Joanne Butler is an absolute treasure! Her expertise, communication skills and patient care are unparalleled.

Can't even schedule an appointment! I've been trying to call this place for 3 days multiple times and cannot get a human on the phone to make an appointment. Ridiculous. I got a referral here and I'm probably just going to call my main provider back and get a redirect to another Dermatologist since this place doesn't seem to want people's business and can't answer their phones. I checked their website. They let you schedule online. However, I can't schedule online bc I have a referral and have questions while scheduling an appointment. It says if you need to speak to them it says to call the number at the top of the website. That number is disconnected. I looked for a place on their website to contact the office via email or an online form in writing. No way to do that on the website. I went to their Facebook to try to send a message through messenger but they have that disabled and it just sends you to their website to contact them. But I can't find a way to contact anyone anyway at all. I ended up leaving a comment on their latest post. This place sucks. I wouldn't recommend it at all. Can't even make an appointment!!! read more

I am a long time patient here I didn't like how today went at all I was hung up on by a scheduler for asking to come in at an earlier date due to skin concern He was rude and didn't provide any help only frustration then disconnected our call on his end I had a long wait today in my room and I was freezing cold cloth less wearing a paper robe for 25 min. No one came in and checked on me I had to ask for a blanket only to get a thin robe to keep me warm while waiting longer. No apologies Then my Dr comes in with a male nurse I am nude and getting a skin screening How inappropriate was that. Had to ask for a female I was uncomfortable Been seeing my DR for years and today I felt frustrated I didn't feel any accommodative help while I was vulnerable on the table undressed freezing cold cloth less waiting for my skin screening They need to get it together because a patient should never feel vulnerable at a Dr office ever Just saying read more

Mole removal experience (2025): -Quoted $200 for up to 10 moles removed. -Appt. made for six removals, all small, one on my face Once the appointment was done and I was left alone to dress, I noticed then when I looked in the mirror that the mole on my face was not removed, but instead an area about a centimeter or two below it was lasered. I asked what happened and I got a shrug and was advised I would have to make another appointment to get my face mole removed. I have no idea why or how the mole wasn't removed but my face received treatment near that area. I was shocked so I went to pay and leave. I left the appointment having to pay almost $1,000. read more

Very organized, clean and sterile dermatology clinic with very well trained and professional staff team! Everyone is very nice! Dr. Riley is one of the doctors and she is very kind and sweet! A true gem ! Superior experience, expertise and amazing bed side manner! Fabulous doctor. The entire clinic was a great experience today! read more

I'm a regular patient and find it impossible to get prescription refills. I called today for a refill and the receptionist told me the doctor needed to see me before giving me a refill. I said that was fine, and then she told me the doctor couldn't see me until late in May. When I responded that I need this medication and would be without it for two months she merely said "that's our policy, sorry". I've had problems throughout using them in getting refills and in general communications with the office, and the office help is VERY unhelpful. I would change doctors in a minute if there was another dermatologist in the area who had an opening read more

Do not go here, they stopped responding to my pharmacy about a hair loss medication refill, then told me I had to pay $250 for another appointment just to "look at my hair" before refilling it. Couldn't give a real reason why the visit was necessary. Poor communication and feels like a cash grab every time I have gone in there. read more

Unfortunately I see why reviews are so bad here... talking to the receptionist guy to make an appointment is an absolute nightmare! I've been trying to make an appointment for weeks. They leave voicemails for me to make an appointment but when I call they say I can't due to some new reason related to referral or insurance each time. The receptionist isn't helpful at all, same guy every time I've called. He gives no information or details or direction, he just lets me know I can't make an appointment and that's all. It seems he has no knowledge on insurance processes to provide an explanation, and he's really kinda rude. Luckily, I've been able to call my doctor's office and they can explain what's happening and whether I need to do anything or just wait for a call. If this were my business I'd get rid of that receptionist. Very frustrating experience. read more

The providers here are extremely incompetent and do not know what they are doing! Came in to get a tiny thing removed off my foot, they misdiagnosed the problem and did this really painful treatment and charged me and my insurance a lot of money. Several months later, not only did the problem not go away it got larger and worse. I had to go see a different dermatologist who gave me the correct diagnosis and the correct treatment!! Beware! Stay away from this place! read more

They fail to answer their phones, and when you get ahold of someone, they have to go to multiple computers, just to be able to log in. They fail to deliver and provide pathology results from specimen biopsies. It's the worst medical office I've ever patronized. read more

