Compare 171 dermatologists in San Francisco, CA. Check ratings, insurance, and availability.
171
Dermatologists
100%
Accepting patients
77%
Most common: MD
Ranked by Clarity Score, based on profile detail, verification, and patient activity.
San Francisco punches well above its weight in healthcare. UCSF is a top-10 national hospital, and the city's 95%+ insurance coverage rate is among the highest anywhere. The tradeoff is cost: provider fees here reflect the city's overall cost of living, and even insured patients can face significant out-of-pocket expenses.
San Francisco has 171 dermatologists. The most common credential is MD (77%). 100% are currently accepting new patients.
SF is compact enough that most residents are within 20 minutes of a major hospital. UCSF's two main campuses (Parnassus and Mission Bay) anchor the western and eastern halves of the city. California Pacific Medical Center on Van Ness serves the northern neighborhoods. Muni and BART make car-free healthcare access genuinely possible here, which is unusual for a US city.
Providers practice throughout San Francisco. Mission District is a vibrant, diverse neighborhood with community health centers serving a large Latino population. Pacific Heights is an affluent neighborhood with concierge practices and proximity to CPMC and UCSF. SoMa is the South of Market area is close to Zuckerberg SF General, a Level I trauma center. Castro is a historic LGBTQ+ neighborhood with strong affirming care options and community clinics.
Nearby hospitals include UCSF Medical Center, Zuckerberg San Francisco General Hospital, and California Pacific Medical Center. Local training programs run through University of California, San Francisco (UCSF) and University of San Francisco. UCSF Medical Center is among the top 10 hospitals in the nation, specializing in cancer and neurology.
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.
Many SF primary care practices are panel-closed, meaning they aren't accepting new patients. If you're new to the city, try UCSF's primary care network or One Medical (now part of Amazon), which has multiple SF locations and shorter wait times.
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
Fog and cool coastal air mean SF rarely has the air quality issues that affect inland California. Asthma rates are moderate. The bigger concern is seasonal respiratory viruses, which spread quickly in dense, transit-heavy neighborhoods.
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 Francisco, CA has 171 licensed dermatologists. 100% are currently accepting new patients, so finding an available provider should be straightforward.
Yes. 100% of dermatologists in San Francisco, CA are currently accepting new patients. You can filter your search on FindClarity to show only providers who are taking new patients.
SF has Healthy San Francisco, a city program that provides basic healthcare access for uninsured residents regardless of immigration status. For employer coverage, Kaiser, Blue Shield, and Anthem are the most common carriers. Medi-Cal managed care runs through SF Health Plan. Covered California participation is strong.
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 Francisco, 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.
In San Francisco, the main healthcare systems are UCSF Health (academic, highly specialized), Sutter/CPMC (broad community coverage across four campuses), Kaiser Permanente (closed network with its own facilities on Geary), and Zuckerberg SF General (the city's public safety-net hospital). Your insurance plan will often determine which system you use.
60% of dermatologists in San Francisco, 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.
Some dermatologists in San Francisco, CA accept Medi-Cal, the state's Medicaid program. Medicaid covers dermatology visits for medical conditions. Coverage for specific procedures and medications varies by state. Cosmetic treatments are excluded. Contact the provider's office directly to confirm Medi-Cal participation before scheduling.
Healthy San Francisco is a city-funded program that provides healthcare access to uninsured San Francisco residents, including undocumented immigrants. It covers primary care, prescriptions, and hospital visits through the SF Department of Public Health network. It's not insurance, but it fills a real gap for residents who don't qualify for other coverage.
Many SF primary care panels are full, especially in popular neighborhoods like the Marina, Pacific Heights, and Noe Valley. UCSF and Sutter/CPMC periodically open new patient slots. One Medical and Carbon Health offer membership-based primary care with same-day availability. Community health centers also accept new patients on a rolling basis.
Top accepted carriers in San Francisco, CA include unitedhealthcare, medicare, molina, centene, and qhp-63474.
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.