Skin Doctor: The Initial Consultation

Medical and cosmetic treatments with a skin doctor enhance a person's outer beauty. First impressions are so important in a person's personal and professional life. When there are scars, imperfections, or discolorations, she wants to find a treatment regimen that will make improvements as quickly as possible. To get started, the first step is setting up an initial consultation.

Discussing Concerns:
What causes a person to make an appointment with a skin doctor? In some cases, there is a specific issue or problem that needs to be addressed. Acne breakouts are a common concern, as is reddening of a specific area or rashes and breakouts. In each of these cases, the patient needs an initial consultation to talk to the physician about what is happening.

The practitioner will ask questions and examine the area to try and get a better idea of what is going on. From there, a diagnosis is made. Sometimes extra testing is required but other times, the patient can immediately learn what is happening with her body. The diagnosis determines the course of treatment to be pursued.

Learning More About Treatment Options:
Every person's body is different. Even if two people have the same concern about a problem in their facial area, the treatment options might be different. A patient's overall medical health is taken into consideration as well as any allergies that may be of some concern. Finally, the way a person's body responds to treatments or medicine will also decided whether or not it will be continued.

Some people walk out of the office with a solution in hand. Others may need to make adjustments to their lifestyle or habits to notice a change. Still others may need to avoid certain foods or products that are the cause of their breakouts. A skin doctor takes time with each patient to make sure she understands the diagnosis and the treatment options available.

Follow Up Visits:
In most cases, one visit to the skin doctor is not enough. After the initial consultation, it is a good idea to schedule a follow up appointment. Here, the physician can look over the area and note any changes, both good and bad to see how the body is responding to the treatments. Depending on the severity of the issues, multiple appointments may be necessary.

A skin doctor, also known as a dermatologist is considered to be a specialist in the medical field. Because of this, it is important to contact the health insurance company to make sure visits will be covered. In some instances, a patient may need a referral from her primary care physician in order to get specialized medical treatments.