If I could leave zero stars I would. How are they as dermatologists? I have no idea because I would not wait to find out after being told I could either have the rash on my arm checked or I could have an annual skin check but not both. But let me start from the beginning. Ironically, it is super easy to get an appointment here. No problem with that. Get online, pick the day and time and you're in. But, be prepared to be treated with zero respect. Prior to my appointment, I took considerable time to complete the paperwork which included what I wanted to be seen for. I received an email confirming my appointment and there was an availability to check in online so I did that as well. The email states: "thank you for making an appointment at West Dermatology Carlsbad! You can now confirm you're coming and check-in for your appointment on Thursday, August 21, 2025 1:00 PM. Please remember to arrive 15 minutes prior to your scheduled appointment time." I arrived 15 minutes prior to my appointment and the door to the clinic was locked. I waited 20 minutes until a slow-moving, downtrodden-looking person unlocks the door and props it open in front of me. She didn't acknowledge me or welcome me so we didn't get off to a great start. I walked in the door and waited for her to get behind the desk. I gave her my name and she asked for my insurance information (which they already have and had already verified) and my ID. I gave her my ID, she did her thing, handed it back to me and said OK, have a seat. There was a brief wait and the physician's assistant sat me down and asked me the reason for my appointment. As I mentioned above, and had previously mentioned in my questionnaire, rash on my forearm, a spot on my face and an annual body check. She told me I could only have one of those as per clinic rules. I asked, "how long is my appointment time?" Ten minutes. We went back and forth on this issue and she pointed to a flyer near the door which I could not really read but vaguely referred to making multiple appointments. Finally, after getting nowhere, I rudely said, "well I guess we better check to see if this thing on my face is cancer or not before my time runs out". After she walked out of the room, I sat there for a few minutes thinking this just doesn't seem right. I had already taken about 30 minutes to complete and sign all of the paperwork , drove 30 minutes to get there, waited 20 minutes apparently for no reason and they were only going to give me, a new patient, ten minutes?!?!?!? I totally understand that their time is valuable and they do not have unlimited appointment time. But my time is valuable too and I made it clear, up front, prior to the appointment, what I needed from my appointment. I decided I was going to leave because I was not planning on ever coming back. No point in them looking at me at all only to have to make another appointment with another doctor. In the grand scheme of things, I know this all might sound rather petty and "entitled". But you know what? I am tired of these practices where they try to get you to come back and make multiple appointments so they can charge you every time you walk through the door. Some of them even want to charge to discuss something on the phone. Like I said, my time is valuable too and if this is how they have to run their practice in order to stay in business then count me out. I went home, got online, and found a reputable dermatologist who I was able to make an appointment with. When I asked if they would be able to address all of my concerns in one visit (stating them again just to be sure), she said, "yes, of course!". read more

Bonnie! Why did you leave! Its been HORRIBLE since. I went in back in Nov 2024 to get some skin tags removed. Paid 4 times what Bonnie used to charge but I -paid it. $255. 5 months later they bill me another $164. Horrible business practices. You cannot ever get ahold of a person. I gave them every opportunity it make this right. No response. If you are searching for a good dermatology, go elsewhere. You can see from the other comments, no one answers the phone anyways. Next step is filing with the BBB. read more

I wish I had read the reviews before going to this office. My doctor was great but everything else about my experience has been deplorable. I've called 4 times and emailed them to get a receipt and still don't have one after a month. Each time I actually reach a voice (very rare) they assure me that this time I'll get what I need. This is a small ask of a medical office and I will keep sharing this experience until I get what I asked for - and should NOT have to ask for! If they can't manage to provide a simple receipt, I can't imagine that they are responsible with their medical records. read more

I saw Dr. Brittany Polizzi on April 9th for what I thought was seborrheic dermatitis and also wanted Botox. I was told I'd need to schedule two separate appointments, which I did. At the first visit, Dr. Polizzi examined my face, diagnosed me with rosacea and perioral dermatitis, and prescribed metronidazole. I appreciated getting a diagnosis, but I left with minimal guidance on what to do next apart from the ointment. It felt like there was very little effort to explain my condition or treatment plan--just a suggestion to come back in six weeks. A week later, I returned for the Botox appointment. During that visit, she gave me the injections and told me that laser might help with rosacea. I was later billed an additional $120 office visit fee on top of the Botox cost. When I called your office, I was told it was because rosacea was discussed again--but if that was the case, why wasn't it covered by my insurance like the first visit? I was not informed that there would be a separate medical fee associated with the Botox appointment, and I wouldn't have moved forward if I had known. If the second office visit fee was indeed for discussing rosacea, then why wasn't it submitted accordingly to my insurance so it can get covered? The whole experience left me feeling like the practice is more focused on billing for brief consultations than on providing clarity and care. I will never step foot near this place again. read more

