What to Expect at Your First Dermatologist Visit

Medical History

Your first visit to the dermatologist begins much as a typical visit to your primary care physician. They'll ask about things like your medical history, medications, and health problems.

It’s important for your dermatologist to know your medical history so they can appropriately treat your acne. It’s all relevant, even the issues that aren’t directly related to your skin.

Before your visit, you may want to take a few steps to prepare. Write down:

• Any over-the-counter acne products you're using
• Other products you've tried
• Any prescriptions you're already taking

The chances are good you'll get another prescription from your dermatologist, and it's important they know about your current medications to avoid any potential interactions. 

Skin Exam

Don’t be surprised if you’re asked to disrobe and put on a cloth or paper gown. If it’s the first time you’ve ever seen a dermatologist, you may be due for a full-body check for other skin problems. 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.

Expect to Be Respected

Dermatologists are medical professionals who genuinely want to help and have their patients' best interests at heart. That said, don’t stand for a dermatologist who:

• Is rude or demeaning
• Doesn’t spend any time looking at your skin and listening to your concerns
• Gives you a hard-sell for skincare products

You should feel comfortable with this person, and your dermatologist should act professionally and respectfully.

Getting a New Prescription

Once your dermatologist has examined your skin and gotten all of the pertinent information, they'll likely prescribe an acne treatment medication for you. You can generally expect to leave with a prescription that day.

Make sure you understand how to use your new acne medication, know what side effects to look out for, and how to manage them. You'll also want to ask how long it will take to see improvement and what you should do if you aren’t seeing good results.

Expect More Than One Visit

It would be amazing if all you had to do was make one appointment, get medication, and never have to worry about acne again. Unfortunately, acne doesn’t work that way.

It can sometimes take a few tries to hit on the right treatment, or a combination of treatments that will work well for your acne. Don't be discouraged by these return visits.

Once you get significant results, your dermatologist will still 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.

Plus, you'll need to continue to refill your prescription acne medications. These don't cure acne, but instead control breakouts.

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.

A Word From Verywell

Going to your first dermatology visit can seem intimidating if you're not sure what to expect. If you're prepared for your dermatology visit, you'll get the most out of your time with the dermatologist and be well on your way to clearer skin.