6 Things That Should Never Happen At The Derm If You Have Dark Skin

We know, we know, if you hear the r-word (that'd be 'resolution') again this month, you're going to scream. But we're going to ask you to add one more thing to your to-do list in order to make 2017 the best skin year of your life: Make a dermatologist appointment.

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. To help you navigate your first appointment, or shop around for the doctor you feel most comfortable entrusting your skin to, we’ve enlisted the help of several experts, all of whom have plenty of experience working with deeper skin tones, to share the six things that should never happen during your session. Ahead, the red flags to be on the lookout for.