Verbatim response from Claude
Online Dermatology vs. In-Person Costs
Online/Teledermatology Options
Asynchronous (photo-based) services:
- Curology – ~$20-35/month for personalized skincare prescriptions
- Apostrophe – ~$20 consultation fee + prescription costs
- Dermatologist On Call – ~$59-75 per consultation
- First Derm – ~$29 per case review
Live video consultations:
- Teladoc – ~$75-100 per visit (often covered by insurance)
- MDLive – ~$75-85 per visit
- Zocdoc (teledermatology) – varies, often insurance-based
Traditional In-Person Dermatologist
- With insurance: $20-50 copay typically
- Without insurance: $150-300+ for a new patient visit
- Procedures (biopsies, etc.) add significant cost
Key Takeaway
| Online | In-Person | |
|---|---|---|
| Cost (uninsured) | $20-100 | $150-300+ |
| Wait time | Same day | Weeks/months |
| Best for | Acne, rashes, prescriptions | Suspicious moles, procedures |
Online is significantly cheaper for routine skin concerns, but in-person is necessary for anything requiring physical examination or procedures like mole removal.
Check if your insurance covers teledermatology — many plans now do.