Five stars almost doesn't feel like enough…read more There is something happening in medicine that I don't think most patients fully realize. More and more medical practices are becoming larger, more corporate and increasingly driven by efficiency, volume and economics. Somewhere along the way, the relationship between a medical professional and a patient can start to feel secondary. South Coast Dermatology Institute is one of those places that reminds you what medicine should still feel like. I originally came here because of Dr. Vince Afsahi, and I have tremendous respect for him. He was always incredibly good to me. I haven't seen him personally in years, though, and strangely, that may be one of the greatest compliments I can give this practice. I now see Selise James and never find myself thinking that I wish I were seeing Dr. Afsahi instead, or that I am somehow getting a different level of care because I am not seeing the founder or "top" doctor. Selise is exceptional. That tells me this isn't about one great physician. It is the culture of the entire practice. Today gave me one of the best examples of that. I had Selise look at a spot on the bottom of my foot that had been there for months. It had an unusual shape, and when she first looked at it, she was genuinely concerned. She examined it carefully with a magnifying lens, took her time with it, and then grabbed a cotton swab, soaked it in cleaning solution and wiped the spot away. Yes, it was dirt. I was embarrassed, but in the best possible way. We both started laughing, and what struck me was how relieved she was. She told me she loves when something like that happens. I know that sounds like a small thing, but it stayed with me. It is actually pretty rare to find people who genuinely celebrate the good outcome with you instead of simply moving on to the next patient. She was happy that there was nothing wrong with me, and you could tell it was real. That interaction captures what is different about this place. They will actually sit with you and have a conversation before they start doing anything. They listen, explain things, ask questions and make you feel like a person instead of an appointment. That has become incredibly rare. The rest of the practice is equally strong. The staff is efficient, organized and genuinely nice. They clearly stay current with technology, not just in the clinical side of dermatology but even in the way appointments and communication are handled. Everyone I have dealt with has been experienced, knowledgeable and professional. My skin test came back clear today, which obviously was great news. But I also walked out feeling a little better about the world than I did when I walked in. I had been down on how much things have changed and how impersonal so many parts of medicine have become. This visit reminded me that there are still people who care deeply about doing things the right way and who haven't lost the human side of medicine. That is why I think South Coast Dermatology Institute is best in class. You expect expertise. You expect good technology. You expect competent medical care. What you don't always expect anymore is to leave feeling genuinely cared for, and maybe even feeling a little better about people. That is what this place does.

I have been coming here for over a year and I have had nothing but great service on every visit…read more Jasmine Guzman is amazing!! She does my facial and has helped my skin so much. I recently went through 21 rounds of chemo and it destroyed my skin. These facials have done wonders for me. I get the Diamond Glow facial and WOWZERS! All I can say is you need to try it to believe it!! Several friends and my parents even noticed the difference with my skin and commented that it "glows." I have also met with Selise for skin checks. She is a PA, and is so nice and smart! The front desk is always filled with friendly faces too. Just try them- trust me you won't be disappointed. I'll be back in 6 weeks so I can continue to "glow!!"

First timer for skin cancer screening. Very professional and friendly. Beautiful office. Will be…read moreback for more services.

They are top docs that are willing to accommodate any health related issues. My family are mostly…read moredocs in different specialties and I recommend any dermatology issues to this practice

So I have gotten Botox and other things done to my face but this melasma was bugging me and I'm…read morelike I need to go to a real doctor! The minute I walked in Nick greeted me and made me feel so comfortable! He has the best calming presence and just made you feel welcomed. Then I meet Dr. Xu, she was amazing and suggested that I do this laser treatment for my face. So I came back two weeks later and did the treatment. I can't thank her enough of how ama ing she was thru the whole experience. Every time she move in different sections on my face, she would tell me she would say 123 whatever I needed to make me feel comfortable she did. She kept asking if I was OK and just reassuring me that I was doing good and it was just such an amazing session. It's nice to have a Doctor Who actually cares and wants to see the results like you did so thank you so much Dr Xu! I can't wait for my next treatment and you definitely should book with her because she's the best

Thank you Danielle and Dr. Lisa for providing exceptional care!…read moreClean and professional office space. Receptionist Danielle was very friendly and provided immediate assistance in booking me an appointment. Dr. Lisa is knowledgeable and provided recommendations for healthy skin habits. Great place to go for your annual skincare check up to maintain healthy skin and quality of life! Or for any of your other dermatological needs. Would definitely recommend. They accept most insurances. Plenty of parking spaces outside office building.

