How Much Is a Dermatology Visit Without Insurance?

A dermatology visit without insurance usually costs a few hundred dollars for a new patient, before any procedures. Biopsies and lab work are billed on top. For acne, rosacea and other conditions a dermatologist can judge from photos, an online dermatology service is often a fraction of that, but it can't replace an in-person skin check.

What an in-person visit costs

There's no national price list for dermatology, and most "average cost" figures online aren't sourced. Two real reference points:

• A posted practice price list. One dermatology practice's 2022 price-transparency filing lists $305 for a new-patient office visit (billing code 99203).
• What Medicare pays. For that same visit code, Medicare's allowed amount is roughly $110–$120, even though dermatologists' billed charges are often three times that.

Cash prices sit between those numbers, and new-patient visits cost more than follow-ups. Many practices have a lower self-pay rate than their billed charge, but you usually have to ask for it.

Extra costs that raise the bill

The visit fee is only the start if the dermatologist does something during it:

Add-on	Example price	Notes
Shave biopsy	$385	From the same posted price list
Punch biopsy	$651	From the same posted price list
Pathology lab fee	Billed separately	The lab that examines a biopsy sends its own bill

Prices vary widely by region. New Hampshire's state price tool, for instance, shows an average billed charge of over $1,000 for a skin-lesion biopsy. Cosmetic procedures, like removing a harmless mole for appearance, aren't covered by insurance either, so cash pricing applies to everyone.

The wait is a cost too

A 2022 survey of 15 large US cities found an average wait of 34.5 days for a new dermatology appointment, from 9 days in Philadelphia to 72 in Minneapolis. A 2024 study of New York City practices found practices accepting Medicaid had a median wait of 30.5 days versus 13 days for those that didn't.

Online dermatology: what it costs

Online dermatology services price consults far below an office visit:

• Nurx: a $40 consult covers a year of acne care; prescriptions without insurance run about $15–$30 a month.
• Curology: a custom prescription formula from about $30 a month, with the dermatology provider included.
• Miiskin: dermatologists set their own consult fee, typically $59–$69, with medication extra.
• First Derm: photo consults from about $35, priced by response speed.

Here's what tretinoin-based prescription skincare costs at the services we track, live from our price database:

What online dermatology can and can't do

Good fit: acne, rosacea, eczema follow-ups, hair loss, anti-aging retinoids, and other conditions a clinician can assess from clear photos.

Not a fit: a full-body skin cancer screening, a changing or bleeding mole, or anything that needs a biopsy. Research reviews have found teledermatology shortens waits, but for a suspicious spot you need an in-person exam. If an online provider tells you to be seen in person, take that seriously.

How to pay less

• Ask the practice for its self-pay or prompt-pay price before your visit.
• Ask what any procedure would cost, including the pathology lab, before agreeing to it.
• Use an online service for photo-friendly conditions, and save in-person visits for skin checks and procedures.
• Community health centers and dermatology residency clinics often charge on a sliding scale.