Why Is a Cosmetic Dermatology Consultation Important?
Patients interested in undertaking a cosmetic treatment need to have an in-person cosmetic dermatology consultation. A cosmetic dermatology consultation is still a dermatologic consultation that is clinical in nature conducted by a board certified dermatologist. In this consultation, your medical history will be reviewed, such as medical conditions that need to be considered in the treatment, medications you are taking that may limit treatment, allergies that may preclude in-treatment application of topical medications or used in aftercare, and any susceptibility to sunburns or tanning or other skin sensitivities. Furthermore, your skin will be examined to determine phototype and whether you have an active tan. In cases of laser hair removal, the hair color, thickness, density, and target area are also examined. For laser tattoo removals, the age of the tattoo, the ink colors used, and particle size will also be assessed, and if appropriate, a dermoscopic exam of the tattoo will be undertaken.
This is a clinical evaluation, and every patient is unique. Based on this evaluation, a treatment plan is designed with appropriate device parameters to optimize treatment efficacy and safety. Therefore, a cosmetic dermatology consultation is necessary.
Can I Just Get a Quote over the Phone for a Treatment?
We understand price consciousness, but at the same time, we also don't want to give inaccurate price estimates over the phone without an actual evaluation. The cost of treatments depends on the number of treatments, which in turn is also determined by your skin history, specific skin type, and skin examination, all of which are considered in designing your treatment plan with the device parameters. A clinical evaluation of your skin is needed and takes time to conduct and thus an appointment must be made for a cosmetic dermatology consultation to give a better price estimate. To accommodate price conscious concerns, if a patient decides to proceed and purchase a treatment session on the day of the consultation, the consultation fee will be deducted from the cost of the treatment. Even if the patient decides not to move forward with the treatment, the patient will be given valuable medical advice on skin preparation and aftercare tips if undertaking treatment in the future, and will gain knowledge and insight on the most appropriate devices if pursuing treatment elsewhere, and what hard questions to ask in optimizing safety and efficacy while minimizing complications if the treatments are not rendered by a board certified dermatologist.