I scheduled my first tattoo removal appointment with Melissa Pattee, and unfortunately, it was a very disappointing experience. After reading the one-star reviews, I should have taken them more seriously -- patient comfort does not seem to be a priority here. As soon as I walked into the room and sat down, she handed me protective glasses and instructed me to sit sideways. There was no real consultation, explanation of the process, or discussion about pain management beforehand. Once the procedure started, I asked if they had numbing cream to make the treatment more comfortable. She left the room and returned with a syringe, injecting my arm 6-7 times with little explanation of what it was. Immediately after setting the syringe down, she began the procedure. I asked if we should wait a few minutes for the area to become numb, and she responded, "Don't worry, we're almost done." When I questioned the purpose of the numbing injections if we weren't going to allow time for them to work, she didn't respond. The entire appointment lasted about seven minutes. I left feeling rushed, unheard, and uncomfortable. For a first tattoo removal session -- especially one involving injections and laser treatment -- I expected better communication and more attention to patient comfort. read more

I came to this branch of Golden State dermatology. I've been to three other ones and by far the greatest experience besides my regular doctor in Berkeley. I saw Dr. Patel and LanNa and they were both prompt. They were professional. They were directed to the point very courteous and respectful, and offered options without trying to upsell me on any kind of products or services. I came in early. They saw me early. They were respectful of my time and very conscious of giving me the best alternatives. Parking is free and easy. and it appears as though this location has every kind of service that the practice offers. read more

Golden State Dermatology - Dermatologists Near Me - Walnut Creek, California

I should have read the yelp reviews before booking an appointment at this dermatology office. They do not spend the time they should explaining a procedure and giving follow up instructions after the cosmetic treatments. Seems they want patients in and out quickly. I expected more for cosmetic treatments especially since I had to pay upfront for services before the treatment is done. read more

Video calls are needlessly difficult. Picking my son up from school and grinding up YV road during rush hour is actually easier than trying to connect to their video calls. They send a link late, then they call my phone for some q&A, we get messages through their Klara app and then their front office calls about a copay. Managing these different channels is annoying. when sometimes they contact me, sometimes my wife . Not sure why they don't just send a link 24 hours in advance. The call can be joined by the person taking the co pay, then the pre appointment check in and finally the dr. read more

Trust all of the one-star reviews. Find another place to go. Zimmerman was so dismissive that if my husband were not with me, he would not have believed me about how Zimmerman was. This was two years ago, and I am still reeling about it (surpised I did not finish this review then). I just read my report as I am ready to have another check up, and I could not believe that it was multiple "I counseled the patient on XYZ." No, his response was, to every question: "that is nothing." Nah, dude, you're just lazy. I then came home and talked to a neighbor, and she said, "That sounds like this Doctor over at Golden State." When I asked her who, she said Zimmerman. Her words for him were even more unkind than the ones above. Let's put it this way: most certainly don't see him if you are female and older, you won't get the care or respect you deserve. read more

This review is long overdue! Saloni Patel at Golden State Dermatology in Walnut Creek has truly changed both my life and my son's. She always listens, genuinely cares, and takes the time to make sure we feel supported. Thanks to her, we both feel so much better about our skin. I cannot thank her enough! read more

Dr. Patel of Golden State Dermatology is a caring, personable, conscientious, and well informed doctor. For years now, he has taken good care of us through our annual whole body skin cancer screenings, and follows up with all necessary tests and procedures. After his first visit with Dr. Patel, our adult son highly recommended Dr. Patel to myself and my husband following the semi retirement of Dr. Becker, our previous long time doctor at Golden State. Now Dr. Patel is a cherished dermatologist for all three of us. The office staff is also competent and friendly. Our visits are seamless and pleasant. We are VERY grateful that Golden State Dermatology, affiliated with, but not managed by John Muir Health, continues to offer these vital and reassuring annual cancer screenings, while other groups, such as Kaiser, and even the John Muir Foundation Practices (JMH managed) are under management now shortsighted enough about essential preventative care to discontinue these essential routine screenings. Thank you Golden State and Dr. Patel! read more

