I'm Canadian, and I had the SAME problem... I moved from BC to MB last yr, and went to a walk-in (as I obviously didn't have a doctor yet) to try to get a referral... and was promptly refused. I was shocked. Like, check your ego at the door, Doctor -- you aren't all-knowing in skin care and I want someone who IS.

Anyway, not sure where you are, but I've been able to call up derms in MB and make appts with no problem.

Did it cost you money? I know it probably varies by province, but here I think some dermatologists offer private services (like cosmetic ones). Those aren't covered by the government and cost money, but you can get them without a referral.

Yet it seems if I want to go for something that IS covered, like acne, I need a referral. I can't afford to pay an arm and a leg just to see the doctor, haha.

My family doctor was the same way. He was such a smug jerk and every time I asked to see a derm he'd reply, "There's nothing a dermatologist can prescribe you that I can't". So during my first year of university I went to the school's clinic and luckily one of the doctor's there was kind enough to refer me to a derm. Unlike my family doctor who thinks that everyone's acne is the same, this derm actually examined my current skin, its history, and my other medical problems and attempted to diagnose what was causing my acne. Sheesh, it's like he was a skin specialist or something. He then prescribed me Spironolactone and I haven't had any acne at all since about 4 months after I started taking it. All I have left are a few icepick scars that I hopefully can treat with TCA CROSS. When I told my family doctor that I was taking Spiro for acne he told me that Spiro isn't used to treat acne. HA.

Anyways, if you want your consultation covered you will probably need a referral from another doctor. Besides, most derms that don't need a referral are the ones who try to sell you the ridiculously expensive, yet ineffective procedures (Unfortunately I saw one of these derms first). You could try doing what I did and go to a clinic, or you could just visit your doctor and rip a strip off of her whilst demanding to see a derm. Good luck.

My family doctor considers herself knowledgeable about skin care, and won't refer me to a dermatologist. But she keeps giving me the same treatments over and over which don't work - after 5 years, I'm sick of it.

I can't figure out how this works - in Canada, do I need a referral to see a dermatologist? Or can I just call one up and make an appointment?

Is there any way I could see one for acne without going through my family doctor?

Hey, I believe walk in clinics can do referrals as well,

you can try finding a good dermatologist you'd like to see, get their fax number, and ask a walk in clinic doctor to send a referral.

Might take a while to see them, I think dermatologists (at least in Toronto) are usually booked up for months.

I'm now 66 and suffer from cystic acne which flares up ... cause unknown. My GP keeps using the term " risk versus reward " and I'm beginning to wonder if he has certain biases, my age being one. He laughs outright at my requests. Is there a dermatologist in Southern Alberta I can see without a referral from this jerk?