Dermatologist: what a dermatologist does and how to see one today

What is a dermatologist?

A dermatologist is a medical specialist who recognises and treats diseases of the skin, hair, nails and mucous membranes. After medical school comes a five-year specialisation in dermatology and venereology. In the Netherlands a dermatologist is registered as a doctor with this specialism in the BIG register and may diagnose, treat and prescribe medication.

The title is protected: only doctors who completed the recognised specialist training and are listed in the register may use it. You can check any doctor in the public BIG register. Dutch dermatologists are organised in the NVDV, which publishes the treatment guidelines we refer to on this site.

At 247dermatologist it is always such a specialist who looks at your skin, not a GP and not an algorithm. Every dermatologist is listed by name and BIG number on our about page, and also works in a Dutch hospital or clinic.

What does a dermatologist treat?

A dermatologist treats everything to do with the skin: acne, eczema, psoriasis and rosacea, skin infections, moles, skin cancer, hair loss, nail problems and allergic reactions. Sexually transmitted infections with skin symptoms also fall under this specialism (venereology).

The most common reasons to see a dermatologist are eczema, acne, psoriasis, rosacea, warts, fungal infections, hives, a changing mole and a spot that does not heal. Our dermatologists explain each condition, how to recognise it and how it is treated: overview of skin conditions.

Almost all of these you can submit online today. You take photos with your phone, answer a few questions and a dermatologist does the rest.

When should you see a dermatologist?

See a dermatologist when a skin complaint does not clear up with what your GP or the pharmacy can offer, when you are unsure about a spot or mole, when a complaint keeps coming back, or when your skin affects your daily life. With a changing mole or a spot that does not heal, do not wait.

Many skin complaints are handled well by a GP. A dermatologist comes in when the diagnosis is uncertain, when a treatment does not work, with chronic conditions such as psoriasis, severe acne or persistent eczema, and with anything that could be skin cancer.

Not sure whether your complaint needs a dermatologist? That in itself is reason enough to have it assessed. Online it costs you no waiting list and no afternoon off: within 12 to 48 hours you know where you stand.

Two routes to a dermatologist: through your GP or directly online

In the Netherlands there are two ways to reach a dermatologist. Through your GP: appointment, referral, then on average about five weeks' wait for a first hospital or clinic appointment. Or directly online at 247dermatologist: upload photos, and within 12 to 48 hours a BIG-registered dermatologist assesses them, no referral needed.

The GP route is there for anyone who needs to be seen in person or wants the care reimbursed. For anything that can be assessed from a photo, five weeks of waiting is not necessary. Start today.

Can I see a dermatologist without a referral?

Yes. In the Netherlands a GP referral is a condition for reimbursement by your health insurer, not for the care itself. Without a referral you can see a dermatologist who works outside insured care, such as online at 247dermatologist. You then pay for the consultation yourself.

How this works: dermatologist without a referral. 247dermatologist is an admitted healthcare provider (Wtza).

No referral also means no waiting list and no first appointment to find out whether you need a second one. You submit your complaint today and get an answer from the specialist. New to the Netherlands and not yet registered with a GP? You do not need one for this.

What does a dermatologist cost?

Through your GP, a hospital or clinic dermatologist is covered by Dutch basic health insurance. You first pay your annual excess (eigen risico) of 385 euros. If you choose a dermatologist without a referral, you pay for the consultation yourself: at 247dermatologist 39, 59 or 79 euros, depending on how fast you want your answer.

The amount the hospital charges (a DBC) is often higher than the excess and differs per treatment; what you pay yourself depends on how much of your excess you have already used that year. A consultation at 247dermatologist does not count towards your excess.

With us you know the price in advance: 39 euros for an answer within 48 hours, 59 euros within 24 hours, 79 euros within 12 hours. Diagnosis, treatment plan and prescription included; nothing comes afterwards. All prices on the pricing page.

