How Long Is the Wait to See a Dermatologist?

Why dermatology wait times are often long

There are more patients seeking dermatology care than there are dermatologists available, particularly outside major metro areas. The specialty covers a wide range — from skin cancer screening and eczema to cosmetic procedures — so demand is high. A 2022 survey of 1,034 dermatology offices across 15 US metro markets found the average new-patient wait was 34.5 days, ranging from 9 days in Philadelphia to 84 days in Portland 1Ref 1AMN Healthcare / Merritt Hawkins (2022).2022 Survey of Physician Appointment Wait Times and Medicare and Medicaid Acceptance Rates.Average new-patient dermatology wait was 34.5 days across 15 major US metro areas (range: 9 days Philadelphia to 84 days Portland); overall physician wait averaged 26.0 days. A 2024 study of 344 hospital-affiliated dermatologists in New York City found a mean wait of 50 days, with a quarter of practices requiring 60 days or more 2Ref 2Basch CH, Hillyer GC, Gold B, Basch CE (2024).Wait times for scheduling appointments with hospital affiliated dermatologists in New York City.Mean wait 50 days (median 19.5 days, IQR 4–60) across 344 NYC hospital-affiliated dermatologists; 25% of practices required 60+ days; Medicaid-accepting providers had longer waits (30.5 vs 13 days median).

Many practices reserve a portion of their schedule for established patients and urgent add-on slots, which reduces new-patient availability for routine care.

What typical wait times look like by situation

• Routine new-patient visit (annual skin check, long-standing rash, cosmetic consultation): four to eight weeks in many suburban areas; three to six months in rural or underserved regions; two to four weeks in dense urban markets.
• Academic medical centers: often longer for new patients, but may have faster urgent or cancellation slots.
• Cosmetic-only appointments (injectables, fillers): sometimes shorter because they are not insurance-dependent.
• Telehealth dermatology: A systematic review found telemedicine reduced wait times by a weighted mean of 25.4 days overall, with dermatology being the most-studied specialty 3Ref 3Capodici A, et al. (2025).Reducing outpatient wait times through telemedicine: a systematic review and quantitative analysis.Telemedicine reduced outpatient waiting times by a weighted mean of 25.4 days across 53 studies; dermatology was the most-studied clinical specialty (29% of clinical studies); asynchronous teledermatology can provide a clinical response in as little as 15 hours 4Ref 4Duffy TL, English JC III (2025).Asynchronous Teledermatology Reduces Wait Times and Maintains High Adherence to Standard Care for Lichen Planus: A Retrospective Study.Asynchronous teledermatology provided clinical response in mean 15 hours, contrasting with several weeks typical for in-person dermatology appointments.

How to get in faster

• Ask to be put on a cancellation list. Openings come up regularly — this is one of the most effective strategies.
• Try telehealth dermatology. For concerns that don't require a physical exam, a licensed clinician can evaluate by photo and video, prescribe treatments, and refer you in person when needed. Gale's dermatology team can often schedule these visits within days.
• Ask your primary-care clinician for a referral. For medically urgent concerns, a referral with a clinical note describing urgency typically results in a faster slot.
• Call directly and describe your concern. Most practices keep urgent slots available. If you have a rapidly changing lesion or spreading rash, say so when you call — it changes the scheduling conversation.
• Check online booking tools. Patient portals and online booking sometimes show openings that phone-based scheduling misses.

What affects your wait beyond location

• Insurance type. Practices accepting Medicaid had median waits of 30.5 days versus 13 days for those refusing Medicaid in the NYC study, and one-third of NYC dermatologists declined Medicaid or uninsured patients entirely 2Ref 2Basch CH, Hillyer GC, Gold B, Basch CE (2024).Wait times for scheduling appointments with hospital affiliated dermatologists in New York City.Mean wait 50 days (median 19.5 days, IQR 4–60) across 344 NYC hospital-affiliated dermatologists; 25% of practices required 60+ days; Medicaid-accepting providers had longer waits (30.5 vs 13 days median). Cash-pay or direct-pay practices may offer faster access.
• New vs. established patient. Established patients are generally seen faster — sometimes within days.
• Urgency of the concern. If you describe a concerning lesion when you call, most practices will find a faster slot than they would for a routine check.