Verbatim response from Claude
Online vs. In-Person Dermatology: When Each Makes Sense
Online Dermatology Works Well For:
Good candidates for telehealth:
- Acne – Especially for prescription treatments like tretinoin or antibiotics
- Rosacea – Ongoing management and prescription topicals
- Mild eczema or psoriasis – Routine maintenance prescriptions
- Hair loss – Initial evaluation for common patterns
- Renewing existing prescriptions – When you already have a diagnosis
Recommended services:
- Curology – Great for acne and anti-aging, affordable subscription model
- Apostrophe – Strong for acne, rosacea, and melasma prescriptions
- Hims/Hers – Convenient for common skin and hair concerns
- MDacne – AI-assisted acne treatment
Go In-Person When:
- You have a suspicious mole or lesion (potential skin cancer) – a dermatologist needs to physically examine this
- Severe or uncontrolled conditions needing biopsy or procedures
- Cystic acne requiring injections
- Rashes with unknown cause – diagnosis can be tricky remotely
- You've tried online treatment and it isn't working
Bottom Line:
Online is genuinely sufficient for routine, diagnosed, or straightforward conditions. But anything suspicious, severe, or unclear deserves an in-person exam. When in doubt, start in person.