What to expect at your first dermatology appointment

Plenty of people put off a first dermatology appointment for months. Not because they stopped caring about the spot on their arm, but because they do not know what the visit involves and would rather not find out the hard way.

So here is the whole thing, start to finish.

Before you come in

Come with clean skin. Makeup, self-tanner, and heavy moisturizer all make it harder to see what is actually there, so a plain wash that morning is enough. If you wear nail polish and have a nail concern, take it off.

Think through the details of whatever brought you in. How long has it been there? Has it changed? Does it itch, bleed, or hurt? What have you already tried? Your provider will ask, and clear answers get you to a diagnosis faster.

Bring a list of medications and supplements. Some affect the skin directly and others interact with dermatology treatments. Note any history of skin cancer in your family too.

If you have insurance, call ahead to check whether your plan needs a referral. Some do, many do not, and the front desk at Cleaver Dermatology & Aesthetics can help you sort it out before you arrive.

Checking in

You will fill out intake paperwork covering your medical history, medications, and the reason for your visit. Doing this ahead of time through the patient portal saves you sitting in the waiting room with a clipboard, and it means your provider has read your history before walking in.

Depending on your concern and which location you visit, you may see one of the board-certified dermatologists, Dr. Nathan Cleaver, Dr. Stephanie S. Gardner, or Dr. Weston Waxweiler, or one of the physician assistants or nurse practitioners.

A medical assistant usually brings you back first, takes a brief history, and confirms why you are there.

The appointment itself

It starts with a conversation. Dermatologists listen before they examine, and a good one wants your history and your goals before recommending anything. Say the awkward thing. There is no concern too small and nothing you can describe that your provider has not heard.

For a specific spot, they will look closely, often with a dermatoscope. It is a handheld magnifier with a light that shows the internal structure of a lesion. Painless, quick, and much more accurate than the naked eye.

For a full-body skin check you change into a gown so your skin can be examined head to toe. That includes the scalp, behind the ears, between the toes, and the soles of your feet, because skin cancer turns up in places the sun never reaches. It is thorough and it is fast, and your provider will talk you through what they are seeing.

If something needs a closer look

Sometimes a provider finds something worth investigating. That is the appointment working, not failing.

A biopsy usually happens right then. The area is numbed with a small injection, a sample of tissue is taken, and it goes to a lab. Most patients say the numbing shot is the worst of it and compare it to a pinch. Results come back in one to two weeks.

Plenty of biopsies come back benign. Either way you leave knowing, which beats wondering.

Bring up everything

Your appointment does not have to stay on the one thing that got you through the door. Chronic acne, eczema, a rash you have stopped mentioning, hair thinning, nail changes, whether your skincare routine makes sense for your skin. Ask.

Dermatologists are trained across every condition that affects skin, hair, and nails. A question you have been sitting on for a year takes about ninety seconds to answer.

Afterward

Before you leave you will know what happens next. Prescriptions go electronically to your pharmacy. Follow-ups get scheduled. If products came up, your provider may recommend specific ones, some of which are available through the practice.

You will also have access to the patient portal for messaging your care team, reviewing visit notes, requesting refills, and managing appointments without calling.

Cleaver Dermatology & Aesthetics has locations across North Georgia including Cumming, Gainesville, Roswell, Johns Creek, Dahlonega, Canton, Toccoa, Lavonia, and Dawsonville. Appointments can be booked online.