Wife went in for an appointment two weeks ago. 2 out of 3 biopsies posted results. We were told to wait 2 weeks to call back if the 3rd biopsy didn't post. It never posted, no one picks up the phone, all the other phone options are routed to call centers where no one can do anything but schedule an appointment. Called a different office to see if we could get help, they couldn't help and said "maybe they'll call you back sometime this week." I've never had to chase down a result or been incapable of getting a call back from a doctors office by the end of the business day. This is clearly a private equity owned operation where it's all about the $ and zero about the patients. we will for sure be going somewhere else. read more

Agree with all of the other reviews. This place is the worst. First they switched my appointment to be with a NP, then they charged me a crazy amount of money to use dry ice on a tiny spot on my nose. But then going to pay the bill- literally impossible because their website doesn't work. Then another bill showed up for who knows what. Such a scam. Impossible to talk to a person. Never again... save your time, money and effort and go somewhere else. read more

One: Bonnie has left and that is sad. She was fantastic! I have been a patient with West Dermatology for over 5 years + and was so happy with her. I hope she enjoys her retirement. I saw Dr. Riley and, well let's say, she was the very opposite of Bonnie. Dr. Riley has a very lukewarm personality and was not engaging with my needs. I felt like just a piece of paper, very strange. I wish she had been more inquisitive on my history, and kinder. Two: The call center to make an appointment - horrible. I have noticed over the past year or so, that when I call to make an appointment, you are forced to leave a message- THEN, maybe you will get a call back in a few days There is a hiring shortage, ok ok.,,, but it is sooooo frustrating to call and NOT get a call back promptly. However, if you go to their website and request to be called for an appointment, that is immediate. ?? I feel they could do better, but it is a corporation, and they just merged with Platinum Group, so a great opportunity for more resources for the doctors, but the patients getting stellar customer service is zero. We deserve excellent services, but it seems corporate wins here. I am out! read more

The receptionist named "Angeles Perez" is completely negligent as an employee. She responded to my first email almost instantly (so I know she's reading them and receiving them) and then after following up 4 different times and calling 3 times to leave a message, I'm not even going to bother anymore. I will not be giving this place anymore of my time. Get better employees, how hard is it to respond to an email? Super weird behavior and obviously she gets away with it and thinks she's above her job description. Do better. read more

West Dermatology -Carlsbad - email proof of complete and lack of responsiveness - Skin Care Near Me - Carlsbad, California

My experience with this practice has been very positive. All of the medical staff are very attentive and meet my needs. Front office staff is fine. They are pleasant and do their job. My only complaint is that they have very narrow examination tables. read more

A bureaucratic nighmare. Poor follow up. Many rules. Poor website that cannot be accessed. Takes forever to get an appointment, tried to go online but the times disappear and the site times out. Do not bother. Hard to find a good and reliable dermatologist. This one is not. read more

Agree with the other reviewers here- don't waste your time. I was a new patient and filled out an excessive amount of paperwork online before being told by the rude receptionist it was not completed when I arrived. I had an appt with their NP and was told by the assistant that the assistant NP was going to see me. I didn't even know that was a thing. She looked at me for 30 seconds- said to try retinol and pushed me to their laser team(sure- so they can charge me $$$). I called my old derm in LA and she said that's silly and took care of it in one appt. Incompetent? Ignorance? Greed? Not sure but it seemed like all of the above... read more

First time patient there. I found the staff to be professional and nice. I didn't wait any longer than I would at any other doctor office. The only thing I didn't like was the exam room needed a deep cleaning. The stainless trash can had long smears of who knows what on the sides and cabinet faces needed to be scrubbed and wiped. Just kinda grungy all over. read more

I was referred, from the military. I've been trying to call for over a week now. I've left multiple messages and even stayed on the line on hold for upwards of an hour. Still have not heard from them, and finally decided to get my referral changed to another place. I do not recommend this place at all! read more

Always a pleasure to see Dr. Jessica and the staff! Super friendly,caring and helpful!

