Dermatologists professionals serving Philadelphia, PA
Key Takeaways
•Philadelphia has 20 listed dermatology professionals with an impressive average rating of 4.6 out of 5 stars, indicating a market with strong overall quality and patient satisfaction.
•Dermatology Partners - NE Philadelphia leads in total review volume with 1,216 Google-rated reviews at a 4.9-star rating, making it one of the most patient-tested practices in the city.
•All 20 listed dermatology businesses in Philadelphia offer direct phone contact, meaning you can always reach a real person to schedule appointments or ask questions — no contact-form gatekeeping.
•Philadelphia's variable four-season climate creates distinct skin health windows: schedule skin cancer screenings in spring or early summer, and plan cosmetic procedures like laser treatments or chemical peels in fall and winter when UV exposure is lower and recovery is easier.
•Consultation costs in Philadelphia typically range from $150 to $500, with procedures running $200 to $5,000 or more depending on complexity — understanding what drives these costs before you book can save you hundreds of dollars.
Dermatology in Philadelphia: What You Need to Know
Philadelphia's dermatology market reflects the city's character: densely layered, neighborhood-driven, and more robust than many comparably sized markets. With 20 listed dermatology professionals spread across distinct neighborhoods — from South Philly and Port Richmond to Roxborough and the Northeast — residents have genuine geographic choice, not just a handful of downtown options. The average Google-rated score across all listed providers sits at 4.6 out of 5 stars, which is notably high for a healthcare specialty where patient expectations run exceptionally high and negative experiences are often vocalized loudly online. This suggests Philadelphia's dermatology community is, on balance, delivering strong clinical experiences.
What makes Philadelphia's skin care landscape distinctive is the combination of an older, dense urban housing stock (which can affect air quality and indoor allergen exposure), a four-season climate that cycles from harsh humid summers to cold, dry winters, and a growing community of residents who are increasingly proactive about preventive skin health. Sun damage accumulated during summer months along the Delaware River waterfront, rooftop gatherings, and outdoor festivals is a legitimate clinical concern dermatologists here address regularly. Meanwhile, the city's proximity to major academic medical centers — including Jefferson Health and Penn Medicine — means that many Philadelphia-area dermatologists trained at or maintain affiliations with research institutions, which elevates the standard of care available even at independent community practices.
For patients, the practical implication of this market is that you have options — but options require judgment. A practice with 1,200 reviews and a 4.9-star rating is not the same as one with 40 reviews and the same score. Volume of patient feedback is as important as the rating itself when evaluating trust. Equally important is understanding what type of dermatology care you actually need: medical dermatology (acne, eczema, psoriasis, skin cancer screening), procedural dermatology (biopsies, Mohs surgery, cyst removal), or cosmetic dermatology (injectables, laser resurfacing, body contouring). Not every practice excels at all three, and knowing the difference before you call will help you find the right fit faster.
Philadelphia Tip: If you live in a neighborhood like Roxborough, Port Richmond, or South Philly, you may have a top-rated Dermatology Partners location within a few miles of home. All three neighborhood locations carry a 4.9-star rating, which means you don't have to commute to Center City to access high-quality dermatology care. SEPTA's regional rail and bus routes also connect many outer neighborhoods to practices closer to Center City if needed.
How Much Does Dermatology Cost in Philadelphia?
Dermatology costs in Philadelphia are shaped by several overlapping factors: the type of service, whether the provider accepts your insurance plan, the complexity of your case, and whether the practice is affiliated with a larger health system or operates independently. For a standard new-patient consultation at a Philadelphia dermatology practice, expect to pay anywhere from $150 to $500 out of pocket if you're uninsured or if the service falls outside your plan's coverage. Most insurance plans cover medically necessary dermatology visits — acne evaluation, suspicious mole assessment, eczema treatment — but cosmetic procedures like Botox, fillers, laser skin resurfacing, and chemical peels are almost universally out-of-pocket expenses.
Procedural costs vary widely depending on what's being done. A straightforward shave biopsy or cryotherapy session might run $200 to $400. Mohs micrographic surgery for skin cancer, one of the more complex dermatological procedures, can range from $1,000 to $5,000 or more depending on tumor size, location, and number of surgical stages required. Cosmetic treatments like laser resurfacing or IPL photofacials typically run $300 to $1,500 per session, with most requiring multiple treatments for optimal results. Philadelphia's cost environment is consistent with other major East Coast metros — not as expensive as Manhattan, but not discount pricing either. When practices have high review volumes and 4.9-star ratings like several Philadelphia providers do, demand is strong, which also means pricing tends to hold firm.
