GP Skin Consultation vs. Specialist Dermatology Consultation
Global Health offers two levels of skin care.
GP skin consultation — appropriate for the majority of acute and non-urgent skin presentations: mild to moderate eczema, mild to moderate acne, rashes, skin infections, and routine mole monitoring. The right starting point for most skin concerns.
Specialist dermatology consultation — conducted by Global Health's OMC-registered dermatologists. Appropriate for:
- Severe acne or acne not responding to standard treatments — including assessment for specialist treatment
- Suspicious lesions requiring high-resolution dermoscopic image analysis
- Complex or treatment-resistant psoriasis
- Chronic skin conditions not responding to GP-level management
- Specialist dermatology second opinion
- Coordinated skin biopsy — the dermatologist assesses and coordinates in-person referral where indicated
Not sure which level you need? Start with the GP skin consultation — if your presentation requires specialist dermatology assessment, your GP refers you directly to this service within the same platform.
Who This Service Is For
This specialist consultation is appropriate for adults and adolescents with:
- Severe acne — nodules, cysts, acne conglobata, or acne that has caused significant scarring
- Moderate to severe acne not responding to standard treatments at GP level
- Suspicious skin lesions — moles that have changed, irregular pigmented lesions, or any lesion generating significant clinical concern
- Complex psoriasis — extensive plaque psoriasis, pustular psoriasis, or psoriasis not responding to topical treatments
- Severe or refractory atopic dermatitis — severe eczema not responding to standard treatments
- Moderate to severe rosacea — with significant inflammatory component
- Autoimmune skin conditions — cutaneous lupus, dermatomyositis, pemphigoid, or other autoimmune presentations
- Complex or treatment-resistant skin infections
- Specialist dermatology second opinion — on a diagnosis or treatment plan received from another dermatologist
- Patients referred from our GP skin service requiring deeper dermatology assessment
High-Resolution Image Analysis — What It Is and Why It Matters
High-quality teledermatology goes beyond showing skin on a video call. Our service includes high-resolution image analysis — the patient sends detailed clinical photographs of the lesion or condition before or during the consultation, which the dermatologist analyses with zoom and detailed visual analysis tools.
This allows the dermatologist to evaluate:
- The detailed morphology of pigmented lesions — internal structure, vascular pattern, pigment distribution
- The extent and distribution pattern of the skin condition
- Subtle changes in monitored lesions over time
- Treatment response between follow-up consultations
How to prepare your images
- Photograph the lesion in good natural light — direct, without flash
- Include a context photo showing the location on the body
- Include a maximum close-up photo with your camera
- If the condition has changed, include comparative photos from different moments if you have them
- Your dermatologist guides you on specific positioning during the consultation
Conditions Commonly Assessed
Acne
- Severe acne — nodules, cysts, acne conglobata
- Moderate to severe acne resistant to standard treatments
- Acne with significant scarring — assessment and management plan
- Complex hormonal acne — assessed with integrated hormonal assessment where indicated
- Acne that may require specialist treatment — assessment and follow-up at the specialist's discretion
Suspicious lesions and skin oncology
- Moles with concerning ABCDE criteria
- Pigmented lesions of new appearance or with changes
- Actinic keratosis — assessment and management
- Basal cell carcinoma — assessment and coordination of in-person biopsy where indicated
- Melanoma — suspicion assessment and urgent referral where indicated
Important note: definitive diagnosis of skin cancer requires in-person dermoscopy and biopsy. High-resolution image analysis allows high-quality specialist assessment — and where clinical suspicion is significant, the dermatologist coordinates urgent in-person referral the same day.
Psoriasis
- Moderate to severe plaque psoriasis
- Pustular psoriasis — assessment and management
- Complex scalp psoriasis
- Palmoplantar psoriasis
- Psoriasis and psoriatic arthritis — assessment and rheumatology coordination where indicated
- Psoriasis resistant to topical treatments — assessment for systemic treatments
Severe atopic dermatitis
- Severe eczema not responding to standard treatments
- Atopic dermatitis with recurrent superinfection
- Assessment for biological treatments — at the specialist's discretion
Complex inflammatory conditions
- Moderate to severe rosacea — with significant inflammatory component
- Hidradenitis suppurativa — assessment and management plan
- Lichen planus — assessment and management
- Extensive vitiligo — assessment and treatment options
Cutaneous autoimmune conditions
- Cutaneous lupus erythematosus — assessment and rheumatology coordination
- Dermatomyositis — skin assessment and specialist coordination
- Pemphigoid and pemphigus — assessment and hospital coordination where indicated
Complex skin infections
- Extensive or treatment-resistant fungal infections
- Complicated shingles
- Resistant bacterial infections
Specialist alopecia
- Extensive or treatment-resistant alopecia areata
- Scarring alopecia — urgent assessment and biopsy coordination
- Androgenetic alopecia not responding to standard treatments — assessment for second-line options
What Your Specialist Consultation Includes
Complete specialist dermatology assessment
Your dermatologist conducts a full specialist assessment — including detailed clinical history, analysis of high-resolution images submitted, assessment of previous treatments and their response, and evaluation of the complete clinical picture.
High-resolution dermoscopic image analysis
For pigmented and suspicious lesions, your dermatologist analyses high-resolution images with detailed dermoscopic evaluation — assessing internal structure, vascular pattern, and malignancy criteria. Where clinical suspicion is significant, urgent in-person referral is coordinated the same day.
Diagnosis and specialist treatment plan
Based on the assessment, your dermatologist establishes the most likely diagnosis or differential diagnoses and designs a specialist treatment plan — including second-line topical treatments, systemic treatments where indicated, and documentation for in-person procedures where needed.
Assessment for specialist treatments — at the specialist's discretion
For conditions such as severe acne, moderate to severe psoriasis, or severe atopic dermatitis, your dermatologist assesses suitability for specialist treatments — including oral systemic options and biologics where clinically indicated. No specific treatment can be confirmed before the complete specialist assessment.
Specialist clinical documentation — at the specialist's discretion
When clinically indicated, your dermatologist issues appropriate clinical documentation valid at any pharmacy in Spain, as well as specialist reports for continuity of care.
Note: controlled substances cannot be issued electronically under Spanish law.
Biopsy and in-person procedure coordination
Where skin biopsy, in-person dermoscopy, or any other in-person procedure is indicated, your dermatologist coordinates referral to the appropriate centre the same day — with complete clinical documentation that maximises the quality of that in-person visit.
Specialist second opinion
If you have received a dermatological diagnosis or treatment plan from another dermatologist and want an independent specialist assessment, your dermatologist reviews all available documentation and provides an independent specialist evaluation.
Specialist follow-up
For conditions requiring monitoring — follow-up of suspicious lesions, response to systemic treatment, or side effect monitoring — specialist follow-up consultations are available.
Specialist Dermatology in Spain — The Access Problem
Private specialist dermatology in Spain is well-resourced in Madrid, Barcelona, and other major cities. However, waiting times for a first private dermatologist appointment are generally three to six weeks for non-urgent presentations — even in the private sector.
For lesions that cause concern but do not justify hospital emergency attendance, waiting weeks for a first specialist assessment is genuinely distressing. For international residents who prefer consultation in English or Portuguese, specialist dermatology options are practically non-existent outside Madrid and Barcelona.
Our service provides specialist dermatology assessment with high-resolution image analysis the same day — from anywhere in Spain.