I had a very disappointing experience at this office this week. I arrived 7 minutes late for my appointment and was told they would "check if I could still be seen." This was surprising, especially since I overheard another patient who was over 20 minutes late still being accommodated. What made the situation worse is that the staff told me verbally that they would see me in an hour after their lunch break and that they would call me when they were ready. Instead, without any explanation or chance to respond, I received a text saying my appointment was being rescheduled. The text didn't allow replies, and when I tried to call the office twice, no one answered. I am nine months pregnant, due next week, and I drove 30 minutes to get to this appointment. Being treated this way--without clarity, communication, or consideration--was incredibly stressful and frankly unacceptable. Patients deserve consistency, communication, and respect, but especially pregnant patients, who rely on these visits for important, time-sensitive care. I hope the office reviews how they handle scheduling, late arrivals, and patient communication, because this experience left me extremely concerned about how they treat people who come to them for care. read more

The folks at the receptionist desk were fine, the consultation I had was fine, but I'm disappointed the machine I need to do a procedure is not available right now. I need something called a vascular laser machine, and although I saw them in July they told me it will not be up and running till October. I don't really understand how this is possible but that's what they said. read more

I went to Golden State Dermatology a few years ago for an IPL treatment on my face and everything went well, so I returned for another session and decided to try it on my chest as well. I assumed the technician knew how to adjust the settings for the different skin type, but I ended up with major burns that left permanent scarring on my chest. I returned for multiple treatments in an attempt to fix the damage, including Fraxel and microneedling, but none of it improved the scarring or hypopigmentation. One of the doctors eventually told me the damage could not be revised and that the ongoing treatments were the best they could do. On top of that, scheduling was very inconvenient. They often placed me at the very end of their day or only when it suited their schedule, which meant I had to drive 30 minutes each way and even longer if I hit traffic. There were many times they could not get me in at all. I eventually reached out to an attorney but learned that because I filed my claim more than 12 months after the initial incident, I had no legal recourse. The treatments dragged on long enough that the statute of limitations passed before I could act. My experience left me with permanent scarring and no resolution. I would advise extreme caution with their laser treatments, as the risks can outweigh the benefits. read more

Was surprised about all the negative reviews. My first time here since they take my insurance. Dr Wang was very thorough and professional and removed some lesions with liquid nitrogen. My only comment is that they don't do a quick set of vitals despite being a dermatology office. Any health care provider should do at least blood pressure even though they just are concerned about your skin. My only concern now is what kind of bill am I about to face as they are contracted with my insurance company. read more

Dr Patel has been my doctor for over 10 years. He has always been caring, professional, knowledgeable and positive! The rest of his staff are knowledgeable, caring and professional! I couldn't recommend them more highly! read more

This place has gone down hill. The new staff is rude and no one knows what is going on there anymore. When I first started going there, the providers and staff were great- I referred friends and family members. We got facials and Botox etc. GSD had a promotion where you could buy $100 gift card for $90, so I bought a few. I moved out of the area but happened to be back in town this week, so I went to redeem one. The staff member was incredibly rude and kept saying " I'll have to see if we can still take these. I've never seen these before. How long ago did you get this!?" She finally figured it out and long story short -they were only giving me the $90 I paid, not the hundred dollar value of the gift card. They also had a big sign on the counter for $30 off the item I was buying. She didn't know anything about that and somehow that deal didn't apply to my purchase! It had already been like 20 mins, so I decided to pick my battles. I politely completed my purchase and left...never to return. read more

I have seen Dr. Chipps a number of times and this last visit I saw Shelby the PA in Encino. They have taken really good care of me and have answered all of my questions. I would highly recommend the facility in Encino. Robin Spero read more