Service
Low Estimate
High Estimate
Notes
New Patient Consultation
Low$150
High$500
Varies by insurance coverage; most medical visits are covered under standard health plans
Skin Cancer Screening
Low$150
High$350
Often covered by insurance as preventive care; ask your insurer before booking
Biopsy / Minor Procedure
Low$200
High$800
Shave, punch, or excisional biopsy; lab pathology fees are billed separately
Cosmetic Procedure (Laser, Filler, Botox)
Low$300
High$5,000+
Almost always out-of-pocket; pricing scales with treatment area, product used, and session count
Money-Saving Tip for Philadelphia Patients: Many Philadelphia dermatology practices offer bundled pricing for cosmetic treatment packages — purchasing three or four laser sessions upfront is typically 15–25% less expensive than paying per session. Additionally, scheduling cosmetic procedures in fall or winter (October through February) often comes with promotional pricing since patient demand drops seasonally. If you have a high-deductible health plan, try to schedule all medically necessary dermatology visits within the same calendar year after you've already met your deductible — stacking appointments strategically can significantly reduce your actual out-of-pocket spend.
How to Choose the Right Dermatology
5 Questions to Ask Before Hiring
Is the dermatologist board-certified by the American Board of Dermatology (ABD)? The right answer is yes — ABD certification requires completing an accredited residency and passing rigorous written and practical exams. Some providers use the title 'dermatologist' or perform skin procedures without ABD certification; always confirm this credential directly with the practice or through the ABD's public directory before booking.
What is your current wait time for a new patient appointment? The right answer is typically 2 to 8 weeks for a routine visit in Philadelphia's market. If a practice offers a same-week appointment with no explanation, it may signal lower demand. If the wait exceeds 10–12 weeks, ask whether they have a cancellation list or can refer you to an affiliated provider for urgent concerns like a rapidly changing mole.
Do you accept my insurance, and what will my out-of-pocket cost be for this specific visit type? The right answer is a clear, specific breakdown — not a vague 'we accept most insurances.' Ask the front desk to check your plan before your appointment and get an estimate in writing or via email. Philadelphia practices vary considerably in which plans they accept, and out-of-network billing surprises are a leading source of patient complaints.
Who performs the procedures — the board-certified dermatologist or a physician assistant/nurse practitioner? The right answer depends on what you need. For routine acne follow-ups or eczema management, a credentialed PA or NP with dermatology-specific training is often excellent. For biopsies, Mohs surgery, or complex cosmetic procedures, you want a board-certified dermatologist performing or directly supervising the work. Ask specifically, and be cautious of practices that are vague about scope of practice.
What is your protocol if I have a concerning result from a biopsy or skin cancer screening? The right answer should include a clear communication timeline (you should hear results within 7–14 business days), a named point of contact for follow-up questions, and a direct referral pathway to oncology or surgical specialists if needed. Philadelphia's academic medical center affiliations are a genuine advantage here — practices connected to Penn Medicine or Jefferson Health often have faster specialist referral pipelines.
Red Flags When Hiring Dermatology
Red Flags to Watch For When Choosing a Philadelphia Dermatologist:
No board certification disclosed: Any practice unwilling or unable to confirm ABD certification for their dermatologists should be avoided. Legitimate practices list credentials prominently on their website and will confirm them by phone without hesitation.
Pressure to commit to cosmetic packages at the first consultation: A first visit should focus on evaluating your skin and discussing options — not closing a sale. If a practice pushes you to purchase a multi-session laser or injectable package before you've had time to consider alternatives, that's a sales culture, not a clinical one.
No direct phone contact or inability to speak with a staff member before booking: All 20 listed Philadelphia dermatology professionals offer direct phone access. If a practice routes all inquiries through an online portal with no live phone option and you can't get basic questions answered before booking, that's a warning sign about the quality of care coordination you'll receive as a patient.
Unusually thin review history relative to how long the practice has been operating: A practice claiming to have served Philadelphia for 10 years with only 12 Google reviews is a mismatch. High-quality practices in this market accumulate patient feedback organically — the top-rated Philadelphia providers have hundreds to over a thousand reviews.
Lack of clarity about who performs procedures: If a practice cannot clearly tell you whether a board-certified dermatologist or a mid-level provider will be performing your biopsy, lesion removal, or cosmetic treatment, consider it a structural transparency problem that affects patient safety.
Top-Rated Dermatology in Philadelphia
Among the 20 listed dermatology professionals in Philadelphia, five stand out by both rating score and the depth of patient feedback behind those scores. It's worth being explicit about why both factors matter: a 4.9-star rating from 12 patients is statistically fragile — a single bad experience can move the needle significantly. A 4.9-star rating from 852 or 1,216 patients is a durable signal of consistent clinical quality and patient experience management over time.
