Asked and answered

Usually not. Self-referred patients are welcome for everything we do. The exception is a few HMO plans (including Blue Granite HMO) that require a referral from your primary doctor for the visit to be covered — we check this when we verify your benefits and will tell you before your appointment, not after.

Within about five business days on our priority track — we hold slots for exactly this. A changing spot is almost never an emergency, but it should never wait months either. Book online and choose “a new, changing, or worrying spot,” or call and say the words “changing mole.”

Less than you are imagining. You are gowned, only the area being examined is uncovered, a chaperone is available on request for any exam, and the whole thing takes 10–20 minutes. Most patients tell us afterward the anticipation was the hardest part.

Yes — always ask. A quick dermatoscope look at a spot you are worried about takes two minutes and is part of any visit. If it needs more time or a biopsy, we will book that properly rather than rush it.

We call you, explain exactly what type it is and what that means, and lay out the options. Most basal and squamous cell cancers are removed here in clinic; cosmetically sensitive sites may be referred for Mohs surgery. Melanoma gets a treatment plan and a follow-up schedule the same week. You will never be left waiting with a scary word and no plan.

Yes — eczema, warts, molluscum, acne, and birthmark checks are everyday work here. A parent or guardian stays in the room, and for teens on the acne program the first visit always includes the parent.

Yes. The ranges on the cosmetic page are what people actually pay; where a price depends on dose or area, the consult ends with your exact number in writing before anything is scheduled. No memberships, no packages you must buy, no commission for anyone.

Dr. Villanueva — a board-certified dermatologist — personally performs all injectable and laser treatments. We think that matters, and it is why our cosmetic menu is shorter than a med spa's.

Our self-pay prices are published on the insurance & pricing page — real totals, not teaser rates. A new-patient visit is $185, a spot check is $135, and a full-body exam is $165. You will always know the price before we do anything billable.

Yes. When acne warrants it, we run the full monitored program in-house — monthly visits, required labs, and honest counseling about side effects. It is a serious medication we prescribe regularly and carefully.

Almost none — and never as a condition of treatment. Most of what your skin needs is available at a drugstore, and your written plan names specific ingredients rather than brands wherever possible.

Life happens — we ask for 24 hours' notice so the slot can go to someone on the priority wait list. Repeated no-shows may need a card on file to rebook, but there is no fee for a first miss.