Bay Area Dermatologist Recommendations?

October 23, 2009 10:19 PM

Can anyone recommend a good (for acne) dermatologist in the Bay Area (SanJose/SantaCruz)

I've been able to keep my acne under control for what seems like forever. One year into a PhD program, and I think that I should be seeking some professional help. That, plus I have health insurance as a graduate student (yay). But, there are sooooo many MDs. Any recommendations?

posted by noahdubya to health & fitness (2 comments total)

You might want to try Dr Andrew Menkes (site) in Los Altos. I've seen him twice, once to get some iffy mole things frozen off and once for him to check out some dermatitis or something around my nose, and his practice and manner is nice enough. He apparently triple-books appointments so he's a busy guy.
posted by mokuba at 12:41 AM on October 24

These people aren't dermatologists (and they're in the East Bay), so apologies if this is irrelevant, but I've been pretty happy with the results I've gotten since I started going to Face Reality Skin Care in San Leandro.

Before I went to them, I had gone through the dermatology department at my local Kaiser but was very unsatisfied with the results. Based on the reading I've done since then, the treatments they were giving me (benzoyl peroxide, topical and systemic antibiotics, and ultimately Accutane) were, for the most part, ineffective for the kind of acne I have. (I know many people think it's arrogant to be second-guessing one's MDs, but everything I've read says benzoyl peroxide is ineffective for non-inflammatory acne like mine, just to give one example.) The people at Face Reality aren't doctors, but the results I've gotten following their treatment regimen is much better than anything I achieved following the MDs' advice.
posted by Lexica at 8:41 PM on October 24