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What You Can Expect From Your First Visit to the Dermatologist

A dermatologist is useful for so many different reasons. If you are a teenager experiencing dreaded acne, you may visit a dermatologist to get that cleared up. If you are experiencing issues with your skin other than acne, a dermatologist will be able to address that as well.

If you’ve never been to a dermatologist, you may not know what to expect from your first appointment. But don’t worry, this article has you covered. Here’s what you can expect from your first visit to a dermatologist.

The first thing you can expect is your dermatologist to ask you questions about your medical history. It’ll be pretty similar to a visit with your primary doctor. You’ll have to tell them if you are on any medications, if you’ve had any surgeries, if you currently suffer from any medical condition, if you have any known allergies, and so on. If your doctor doesn’t know your medical history, they won’t be able to fully treat your acne or skin problems. If you are worried that you’re going to forget all of the information they will need to know, write it down before your visit and bring the paper with you.

The next thing you can expect from your dermatologist is they’ll probably look at your skin for things other than acne. Since you’ve never been to the dermatologist before, you’re probably unfamiliar with the fact that they are able to practice medical dermatology. This means they are able to check for things like cancerous moles or other suspicious marks on your body. Forms of skin cancer are very common. In fact, about 178,560 cases of melanoma will be diagnosed in the U.S. in 2018. So, don’t be surprised if they ask you to put a robe on. It’s completely normal.

If you went to the dermatologist for a specific reason like acne treatment, you can usually expect to leave the office that day with a prescription in hand. Since it will likely be a medication you’ve never used before, make sure you take the time to talk with your doctor about what it is, what it’s being used for, and how to use it properly. If you don’t fully understand how to use the medication, chances are you’re going to be using it wrong and not see the results you desire.

Finally, your dermatologist will probably want to see you back in the office again in a few months. They will likely ask you to come back for a routine checkup to see how everything is going. You can use that as an opportunity to talk to them about continuous problems or to try a completely different treatment approach.

So, now that you know the gist of what’s going to happen during your first dermatology visit, you’re going to be more prepared than any other new patient walking through the doors.