The office is clean and pleasant. The wait is short. The staff seems knowledgeable. I saw Brittany and she did a great job removing this annoying bump from inside my ear. The procedure was fast, painless and done in a minute. She was very pleasant. I was told they would call me with the biopsy results which they did, two weeks later. The message they left was pleasant and professional. My only complaint is this.....and it seens to be the complaint of many..... why don't you EVER answer your phone. It took me a week of calling twice a day to finally reach a live person and make an appointment. I was promised a call with my biopsy results but never got one until I called, left messages of course, begging for them to call me with the biopsy results I just don't get it! With a front office full of staff, why is it SO hard to get through!!!!! Plz do better!!! read more

My whole experience was great, especially as a new patient. Everyone was very pleasant from the front desk welcoming me, to the dermatologist, and even the person that checked me out on my way out. I was in & out in less than 40 minutes with everything taken care of and I had some things that needed to be done. I would recommend the location to anyone in need of their services and honestly I am very shocked by some of the reviews I read here. I wanted to go in and come out with my own opinion and I am glad that I did. I definitely found my new dermatologist office. read more

The office staff is horrible. Not personable at all and shouldn't be dealing with the public. Also, you can't get in touch with the front office. I've been trying for a week to make a surgical appointment and no one has called me back. I've had a great experience with Dr. Riley but getting an appointment and dealing with anyone at the front desk is the worst. read more

Went in for a skin check and the doctor wasn't in office. Frustrating, but I rescheduled for a later date. What I didn't then expect was a $120 bill for this non-appointment. Trying to get this fixed has been an ongoing nightmare. As others have said, getting in touch with anyone is near impossible. When I have been able to get a hold of someone they have avoided the question and just told me that someone will call back, which they never do. My account was apparently put on hold while they address my question but then they just send me another bill for the same amount a month later threatening to send it to collections The way this company operates is completely unacceptable. I rarely write reviews, I can forgive a lot, but if you're here looking at these reviews to try and make a decision, let this be a sign, stay far away read more

Replace the front office staff. I've been seeing Dr. Riley for years (should you leave, please let me know, and I will follow). I witnessed staff providing malignant biopsy results in the waiting area. The patient came in because no one would return her call after a month. I've had appointments canceled without my knowledge and prescriptions never called in. read more

The Encinitas office is amazing. You won't find better dermatologists anywhere! Not sure about other locations but the Encinitas office on El Camino Real is the best for all skin care issues. read more

There's never a single time that anyone ever picked up when I called. I've called on different days of the week and at different times of the day. No one ever picks up. And when I leave a message, it takes them a couple of days to return your call, but sometimes never at all. I've mentioned this during my visits, and even Bonnie, the RN, acknowledged this problem, yet nothing is being done about it. read more

I've seen Dr. Riley in Carlsbad for approximately 3 years. Over the past 1-2 years the staff has become so unfriendly and borderline rude. It seems there is constant turnover and everyone tells you something different. It is so hard to get a hold of anyone. They never call back. My pharmacy has requested prescription refills numerous times and West Dermatology ignores the request. This has happened three different times. read more

They are the absolute worst. They NEVER answer the phone and they almost NEVER return phone calls. I have probably called them 5 times in the last week or so, left VMs and have received exactly ZERO return calls. The vibe in the office is strange and uncomfortable, the one Dr I saw months ago was snooty and couldn't wait to be done with me. i would NEVER go back there again. read more

This place is a complete joke and I will never return. Scheduling is a nightmare and employees are rude.

Horrible experience. This was my first time seeing a Dermatologist for myself (although I've taken my Dad to his Dermatologist a number of times). The front office seemed like they were all either new or just didn't care about customer service. The girl who checked me out was chewing gum so noticeably that it was distracting. The wait time was about 30 minutes (I guess standard for medical care these days) but I was hopeful when I got into Dr Riley's office.....until I wasn't. She spent less than 3 minutes with me, knowing that I was a New Patient and was talking at me as she was heading for the door. Informed her nurse to schedule another appointment for a biopsy on my leg and then ANOTHER appointment for a complete skin check. She wouldn't biopsy my leg the same day because she said she wanted to make sure the insurance company was going to pay first. Didn't even ask me if I'd be willing to pay first and get reimbursed later. She had zero time for me and I could not have felt less cared about than by this doctor. I'm 68 years old, seen many doctors over the years and she rates right up there for doctors that don't CARE about the patients....only about the paycheck. I was so taken back by her lack of actual presence and bedside manner that I will not return. read more