Under no circumstances should you go here, almost $400 for a "new" patient fee for an appointment that took less than 15 minutes. That means they are effectively charging me $1,500+ per hour. The lady had the audacity to literally lie to me and say this is the same everywhere, first place I checked, not true. Not even close. Not only did they charge me almost $400 but I literally did their job for them. It was for a condition in which I needed a refill, and my old dermatologist was no longer an option. Would you like to know what my old dermatologist charged me the first time I went? $20. Scam company that will rake you over the coals. Trust the reviews. They need to be avoided, and I hope they go out of business. People were fine, not exceptional but their billing practices get them no extra stars. read more

Check your billing statement. This office has questionable billing practices. I was told many times by their scheduler, medical assistant and dermatologist that my procedure was purely cosmetic and I had to pay out of pocket because insurance will NOT cover. On the day of the procedure before leaving the office I paid in full. Then a week later I I was informed that my insurance was billed. Since my insurance only paid a portion, I had to pay the other half. Mind you I ALREADY paid the service in full on the day of service! They turned around and billed my insurance after telling me multiple times that they won't go through my insurance. I then called my insurance and they said, this office can add other fees even though I had already paid in full. So they're getting paid multiple times for one service. Twice by me and the insurance. Ridiculous! read more

Do not expect much from the service. The doctor just take a look of my skin and assumed some diagnostics. It turned to be totally wrong. I asked to check any other moles of my skin and he did not even bothered. Waisted my time and some $$ for the service read more

I had a service here to remove a tiny skin tag on my neck. I called and verified acceptance of my insurance as in-net doctor. Doctor Lauren Larrabure spent less than 5 minutes with me. My skin tag is still there and I got a bill for $398.84. They filed claim as surgery. I had a very bad experience. Beware of this office. read more

Do Not go-the worst office-they will ruin your credit!! I feel bad for the doctors. The doctors are great but staffs are horrible. Especially the billing department. I never received bills and was so proactive. Reached out to them, followed up since June last year. Spent a lot of time on the phone with 4 different ladies at the billing. Took 3 calls to get them to resend the bills to my house. As soon as I received the bills, I paid right away. We had 2 insurances at the time. They made a mistake as to not billing both. Still I didn't care at this point and was willing to pay to get it over with. Asking for paid off letters for many times and finally just received it in June 2024. Again, after making 3-4 calls to finally get them to send me a paid off letter. On the last call, I asked them to remove us from collector since it was their mistake for not billing correctly and mailing bills to the wrong address. They said not to worry. That was May 2024. Today in July, we received a letter from collection agency about the bill we already paid and settled. Speechless!!! They don't do what they said they would. They caused so much stress because they fail to do their jobs over and over. We will never return to this practice again. Scheduling appointments is also painful. You told them the days and time that would work, they would reply and offer with the opposite. We do not recommend this practice to anyone. read more

I have 2 insurance policies. With the insurance I pay 0 copay. I have called Golden State Dermatology Numerous times because they are not billing my insurance instead they are sending me the bill. Now instead of billing my insurance they have sent me to collections. It does not matter how good the Doctor is when the billing office would rather send an active patient to collections instead of billing their insurance as agreed upon. It is not like I am asking them to do something they have not agreed to. I am furious, collections, I will find a new dermatologist, this is not good customer service or patient care. read more

Worst exploiters of patients ever. No notice of what their "new patient fee" was which was around $400 for an appointment that took 15 minutes. This company is an absolute scam. DO NOT ever go to them, choose literally anyone else. I was making payments, then paid them off and they still tried to send me to collections. Everyone who works for this company should be ashamed. They are incompetent in every sense of the word. If they push the claim anymore, I am going to stick it to them for thousands, I hope they remain that incompetent. They lie by omission. I hope they all get everything they deserve in life...and that is nothing good. read more

I was 10 minutes late for my appointment. Had to wait 15 minutes to check in. After checking in, they let me wait another 20 minutes and then came to let me know that they will not accept me because I was late. So frustrating. I will not come back. read more

