Compare 240 dermatologists in San Diego, CA. Check ratings, insurance, and availability.
240
Dermatologists
100%
Accepting patients
76%
Most common: MD
Ranked by Clarity Score, based on profile detail, verification, and patient activity.
San Diego's healthcare runs on three competing systems: UC San Diego Health, Scripps Health, and Sharp HealthCare. Between them, they cover the county pretty thoroughly. The biotech corridor in Torrey Pines and Sorrento Valley also means clinical trials are unusually accessible here for a city this size.
San Diego has 240 dermatologists. The most common credential is MD (76%). 100% are currently accepting new patients.
San Diego sprawls north-south along the coast, so healthcare access depends heavily on which part of the county you live in. The Hillcrest-Mission Valley corridor is the densest medical zone. North County residents look to Scripps Encinitas and Palomar Health in Escondido. South Bay patients use Sharp Chula Vista or cross into the Hillcrest hub. The trolley connects downtown to some hospital areas, but most patients drive.
Providers practice throughout San Diego. La Jolla is uC San Diego Health and Scripps Memorial Hospital La Jolla make this a hub for specialty and research-driven care. Gaslamp Quarter is downtown providers serve the urban core, with Sharp Memorial and UC San Diego Health a short drive away. Pacific Beach is a younger, active community with walk-in clinics and easy access to Scripps and Sharp hospital systems. Hillcrest is home to Scripps Mercy Hospital and a strong network of LGBTQ+ affirming healthcare providers.
Nearby hospitals include UC San Diego Health, Scripps Mercy Hospital, and Sharp Memorial Hospital. Local training programs run through University of California, San Diego (UCSD) and San Diego State University. San Diego is a major biotech hub with over 1,100 life sciences companies in the region.
A first dermatology visit includes a full-body skin exam where the doctor inspects your skin from head to toe using a dermatoscope (a lighted magnifier). They will ask about your skin concerns and history. For a specific issue like acne, they will discuss treatment options. Moles that look concerning may be biopsied on the spot. It is quick with local numbing.
If you're new to San Diego, pick a primary care doctor within one of the three big systems (UCSD, Scripps, or Sharp) before you need one. Walk-in urgent care is widely available, but establishing a PCP makes specialist access much faster.
See a dermatologist for persistent acne that over-the-counter products cannot control, a changing or new mole, unexplained rashes or itching, hair loss, psoriasis or eczema flare-ups, nail infections, warts that will not go away, and annual skin cancer screenings (especially if you are fair-skinned or have a family history of skin cancer).
Office visit copay: $20-75 · Skin biopsy: $150-500 · Acne treatment plan: $50-200/month · Mohs surgery: $1,000-3,000
Wildfire smoke from inland fires occasionally pushes into coastal neighborhoods. Allergy sufferers should know that San Diego's dry climate still produces significant pollen from non-native landscaping plants.
Persistent or severe acne that does not respond to over-the-counter products benefits from a dermatologist who can prescribe topical treatments, oral medications, or procedures tailored to your skin type.
Eczema causes itchy, inflamed skin that flares and subsides in cycles. Dermatologists develop management plans that reduce flares, repair the skin barrier, and improve your comfort.
Psoriasis is an autoimmune condition that causes thick, scaly patches on the skin. Dermatologists offer treatments from topical creams to biologic medications depending on severity.
Annual skin checks help catch melanoma and other skin cancers early when they are most treatable. Dermatologists examine suspicious moles and perform biopsies on anything that looks concerning.
A rash that does not go away, keeps coming back, or spreads deserves professional evaluation. Dermatologists can distinguish between hundreds of conditions that may look similar to the untrained eye.
San Diego, CA has 240 licensed dermatologists. 100% are currently accepting new patients, so finding an available provider should be straightforward.
Yes. 100% of dermatologists in San Diego, CA are currently accepting new patients. You can filter your search on FindClarity to show only providers who are taking new patients.
Employer plans in San Diego lean toward Anthem Blue Cross, Blue Shield, and Kaiser (which operates its own facilities in Kearny Mesa and Clairemont). Medi-Cal is managed through San Diego County's Health and Human Services. Covered California offers multiple plan options, with Molina and Blue Shield as common choices.
Office visit copays range from $20 to $75. A skin biopsy costs $150 to $500. Acne treatment plans run $50 to $200 per month. Mohs surgery for skin cancer costs $1,000 to $3,000. Actual costs in San Diego, CA depend on the provider and your insurance plan. Medical dermatology visits are covered under your regular health insurance. Cosmetic procedures are paid out of pocket. Annual skin exams are considered preventive by many plans.
San Diego healthcare is dominated by three systems: UC San Diego Health (academic, research-focused), Scripps Health (five hospital campuses, strong cardiology), and Sharp HealthCare (the largest system by patient volume). Most specialists are affiliated with one of these three, so your choice of PCP often determines your referral path.
MD stands for Doctor of Medicine and DO stands for Doctor of Osteopathic Medicine. Both are equivalent qualifications. In San Diego, CA, 76% hold the MD credential and 6% hold DO. The difference is in training pathway, not quality of care.
60% of dermatologists in San Diego, CA accept Medicare. Medicare covers medically necessary dermatology visits, including skin cancer screenings and treatment. Cosmetic procedures like Botox and chemical peels are not covered. You can filter for Medicare-accepting providers on FindClarity.
San Diego has one of the highest concentrations of TRICARE-accepting providers in the country, given the large military presence (Naval Base San Diego, Camp Pendleton, Marine Corps Air Station Miramar). Most major systems and many independent practices accept TRICARE Prime and Select.
North County (Encinitas, Carlsbad, Oceanside, Escondido) has grown faster than its healthcare infrastructure. Scripps Encinitas and Palomar Health are the main hospital systems. Primary care wait times can be longer than in central San Diego, especially for new patients. Urgent care centers fill some of the gap.
Top accepted carriers in San Diego, CA include unitedhealthcare, medicare, centene, qhp-44228, and molina.
Medical dermatology (acne, rashes, skin cancer checks) is covered under your regular health insurance with standard copays. Cosmetic procedures (Botox, chemical peels, laser resurfacing) are not covered. Annual skin exams are considered preventive by many plans. Confirm your dermatologist is in-network, as dermatology tends to have more out-of-network providers.