your advantage, both for acne treatment and beyond. This first dermatology appointment is the first step to a lifetime of healthy skin.
Next Steps:
Preparing for Your Dermatology Appointment
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