People sometimes contact our office needing help finding a “dermatologist near me” because they are not in New York City. If they were in New York, they’d, of course, come see us. But our office is far from where they are and they need to be seen in person. There are almost 1,000,000 physicians in the United States and fewer than 10,000 are dermatologists. Even in cities like New York and Los Angeles where the concentration of dermatologists is higher, it can be tricky to find them as people depend more and more on search engine algorithms driven by ad revenue rather than credentials. For example, when one searches “dermatologist acne treatment” sometimes spas, not doctors, come up first in the local stack.
Media: Dr. Strachan’s article on KevinMD, “Why it is hard to find a good dermatologist in a competitive market.”
Here are 6 ways to find a “dermatologist near me” anywhere in the United States when you can’t come to Aglow Dermatology:
- American Academy of Dermatology – find a dermatologist Most board-certified dermatologists in the United States are members of the American Academy of Dermatology. This professional society offers a directory of members, search able by zip code all over the United States.
2. American Society of Dermatologic Surgery– If you are looking for a cosmetic or more procedurally oriented dermatologist, there is a find a dermatologist surgeon feature on the ASDS website.
3. Google your city or state dermatology society– Most states and most major cities have local professional societies that have online directories of local dermatologist members.
4. Diversity and inclusion directories– Dermatology is the second least diverse medical specialty after orthopedic surgery which can become a problem for patients of color who might prefer to see a doctor of their own race. The benefits of having a racially similar doctor are increasingly being reported in scholarly research and in the media. So in a specialty where ALL doctors are in the minority, how does one find the minority in the minority? Here are a few resources to find dermatologists of color and those with interest and expertise in skin of color:
5. Patient Advocate Groups– There are several organizations around people affected by particular diseases such as eczema, alopecia areata, psoriasis, scarring hair loss etc. Google your condition name with the term patient advocacy group and see if there is a specialist directory.
6. Ask your network– Sometimes word-of-mouth from people that you know and trust gets you the best results. Ask your friends, family and co-workers if they have a recommendation. Patients tend to be more confident with doctors that they found through personal recommendations versus through online reviews from people they don’t know and trust.
There are your 6 ways to find a “dermatologist near me”–if your are not in New York City. If you are not in New York City but in New York State, you can be a patient at Aglow Dermatology with a virtual visit. Schedule a consultation by calling 212-627-1004 or here.
BONUS: Try searching the term “dermatologist near me” differently. Try “dermatologist near to me,” “nearest dermatologist to me,” or simply “derm.”
Read: 5 reasons patients should care about physician credentials
Read: 5 reasons seeing a dermatologist in New York City is different
Looking for a dermatologist near to me in the New York City? Make an appointment at Aglow Dermatology here!