Dermatology Partners operates four Philadelphia-area locations, and all four carry a 4.9-star rating — an unusual achievement in any healthcare specialty, let alone across multiple locations simultaneously. Dermatology Partners - NE Philadelphia has accumulated 1,216 Google-rated reviews at 4.9 stars, making it the highest-volume top-rated practice in the city. For patients in the Northeast Philadelphia neighborhoods — Mayfair, Rhawnhurst, Fox Chase, and surrounding areas — this represents a highly accessible option with an exceptional track record. Dermatology Partners - South Philly carries 852 reviews at 4.9 stars, serving the dense residential communities of South Philadelphia including the Italian Market corridor, Passyunk Square, and adjacent neighborhoods. Dermatology Partners - Port Richmond adds 513 reviews at 4.9 stars, covering the riverward neighborhoods of the lower Northeast. Dermatology Partners - Roxborough rounds out the network with 265 reviews at 4.9 stars for patients in the ridge neighborhoods of the city's northwest.
Ringpfeil Advanced Dermatology rounds out the top five with 862 Google-rated reviews at 4.8 stars — a strong showing that makes it the highest-rated independent practice in the dataset. The name 'Advanced Dermatology' typically signals a practice with a broader procedural and cosmetic capability set, which may make it a strong option for patients seeking both medical and aesthetic dermatology under one roof. With 862 reviews at 4.8 stars, Ringpfeil has demonstrated sustained patient satisfaction at a volume that commands serious consideration alongside the Dermatology Partners network.
Taken together, these five practices represent Philadelphia's most patient-tested dermatology options. Whether you're in South Philly, the Northeast, Port Richmond, Roxborough, or looking for an independent alternative, the data provides a credible starting point for your search.
Company
Rating
Reviews
Best For
Dermatology Partners - NE Philadelphia
4.9★
1,216
Highest review volume in the city; ideal for Northeast Philadelphia residents seeking a well-established practice with a long track record of patient satisfaction
Dermatology Partners - South Philly
4.9★
852
Top-rated option for South Philadelphia neighborhoods; strong across medical and routine dermatology with consistently excellent patient feedback
Ringpfeil Advanced Dermatology
4.8★
862
Top-rated independent practice in Philadelphia; well-suited for patients seeking advanced or cosmetic dermatology alongside medical skin care in a non-network setting
Dermatology Partners - Port Richmond
4.9★
513
Excellent option for Port Richmond and lower Northeast Philadelphia patients; 4.9-star rating across more than 500 reviews signals reliable, consistent care
Dermatology Partners - Roxborough
4.9★
265
Best-rated option for Roxborough, Manayunk, and ridge neighborhood residents; growing review base with the same 4.9-star quality standard as the broader Dermatology Partners network
Seasonal Guide for Philadelphia
Philadelphia's climate is genuinely four-seasonal, and that variability has direct implications for when you should be booking specific types of dermatology appointments — both for your skin's benefit and for practical scheduling reasons.
Spring (March through May) is the highest-priority window for skin cancer screenings. After months of limited UV exposure through a Philadelphia winter, this is the ideal time to schedule your annual full-body skin exam. Dermatologists can assess any changes that developed over the past year and flag lesions before peak summer sun exposure makes them worse. Demand for screening appointments surges in late April and May as the weather warms, so booking your spring screening in February or early March — well before the rush — is a consistently smart move. Philadelphia's outdoor culture, including Fairmount Park usage, waterfront events along the Delaware and Schuylkill, and rooftop season in neighborhoods like Fishtown, Rittenhouse, and Northern Liberties, means cumulative UV exposure climbs quickly once spring arrives.
Summer (June through August) in Philadelphia brings high humidity combined with elevated UV index days — a combination that exacerbates conditions like folliculitis, heat rash, and hyperpigmentation for patients with melanin-rich skin. Acne can flare during summer due to increased sweating and sunscreen use clogging pores. If you have a known skin condition, a summer check-in with your dermatologist is worthwhile rather than waiting for your annual exam. Cosmetic procedures involving lasers, chemical peels, or resurfacing should generally be avoided in summer — post-treatment skin is sun-sensitive, and Philadelphia summers make safe recovery difficult.
Fall (September through November) is the ideal season for cosmetic dermatology in Philadelphia. The city's back-to-school cycle also correlates with a well-documented surge in acne consultations, particularly for teenage and young adult patients attending the city's many colleges and universities (Temple, Drexel, Penn, Jefferson, among others). For cosmetic patients, fall is the sweet spot: UV intensity drops, temperatures cool, and the months-long period of lower sun exposure ahead provides ideal recovery conditions for laser resurfacing, microneedling, chemical peels, and similar treatments. Many Philadelphia practices offer fall promotions on cosmetic procedures — call ahead and ask.
