Frequently Asked Questions
- What is a dermatologist?
- How do I know if I am seeing a board-certified dermatologist?
- Do I need to see a plastic surgeon or a dermatologist for non-surgical procedures like Botox, Restylane, Juvederm and laser treatments?
- What procedure do I need to make me look better?
- How do I know if a spot needs to be checked?
- Is it OK for me to see a physician assistant?
What is a dermatologist?
A dermatologist is a physician who completed four years of medical school, one year of internship, and three years of specialized training to become a skin expert. There is no substitute for a board-certified dermatologist, even though some physicians who are not dermatologists claim to specialize in skin care. 
How do I know if I am seeing a board-certified dermatologist?
Ask at your dermatology office if the physician is board-certified. It is illegal to claim board-certification if it is not true. You can look up the board status of any physician at www.abms.org, or of a dermatologist by calling the American Board of Dermatology.
Do I need to see a plastic surgeon or a dermatologist for non-surgical procedures like Botox, Restylane, Juvederm, and laser treatments?
Both dermatologists and plastic surgeons receive extensive training in the use of Botox, fillers, and lasers for cosmetic enhancement. They are the experts and should be seen for these procedures. You may save a buck by going to another type of physician, but a poor outcome takes months to fix, so trust your beauty to the expert hands of a dermatologist or plastic surgeon.
What procedure do I need to make me look better?
That varies for every patient, and a face-to-face consultation is the only way to know which treatments will be needed. There is no single treatment that is right for everyone, and individualized consultations will provide the best results.
How do I know if a spot needs to be checked?
If you have a spot that bleeds for no reason or has changed size, shape, and/or color, it needs to be looked at by a dermatologist within a month.
Is it OK for me to see the physician assistant?
A dermatology physician assistant has trained under a dermatologist and can identify and treat most common skin conditions. The dermatologist is called in to see patients when they aren't sure about a diagnosis or treatment. If you are unhappy with the treatment performed by a PA, you may always request the follow-up visit be with the dermatologist.