Visiting the derm can be intimidating for many women, but for women of color, the thought can be especially anxiety-provoking. Questions and concerns about the doctor’s experience and knowledge in treating deeper skin tones can cause most to skip the appointment all together.
And those fears aren’t unfounded. A recent study conducted by doctors in the Department of Dermatology and Medicine at the University of Alabama Birmingham found that 47% of dermatologists and dermatology residents reported that “their medical training (medical school and/or residency) was inadequate in training them on skin conditions in Black [people],” with many openly admitting that they needed greater exposure to diverse patients and training materials to help them better assess potentially serious and deadly skin concerns.
But despite that alarming statistic, you should still visit the dermatologist if you’re a person of color; you just need to do your research.