Winter (December through February) is prime time for more intensive cosmetic and procedural dermatology. Mohs surgery recovery, scar revision, and deep resurfacing treatments all benefit from winter's limited sun exposure and the natural tendency to keep skin covered. Psoriasis and eczema patients in Philadelphia tend to see flares during winter due to dry indoor heating and reduced humidity — this is also the season where having an established relationship with a dermatologist pays off, since new patient wait times can stretch into the 2–8 week range and you won't want to be scrambling for an appointment when symptoms peak.
Frequently Asked Questions
How long does it typically take to get a new patient dermatology appointment in Philadelphia?
For most Philadelphia dermatology practices, new patient appointment wait times run between 2 and 8 weeks for routine visits. High-demand practices with strong reputations — like those carrying 4.9-star ratings with hundreds of reviews — may have longer waits, sometimes extending to 10 weeks or more. If you have an urgent concern, such as a rapidly changing mole, a spreading rash, or a lesion that is bleeding or crusting, call the practice directly and describe your symptoms — most dermatology offices have protocols to see urgent cases faster, often within days. Having a primary care physician who can provide a warm referral to a specific dermatologist also tends to accelerate the process at practices connected to larger health systems in Philadelphia.
Does insurance cover dermatology visits in Philadelphia?
Most medically necessary dermatology services — including evaluation of acne, eczema, psoriasis, suspicious moles, and skin infections — are covered by standard health insurance plans under the same cost-sharing structure as other specialist visits. You will typically owe a specialist copay or have the visit applied to your deductible depending on your plan design. However, cosmetic dermatology services including Botox, dermal fillers, laser hair removal, chemical peels, and cosmetic skin resurfacing are almost universally excluded from insurance coverage and are paid out of pocket. Some procedures occupy a gray zone — certain laser treatments for rosacea or hyperpigmentation may be considered cosmetic by insurers even if they have a clinical basis. Always call your insurance carrier before your appointment to confirm coverage for the specific procedure codes your practice will be billing, and ask the practice's front desk for those codes in advance.
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What does board-certified mean, and why does it matter when choosing a Philadelphia dermatologist?
Board certification by the American Board of Dermatology (ABD) means a physician has completed four years of medical school, a one-year internship, and a three-year accredited dermatology residency, and has passed a rigorous multi-part examination covering the full breadth of dermatological medicine. It is the primary quality credential in the specialty. In Philadelphia, as in all states, the title 'dermatologist' does not carry automatic ABD certification — some providers performing skin procedures may have trained in other specialties or hold certifications from organizations with less rigorous standards. You can check any physician's ABD certification status at no cost through the American Board of Medical Specialties (ABMS) public directory at certificationmatters.org. This is worth doing before you commit to any practice for medical or procedural dermatology.
What is the difference between medical, procedural, and cosmetic dermatology, and how do I know which one I need?
Medical dermatology addresses skin conditions with a clinical diagnosis: acne, rosacea, eczema, psoriasis, seborrheic dermatitis, fungal infections, warts, and skin cancer screening. These visits are typically covered by insurance and form the core of what most dermatology practices do. Procedural dermatology involves physical interventions: biopsies to test suspicious lesions, cryotherapy to freeze abnormal tissue, Mohs surgery to remove skin cancers, and excision of cysts or lipomas. These are often covered by insurance when medically indicated. Cosmetic dermatology is elective and aesthetically motivated: injectables (Botox, Restylane, Juvederm), laser treatments, IPL, microneedling, and body contouring. These are out-of-pocket. Many practices in Philadelphia offer all three categories under one roof, but it is worth confirming before booking that the practice has strong clinical infrastructure for medical and procedural needs — not just a cosmetic menu — if you're seeking a comprehensive dermatology home.
What should I bring to my first dermatology appointment in Philadelphia?
Arrive at your first appointment with your insurance card and a government-issued photo ID. Bring a list of all current medications including vitamins, supplements, and topical products — many skin conditions interact with systemic medications in ways dermatologists need to know about. If you have been seen by another dermatologist previously, request that records or pathology reports be forwarded to your new provider before your visit, or bring paper copies. Come with photographs on your phone of any skin changes you've noticed over time — dermatologists find chronological photo documentation extremely useful for assessing whether a lesion has changed. Wear minimal makeup and nail polish to your appointment so your skin can be examined as clearly as possible, and be prepared to undress for a full-body skin exam if that is the purpose of your visit. Having a specific list of concerns in priority order also helps make the appointment more efficient, particularly at busy Philadelphia practices where appointment slots are typically 15–30 minutes for established issues.
