“Sometimes when patients come into the office, they get what I call ‘white coat syndrome,’” says Seth L. Matarasso, MD, a San Francisco dermatologic surgeon and member of the American Society for Dermatologic Surgery. “What oftentimes happens is, they get flustered or embarrassed or forget things, or the problem is suddenly better. It’s like when you take your car in to be fixed, and the rattle and bang miraculously disappear.”
How to avoid White Coat Syndrome? Take a minute or two to organize your thoughts before you see the doctor.
It helps to keep you and the doctor focused on the problem. What your doctor needs to know:
What bothers you:
- How long has it bothered you?
- Where is it located?
- What are the symptoms?
- What medications are/have you been taking?
- What over the counter products have you been using?
- What is your past medical history?
- Have you had this problem before?
- Have any of your blood relatives had this problem?
- Do you have any allergies?
- What have you done for the problem on your own?
- What was the result?
This list will help whether you’re going in for a medical or cosmetic concern. For your convenience, the American Society for Dermatologic Surgery has a list to print out and take with you to your appointment. 
“One caveat,” Dr. Matarasso says, “if you go in with a very extensive laundry list, you can get bogged down, so try to keep the list succinct, problem-oriented, and pick the top two or three issues and focus on those. You can make a follow-up appointment for other concerns.”
“It’s really important to understand that, as dermatologic surgeons, we are the experts in skin health. Often I hear that someone other than a dermatologist has erroneously diagnosed a skin disorder. While someone may note a problem, you need a dermatologic surgeon’s expertise to make the diagnosis,” Dr. Matarasso said. “I had a woman come in who had been treated for acne on her face for years. In fact, what she had was multiple warts.”
The more familiar the dermatologic surgeon is with your skin, the more likely it is that he or she will recognize any changes. Build a rapport with your doctor; it really helps to promote an open dialog. Also, certain illnesses may show up on the skin first. A dermatologic surgeon will recognize when a rash is more than a rash.
Founded in 1970, the American Society for Dermatologic Surgery (ASDS) is the largest specialty organization in the world exclusively representing dermasurgeons, board-certified physicians who are specifically trained to treat the health, function and appearance of the skin and soft tissue with both medically necessary and cosmetic procedures. For more information on medical or cosmetic skin procedures, click here.