Who This Service Is For
This consultation is appropriate for adults and children presenting with:
- A new rash, skin change, or lesion that needs clinical assessment
- An existing skin condition that is flaring, worsening, or not responding to current treatment
- Acne — from mild to moderate presentations requiring structured medical management
- Eczema or atopic dermatitis — flare assessment and ongoing management review
- Psoriasis — assessment and management at GP level
- A skin lesion, mole, or growth that has changed or is causing concern
- Allergic skin reactions — urticaria, contact dermatitis, or drug reactions
- Scalp conditions — seborrhoeic dermatitis, scalp psoriasis, or fungal conditions
- Skin infections — bacterial, viral, or fungal
- Chronic skin conditions requiring ongoing GP-level management and monitoring
- Patients who need a dermatology referral letter to access specialist care
If you have a rapidly spreading rash accompanied by fever, difficulty breathing, or facial swelling — seek emergency care immediately. Call 999 or attend your nearest emergency department.
Conditions Commonly Assessed
- Inflammatory Skin Conditions
- Eczema and atopic dermatitis — including flare management, trigger identification, and ongoing care
- Psoriasis — plaque, guttate, and scalp psoriasis at GP level
- Seborrhoeic dermatitis — scalp and facial presentation
- Rosacea — assessment and management
- Perioral dermatitis
- Acne
- Mild to moderate acne — comedonal, inflammatory, and mixed
- Acne in teenagers and adults
- Hormonal acne in women — assessed in conjunction with hormonal assessment where indicated
- Post-acne pigmentation and scarring assessment
- Acne management review — patients already on treatment who need a clinical review
- Allergic & Reactive Conditions
- Urticaria — acute and chronic hives
- Allergic contact dermatitis — assessment and allergen avoidance advice
- Drug reactions affecting the skin
- Angioedema — assessment and management at GP level
- Food allergy-related skin presentations
- Infections
- Impetigo — bacterial skin infection
- Cellulitis — assessment and management, with escalation where indicated
- Folliculitis
- Fungal skin infections — tinea corporis, tinea pedis, tinea versicolor
- Molluscum contagiosum
- Warts and verrucae — assessment and management options
- Herpes simplex — cold sores and cutaneous herpes
- Shingles — varicella zoster assessment and management
- Pigmentation & Lesions
- Moles and skin lesions that have changed in size, shape, colour, or texture
- Post-inflammatory hyperpigmentation
- Melasma — assessment and management
- Vitiligo — assessment and referral where indicated
- Scalp Conditions
- Seborrhoeic dermatitis of the scalp
- Scalp psoriasis
- Scalp folliculitis
- Tinea capitis — fungal scalp infection
- Paediatric Skin Conditions
- Eczema in infants and children — a core paediatric presentation
- Nappy rash and infant skin concerns
- Childhood viral rashes — assessment and management advice for parents
- Impetigo and skin infections in children
- Molluscum contagiosum in children
What Your Consultation Includes
Visual Clinical AssessmentSkin conditions are uniquely suited to video consultation — your doctor can observe the lesion, rash, or skin change directly during the call and conduct a structured clinical assessment based on visual findings alongside your history. Good lighting and a clear camera view significantly improve the quality of assessment — your doctor will guide you on positioning during the call.
Comprehensive HistoryYour doctor will review the onset, progression, distribution, associated symptoms, triggers, previous treatments, relevant medical history, medications, and family history of skin conditions — building a complete clinical picture alongside the visual assessment.
Diagnosis and Management PlanBased on the assessment, your doctor will advise on the most likely diagnosis, the appropriate management approach, and what to expect from treatment — including how to monitor your condition and when to seek further review.
Investigation Requests Where IndicatedWhere blood tests — including allergy panels, inflammatory markers, or hormonal assessment for acne — are clinically indicated, your doctor will issue the request on the same day.
Clinical RecommendationsAny clinical recommendations — including topical treatments, systemic treatments, or lifestyle modifications — are made solely at the doctor's professional discretion following full assessment.
Dermatology Referral Where NeededWhere your condition requires specialist dermatology assessment — including suspicious lesions, severe or treatment-resistant conditions, or conditions requiring patch testing, biopsy, or specialist procedures — your doctor will issue a formal referral letter and advise on urgency.
Skin Lesions — When to Act Urgently
Any change in a mole or skin lesion warrants clinical assessment. The ABCDE criteria are the standard clinical guide:
- A — Asymmetry — one half of the lesion does not match the other
- B — Border — irregular, ragged, notched, or blurred edges
- C — Colour — variation in colour within the lesion — shades of brown, black, red, white, or blue
- D — Diameter — larger than 6mm — approximately the size of a pencil eraser
- E — Evolution — any change in size, shape, colour, or any new symptom such as bleeding or itching
If your lesion meets any of these criteria, book an assessment promptly. Your doctor will assess the lesion visually and advise on whether urgent in-person dermatology assessment is needed.
Skin cancer diagnosis requires in-person dermoscopy and, where indicated, biopsy. Video consultation allows clinical assessment and urgent referral — it does not replace in-person specialist assessment for suspicious lesions.
What Cannot Be Assessed or Managed Through This Service
Transparency about the limitations of video-based skin assessment is as important as clarity about what we can do:
Suspicious or changing lesions can be assessed visually and referred urgently — but diagnosis requires in-person dermoscopy and biopsy where indicated
- Isotretinoin (Roaccutane) cannot be initiated through this service — this requires consultant dermatologist assessment and prescription in Ireland
- Patch testing for contact allergen identification requires in-person attendance at a dermatology centre
- Skin biopsies require in-person attendance
- Biologic treatments for severe psoriasis or other inflammatory conditions require consultant dermatology assessment
Your doctor will advise clearly if your presentation requires any of these and will coordinate the appropriate referral.
Preparing for Your Skin Consultation
Getting the most from a video-based skin assessment requires a little preparation:
Good lighting — natural daylight or a bright lamp directed at the affected area gives your doctor the clearest view
Close-up photos — take clear photos of the affected area before your consultation — these can be shared during the call if needed and help your doctor assess changes over time
Multiple angles — if the lesion or rash has a specific texture, border, or distribution, showing it from multiple angles during the call improves assessment accuracy
Note the history — when it started, what it looked like initially, how it has changed, what makes it better or worse, and what you have already tried
Why Patients Choose Us
Visual assessment via videoSkin conditions are one of the highest-value categories for video consultation — your doctor can see the condition directly, not just hear a description of it. This significantly improves diagnostic accuracy compared to a phone consultation or text-based triage.
Same-day and advance appointments Skin concerns range from urgent — a rapidly spreading rash — to planned — a chronic condition review. Same-day and advance appointments are available, seven days a week including evenings and weekends.
Dermatology referral coordinated same dayWhere specialist dermatology input is needed, your doctor will issue a formal referral letter on the same day — so you can contact your chosen dermatologist or clinic immediately rather than waiting for a follow-up appointment.
Investigation requests issued same dayWhere blood tests are clinically indicated — allergy panels, inflammatory markers, hormonal assessment — your doctor can issue the request on the same day.
Paediatric skin assessment availableSkin conditions in children — eczema, rashes, infections, and molluscum — are a core part of this service. Your doctor will assess your child's skin concern with you present throughout the consultation.
Irish-registered doctorsAll assessments are conducted by doctors registered to practise in Ireland, operating to full GP-level clinical standards.
Multi-lingualConsultations available in English, Portuguese, Spanish, Czech, and Romanian.