It's brutal! Trying to making appointment and call the office many times left many message s and they never call back and took many days calling for someone answer the phone. And went for the appointment and wait 1 hour to see the doctor nobody apologized nothing. A lot people "working" there. And they are very unprepared. read more

If it were possible to give West Dermatology, Carlsbad, Minus Zero Stars, I would. The review is long. This "operation" is not a physician's office, it is a chain of "stores" owned by investment banking funds (Sun Partners and Sterling Partners of Boca Raton and Chicago). Attempting to reach the office by phone is useless. After waiting on hold for more than 5 minutes (btw, being told to either leave or message or stay on hold to speak with someone), a recording tells you that everyone is busy with other callers and asks you to leave a message. I did that: once, twice, three times. Two days later, a rep called and said their phones were not working due to the national outage. No appointments were available with Dr. Riley; however, I was able to make a date with Brittney, a PA. I was prescribed a cortisone cream for eyelid rash. Upon using, according to package directions, my eyelids burned, and my rash became worse. I called immediately and again left two messages. The third call was answered by a most rude person saying, "There were no providers in the office that day (Thursday), but they could take a message for Brittany. She continued, "No providers are on call, so If you think you're having a problem, go to Urgent Care or ER". I asked if I could come in on Friday, and she said nothing was available (the outgoing messages say calls are recorded, so I'm hoping if West Dermatology reads this, they will verify). The day after (Friday), no one returned my call, and I began my calls once again. After leaving two more messages, again the third call was answered by Ximena. Again, the first thing was "Name, Birthdate" -- not a "hello, may I help you?" I gave the information, and her response was, what do you need? I explained my situation, she looked up my file and said, "...someone will call you back." I asked if there was ANYONE I could speak with as NO ONE had called me back. She said, "Let me see if there is an answer to the message you left for Brittany in your file. Oh, I see one here. Stop use of drug. Use Aquafor and come back in in 2 weeks". Right. I asked if there was anyone I could speak with, and Ximena said quite rudely, "We're very busy and fully booked. We tell 'people' that it will take 24-48 hours for a return call." Well, this was the first I had heard of that. I was done. I told her I would not be coming back as I felt as though it was very difficult to receive information, let alone care. Ximena replied, "Okay, Bye and hung up on me". Perhaps the staff should read the Oath of Hippocrates: I shall work with my profession to improve the quality of medical care and improve public health, but I shall not let any lesser public or professional consideration interfere with my primary commitment to provide the best and most appropriate care available to each of my patients." I own two businesses in the media space for digital and TV video production. If I treated my clients in this manner, I'd be out of business in a nanosecond. I urge you not to patronize this "operation." It is not run out of care, concern, detail, or empathy for patients and their time or concerns. It is a simply a mill. read more

Untrustworthy, shady business My insurance wasn't approved here but I decided to go anyways because I had be recommended. Knowing that my insurance wasn't going to be taken I made sure to ask what the cash price was for everything. The first appointment, I had my moles looked at. It only took 20 minutes and the appointment was $118. Which I expected and knew because that's what the office quoted me that day. All good...I paid cash that day and booked an appointment to have my moles removed (noncancerous). However, I got a bill one month later for an additional $124. No one had ever mentioned another charge (in the appointment or at checkout). Shandy. The second appointment, I was getting 6 moles removed. They quoted me $150 to remove up to 10 moles. I saw a different doctor and she would not honor that price. She wanted to send in every mole for biopsy at $200 for each mole. even though I had them checked and the previous doctor said they were noncancerous. The doctors are not on the same page and not transparent or honest. I would not recommend going to them. They don't care about their patients. I went with them knowing I would pay more because I thought I would be taken care of. But that was not true. I feel like I was targeted because I didn't have insurance that they took so they were racking up my bill. And now I'm worried about getting another bill. Don't go to them read more

I've been Dr. Riley's patient for the last year, both for skin exams and a cancer diagnosis. She was thorough, attentive and compassionate. She listened and was easy to talk to. The office has been stellar - friendly and efficient, and prescription requests were easy when I needed to change pharmacies. I'm a nurse, new to the area, and had been dreading finding a new dermatologist that met my selective criteria, but Dr. Riley and her staff have won me over. Don't believe the negative reviews, this place is golden. read more

The WORST customer service and patient experience I've ever had. Never been treated or talked to so rudely in my life. Apparently I'm not the only one considering all the other stellar reviews. read more