Dr Lefty Fazel is extremely knowledgeable and likeable. I have a precancerous condition on my face…read morefrom body surfing. Dr Fazel makes me look and feel better. We are so fortunate to have such skin care. What a view from the picture window near the elevator.

I'm extremely disappointed with my visit and found this practice to be very concerning. I had an…read moreappointment last week with Dr. Fazel, whom I cannot recommend. I scheduled a simple acne consultation to discuss medication and treatment options. During the visit, she prescribed two medications and reviewed them with me. However, a few days later, I received a call from the office regarding a pre-authorization issue for a third medication--one that had never been discussed during my appointment. I had no idea what the front desk was referring to, and it became clear that Dr. Fazel had prescribed an additional medication without informing me. This lack of communication is extremely concerning and, in my opinion, unprofessional. I will not be back and could not recommend this practice for your dermatological needs.

This review is for the derm studio not Dr. Forman (who to this day I have not met)…read more I was looking for a dermatologist because there was a red spot that showed up on my face & I couldn't figure out why. I tried urgent care first & they referred me to the Derm Studio. I called & made my first appointment, they are super busy & basically had to wait a month to be seen. I'm cool with waiting if its actually worth the wait. I had no idea this is a plastic surgery office. The first day I came in, there really wasn't a warm welcome or greeting from the front desk girls. I just got this vibe that was stuck up snooty, even though nothing of the like was ever said out loud. It seems to me if you're not there for plastic surgery then you're waste of time patient, that's how I felt. I was also disappointed that I never got to meet Dr. Forman herself, but instead dealt with this a physician assistant lol. She was nice but I would of liked to have an actual doctor instead. When I asked questions, I felt like the answers were generic or just glazed over & not explained thoroughly. I did end up getting prescription creams which did help the issue but if I were to see a dermatologist again I would seek help elsewhere. The other treatment I got here was for a tiny growth on my face. It was removed & I was told when the results are in, there would be a call from the office. Well, they never called & when I did call I spoke to the front desk & that was disappointing because I would of rather spoke to a doctor. I didn't like how that was handled. My situation wasn't serious but still seemed weird a front desk lady would relay information & not the actual doctor.

I love this office and feel I get excellent care. Dr. Choudhry is super sweet and highly…read moreprofessional and I wouldn't go to any other dermatologist. It's a plus they have plastic surgery and those who choose to have this options only making it more accessible to have both in one office. Nicole L.

It's a beautiful office. Making an appointment over the phone was easy, and the front desk staff…read morewas friendly. However, they don't check your insurance coverage ahead of time, so make sure to do your homework and confirm with your provider beforehand which I did. I went in for some suspicious moles, and Dr Saghari was very thorough, yet the exam was fairly quick. She wasn't pushy about unnecessary procedures and patiently took the time to answer all my questions. Dr Saghari is professional, friendly, and knowledgeable--not to mention, also very beautiful. I highly recommend this place to everyone. Skin cancer is the most common cancer in the U.S., and early detection is key. Be sure to get regular checkups.

Special Thanks and Appreciation to Dr. Saghar and Her Dedicated Team…read more With the utmost respect and gratitude, I sincerely thank Dr. Saghar for her tireless efforts and incredible kindness. She treated me like a member of her own family and did everything in her power to help me recover after years of struggling with psoriasis. I am truly grateful that, thanks to her expertise and dedication, I have finally regained my health. I also want to extend my heartfelt appreciation to her amazing team, especially Naomi, for her perseverance, support, and exceptional compassion. If I could give more than 5 stars--perhaps 100--I absolutely would, as they deserve the highest recognition. Thank you from the bottom of my heart!

