4 Empowering Tips To Optimize Your Eczema Dermatologist Appointment

If I had the opportunity to start my eczema healing journey all over again, I would want to be much more informed and prepared to talk to doctors about my skin in a way that gave me a sense of empowerment and maintained my sense of self respect and integrity.

When I first started going to dermatologists for my eczema in the 1990s, there was less information available so I had no idea what I was going through or how to describe it to others. All I could say was that my skin felt itchy all the time no matter how much I scratched. But considering everything I know now and the plethora of perspectives and information that is accessible, this is how I would suggest a new eczema warrior prepare for dermatologist appointments.

Tip #1

Choose a dermatologist/skin specialist with a strong track record. Before even seeing a doctor, I would first do my research and make sure that whatever dermatologist or skin specialist I am seeing actually has a strong track record of success with healing eczema patients. I would need social proof through social media or at least a website featuring their past patients’ before-and-after photos and testimonials of recovery and staying recovered for years after seeing this dermatologist or skin specialist.

I've learned over the past 35 years of having eczema that not every dermatologist is the same. Just because someone has a PhD in dermatology does not necessarily make them an expert on treating all skin conditions. Some are better than others. Some are more effective than others. AS a patient, and essentially a customer of Western medicine, I don't want to waste my or others’ time, energy, or money seeing just any dermatologist who's available. I want to only see dermatologists who get results that last. It's kind of like trying to find a good and reliable mechanic to fix your car. Many people can learn how to fix cars but there are just some mechanics who are going to be better than others and who will help your car run better and faster for longer than others.

Tip #2

Record as much detail at the start of the rash. Next thing I would do would be to recall in as much detail the beginning of the rash and the circumstances around it. I find that having as much detail at the start of the rash can be really helpful in pinpointing what could have triggered it or contributed to it. In the past, I would go to dermatologists and only vaguely describe my symptoms but I would have no recollection as to when it began and that would not be very informative or userful for either of us. I would then only be prescribed topical steroids as something to treat the symptom but not the source

Tip #3

Track patterns. After that, I would track the things or factors that seem to make my rash better or worse and share them with the doctor to help us try to pinpoint patterns and see if there's any advice or tips or other treatments they could offer to help me with these patterns

Tip #4

Ask for options with treatment. Finally, I would also want to ask the dermatologist for multiple options for treatment and products versus just accepting the first thing that they prescribe to me. I personally like to take a more holistic and natural approach to my healing and prefer methods of self maintenance or treatment around diet and lifestyle versus pharmaceuticals or anything that requires more doctor appointments or specialist appointments if I can help it so I would definitely want to just see what my options are and to see if they have anyone they could refer me out to who takes a more holistic and preventative approach to healing.

What have you found to be helpful?

Hope these tips prove to be useful for other new eczema warriors going to their next skin appointments. If you use any of these tips, please let us know how they go. Good luck!

What other tips have you found useful during your dermatologists appointments? Please share in the comments section below.