Can a dermatologist diagnose online?

Yes, for many skin complaints. A dermatologist assesses sharp photos of your skin together with your answers to a questionnaire, makes a diagnosis and writes a treatment plan. This is called teledermatology. At 247dermatologist a BIG-registered dermatologist does this within 12 to 48 hours, without a referral.

1. 1

   Upload.

   Take photos of the area with your phone and answer a few questions in the app. It takes a few minutes.

2. 2

   Assessment.

   A BIG-registered dermatologist reviews your photos and answers and asks follow-up questions in the chat if needed.

3. 3

   Answer.

   Within 12, 24 or 48 hours, you choose the pace, you receive the diagnosis and treatment plan, with a prescription if needed, to collect at your own pharmacy in the Netherlands.

More on how it works; the online dermatologist of 247dermatologist is registered for prescribing medicines online.

Dermatologist or skin therapist?

A dermatologist is a medical specialist: makes the diagnosis, assesses risks and writes a medical treatment plan, with a prescription if needed. A skin therapist (huidtherapeut) is a paramedical professional with a bachelor's degree and a protected title, who treats the skin itself but does not diagnose or prescribe. They often work together.

With acne, for example, the dermatologist assesses the risk of scarring and which medication fits; the skin therapist can treat and support the skin. Who does what: skin therapist or dermatologist. Source: NVDV and the Dutch Association of Skin Therapists.

Start with the diagnosis. Once you know what it is and what the risk is, you also know whether a skin therapist, a cream or a prescription is the right next step. With us you have that diagnosis within 12 to 48 hours.

Can a dermatologist prescribe medication?

Yes. A dermatologist is a doctor and may prescribe medication, from creams and ointments to tablets. Online prescribing is allowed too, under the Dutch rules for prescribing via the internet. At 247dermatologist you receive a prescription when the dermatologist considers it medically necessary; you collect it at your own pharmacy in the Netherlands.

A prescription is never the goal of a consultation, but an outcome of the assessment. Some medicines require blood tests or a physical examination before they can be started; the dermatologist then says so in the treatment plan and refers you where needed.

If a prescription is needed, it is ready at your pharmacy the same day as your answer. No second appointment, no return visit for a piece of paper.

When do you need to be seen in person?

Some complaints need examinations that cannot be done online. A changing mole or a spot that does not heal can get a first assessment online, but certainty comes from dermoscopy or a biopsy at a hospital or clinic. If in doubt, the dermatologist says so and gives you a referral summary.

The same applies to wounds that will not close, widespread or rapidly worsening rashes with fever, and skin problems when your immune system is seriously weakened. For emergencies, online is not the right place: a rapidly spreading red, warm, painful area with fever, shortness of breath or a swollen lip or tongue, or an allergic reaction means calling your GP, the out-of-hours GP service or 112 the same day.

Even then, the online assessment is not a wasted step. You go to the GP or clinic with a dermatologist's assessment in hand, not with an empty referral. That often saves a first appointment.

Our dermatologists

247dermatologist works with eight dermatologists, all registered in the Dutch BIG register and working in Dutch hospitals and clinics, plus a skin therapist. The medical director is dr. A.M. van Coevorden. They work according to the NVDV guidelines. Names, BIG numbers and backgrounds are on the about page.

Patients rate 247dermatologist 4.7 on Google.

The same dermatologists you would meet at the hospital, without the waiting list in front of them. You choose the pace, they do the assessment.

A dermatologist in your region

247dermatologist works online for the whole of the Netherlands and has no clinic of its own. If you are looking for a dermatologist nearby, two things matter: the waiting times of the hospitals and clinics in your region, and whether your complaint needs to be seen in person. Per region we list the current NZa waiting times.

National figures and background on dermatologist waiting times.

Wherever you live, the online dermatologist is the same distance away: your phone. Within 12 to 48 hours you have an answer, from Groningen to Maastricht.