How to Choose a Dermatologist in Miami

Board certification is voluntary, so a licensed physician can practice dermatology without it. Certification shows the doctor completed a dermatology residency and passed the board's exams. Look it up yourself:

• American Board of Dermatology: the "Is My Dermatologist Board Certified?" search on abderm.org.
• ABMS: CertificationMatters.org ("Is My Doctor Board Certified?") covers all ABMS member boards.
• Osteopathic physicians (DOs): the AOA offers osteopathic board certification in dermatology; check it on the AOA's certification site.

Florida limits who can advertise as "board-certified." An MD "may not hold himself or herself out as a board-certified specialist" unless recognized by an American Board of Medical Specialties board or another agency the Board of Medicine has approved (§ 458.3312). A parallel rule applies to osteopathic physicians (§ 459.0152). If an ad says "board-certified," ask: by which board, and in what specialty? For more, see What Is Board Certification in Dermatology?

Every Florida physician's license is public on the Department of Health's MQA Search Services portal, which has separate searches for License Verification, Practitioner Profile and Discipline & Admin Actions. By law, the department compiles practitioner profiles, and physician profiles reflect disciplinary action and medical malpractice claims as reported by the National Practitioner Data Bank (§ 456.041). Check that the license is active and read the profile before your first visit.

Dermatology is broad. Ask what share of the practice is:

• Medical dermatology: acne, eczema, psoriasis, rosacea, hair loss, pigment problems such as melasma.
• Skin cancer and surgical dermatology: full-body skin checks, biopsies and Mohs surgery. See How Often Should You Have a Skin Check? and What Is a Mohs Surgeon?
• Cosmetic dermatology: injectables, lasers and energy devices. See Medical vs. Cosmetic Dermatology and Cosmetic Dermatologists.

Many Miami practices do all three. What matters is whether the doctor regularly treats your concern.

In many practices, physician assistants, nurses or aestheticians perform some services. That can be appropriate, but you should know who is treating you and who supervises. Ask:

• Will the dermatologist see me, or another clinician?
• Who performs this procedure, and how often do they do it?
• If something goes wrong, who do I call, and when will the dermatologist see me?

If you're weighing a medical spa, see Dermatologist vs. Esthetician.

Some dermatologists also see patients by video, including from out of state. A clinician who isn't licensed in Florida may treat a patient located in Florida by telehealth only if they register with the appropriate Florida board and practice within Florida's scope of practice. Registered providers must link their websites to the department's information page (§ 456.47(4)). Check registration on the DOH portal, just as you would a license.

• Are you board-certified in dermatology, and by which board?
• How often do you treat my condition or perform this procedure?
• What are the alternatives, including doing nothing?
• What results are realistic, and what are the risks for my skin type?
• Can I see before-and-after photos of your own patients (for cosmetic work)?
• How are follow-up visits and after-hours questions handled?
• Do you or your team speak my preferred language?

More are in Questions to Ask at a Dermatology Consultation. For a general (non-Florida) overview, see How Do You Choose a Dermatologist?

Featured doctors: Haute MD Network dermatologists in the Miami area include Dr. Anna Chacon, a board-certified dermatologist and founder of Miami Derm, a medical, surgical and cosmetic dermatology practice in Miami that also offers teledermatology, and Dr. S. Manjula Jegasothy, a board-certified cosmetic dermatologist and founder and medical director of Miami Skin Institute in Coral Gables, whose listed treatments include Botox Cosmetic, dermal fillers, Ultherapy and Vbeam.

Browse Dermatologists, Miami Physicians or the full Find a Doctor directory.

• American Board of Dermatology, home page ("Is My Dermatologist Board Certified?" search) — https://www.abderm.org/ (checked Nov. 13, 2026)
• ABMS, CertificationMatters.org ("Is My Doctor Board Certified?") — https://www.certificationmatters.org/ (checked Nov. 13, 2026)
• American Osteopathic Association, Osteopathic Board Certification in Dermatology — https://certification.osteopathic.org/dermatology/ (checked Nov. 13, 2026)
• Florida Department of Health, MQA Search Services (License Verification, Practitioner Profile, Discipline & Admin Actions) — https://mqa-internet.doh.state.fl.us/MQASearchServices/Home (checked Nov. 13, 2026)
• Fla. Stat. § 458.3312, Specialties — https://www.leg.state.fl.us/statutes/index.cfm?App_mode=Display_Statute&URL=0400-0499/0458/Sections/0458.3312.html (checked Nov. 13, 2026)
• Fla. Stat. § 459.0152, Specialties (osteopathic) — https://www.leg.state.fl.us/statutes/index.cfm?App_mode=Display_Statute&URL=0400-0499/0459/Sections/0459.0152.html (checked Nov. 13, 2026)
• Fla. Stat. § 456.041, Practitioner profile — https://www.leg.state.fl.us/statutes/index.cfm?App_mode=Display_Statute&URL=0400-0499/0456/Sections/0456.041.html (checked Nov. 13, 2026)
• Fla. Stat. § 456.47, Use of telehealth (out-of-state provider registration) — https://www.leg.state.fl.us/statutes/index.cfm?App_mode=Display_Statute&URL=0400-0499/0456/Sections/0456.47.html (checked Nov. 13, 2026)
• Florida Department of Health, Telehealth — https://flhealthsource.gov/telehealth/ (checked Nov. 13, 2026)

This guide is general information, not medical advice. Talk to a licensed physician about your own skin.