Scheduled appointment 3 months in advance. Came 30 minutes early. Waited 2 hours. Sat in a room…read morefor 20 minutes. We left without getting to see the doctor. Bad business.

I have been going to Dr Arta for 3 or 4 years now. I go every 6 months since skin cancer runs in my…read morefamily. I have had excellent care from her and am so happy my primary referred me to her. She is very thorough and attentive as well as personable. I volunteer with a Friends of the library and we often talk about books and ones we've read and loved. I have never had to wait more than 30 minutes and since I always bring a book with me I wish I had more time to read it. In reading some of these reviews, I'm surprised about the office personnel comments. I have always been treated with kindness and respect. I am very happy with the care I receive from Dr. Farshidi and the staff. Thank you!

Not only does Dr. Amy Reinstadler talk very fast during appointments so she can rush out the door,…read morebut she doesn't even see you when you come back in to get stitches removed and discuss your options. I had a biopsy done to see if what I had was severe eczema, psoriasis, or something else. When I had returned for the results, she said the results were inconclusive and it could be either eczema or psoriasis... but still wanted to treat it with Dupixent injections (probably a company she gets kick-backs from for prescribing it). I was very disappointed that I had to get stitches for no answers as to what I was actually suffering from. She then suddenly decided to take another biopsy from 2 other parts of the rash on my body (WHICH IS WHAT SHE SHOULD HAVE DONE THE FIRST TIME INSTEAD OF WASTING EVERYONE'S TIME). When we came back in the second time to hear the results, it came back as eczema. At least we finally got an answer as to what we were actually dealing with (after 2 prior unnecessary appointments), but I did not appreciate all the time I had to waste taking off work to keep coming back to this doctor who only spends 5 minutes with her patients and accomplishes so little in each visit just to get more of your money. Patients also have to pay for parking so this was all a huge waste of time and money. I also had a cyst removed from my back which also required stitches, but the doctor did not put enough stitches in so it kept reopening! She only put 2 stitches in my back which was the exact same amount I had received for the small biopsy I had done, and it was half the size of the cyst removal incision, which didn't make any sense at all! When I had returned to have the stitches in my back removed, the nurse thought it didn't look very good, so she took a picture of it and left to show it to the doctor instead of the doctor just coming in herself. The nurse returned saying the doctor said it looked fine. It obviously did not look fine as it was not completely healed and had some yellow puss in it. The incision did not heal for a month or 2 after that, all because the doctor did not put enough stitches in to close it up. During this time, we were in the process of discussing my options of how to heal my eczema, but she required separate appointments to discuss that even though I was visibly suffering (severe, pain, redness, swelling, burning, and itch). She just kept sending her nurse messenger to relay messages back and forth instead of actually taking the time to care for her patient. I had to deal with this for about 2 months before I gave up on her, as her only solution was to prescribe Dupixent, which is a very harsh medicine. Why would I want to go with the extreme and inject myself with something if I don't absolutely have to? There are plenty of other options out there worth exploring, but she did not care to discuss any other options with me. The cherry on top of this horrible experience was she charged my HSA card 4 or 5 months after my last visit for no reason. I contacted my insurance and they said this was an unauthorized charge because she did not submit it within 90 days of my appointment, so luckily the charge was reversed and I got my hard-earned money back. But had I not discovered this fraudulent charge, the doctor would have happily kept my money. Do yourself a favor and go to a dermatologist who spends more than 5 minutes with you, cares about exploring different options for treatment, gives you the appropriate amount of stitches for your incision, doesn't make you pay for parking, and does not make you keep coming in for unproductive appointments.

Update: I have several dark hyperpigmented spots, including a large one on my face that have not…read morefaded. I went to see an another dermatologist, who said that this doctor likely used too high of a setting and an aggressive, and unnecessary tool for minor superficial spots. She said the marks are permanent and I will need to try lasers. I am so upset that Reinstadler was so careless. Also, the new derm took her time and look at all the spots on my face closely. Not rushing, not jist zapping or scooping out things without any warning.