Rather poor customer service! When making an appointment for my mother, the office made the egregious mistake of misleading us into coming on the wrong day! Moreover, their online portal has a poor design and its functionalities are woefully limited. One cannot send messages or upload documents in the manner of the online portals of other established dermatology practices such as Dermatology Associates of the Bay Area. The dermatologist gave my mother an inadequate amount of a prescription cream to be applied on her skin. I should note that my mother is a healthcare professional and an author herself. The dermatologist marveled at the excellent quality of my mother's skin despite her advanced age as if she viewed it as her own loss! When we called the office and asked for an additional amount of the prescription cream, the intellectually obtuse, scientifically unqualified and self-overrating "medical assistant" treated us as if we were little children or rural residents of little education! She wanted to know whether my mother "applied" the 'cream" to the relevant zones of her skin! Enough inefficiency and arrogant ignorance was enough! We dumped them and do not recommend them. read more

If there were a ZERO star, I would select it. Dr. Anne Zhuang, MD, FACMS, left me in the middle of my paid consultation of $150.00. Fifteen minutes into the consultation, the nurse assistant knocks on the door and claims she has a phone call. While the doctor mentioned she would be back to finish the visit, the assistant came in with a price list of their services and escorted me out of the office, ending my visit without answering my questions for a consultation already paid for. Left speechless, humiliated, and shocked at such treatment, I called back to request a refund. The office personnel made it extremely difficult for me to speak to a manager or the doctor. When the doctor finally decided to call me, she chose to play games and send me messages or missed calls on multiple occasions. So far, I have called to follow up with the refund 3 to 4 times. Each time, there was a different excuse. Each time they promised to fix it, they did not. At this point, a month later, I am done dealing with this organization. I called my credit card company and disputed the charges for services never received. During this experience, I found out they intentionally limited consultation time to 15 minutes max without informing the patients, taking our money, and cheating us out of services. read more

I've been going to the Walnut Creek location for years for regular skin checks and thought I had a reasonably good relationship established. I had a non urgent skin tag removal appointment scheduled and had to cancel it due to a serious diagnosis requiring immediate scheduling of ultrasounds/CT scans/biopsies. The day I needed to cancel within their 48 hour window was a holiday and nobody answered the phones. When I called the following morning I was told I'd be charged $50 because they didn't have 48 hour notice. I explained situation but they didn't care. I just got the bill and paid it immediately. $50 is the least of my worries now. I'll be looking elsewhere for regular skin checks. read more

Dr. Michael Wang is the best. He's very busy but will make room for you. His diagnosis is "spot on" he replaced retiring Dr Engel who I admired he also knows him and can continue my treatment. read more

5 stars . in my previous review, I was upset due to miscommunication on my part. Dr. Seth did an amazing job. I would recommend him to others. My six month postop rhinoplasty gets better and better. He allowed me to reschedule twice due to a family tragedy. He re-explained how the procedure works and provided clarity which alleviated the tension and anxiety around my procedure. read more

When they made Dr. Jay Zimmerman, MD...THEY BROKE THE MOLD! As a member of the Broadcast/Entertainment Industry for 30 years and a member of the Medical Community for another 30 years...I've seen a lot in my day and I've dodged a lot of bullets! But, when I tell you how good this Dermatologist is...let's just say that his own staff refers to him as "JAY-Z." They are referring, of course, to the famous musical artist Jay-Z,,and if Dr. Zimmerman were a musician... he would be PRINCE! There are three qualities that all great Artists...Musicians...and Physicians share... 1) When they enter the room, they command attention and respect... 2) They remember that, "to those that are given much... MUCH IS EXPECTED!" 3) They always remember to respect themselves and others, and to honor any oaths they may have taken i.e...TO DO NO HARM! (Actually, there is a fourth thing that they should remember...but it usually only applies to performers and entertainers... but I assure you that when Dr. Jay Zimmerman leaves the room...He always leaves you... WANTING MORE!) Furthermore, when Dr. Zimmerman enters the room... HE LIGHTS UP THE ROOM! Whether the patient he always remembers to treat each individual as an individual and treats them with great lovecsensitivity and thoughtfulness, that lets you know...that it was his heart that entered the room...before he did! In closing, when I sat down to write this review...I CRIED... Mjo...not for myself...not forto Argentina...and certainly not for Dr. Zimmerman... I cried for all those people that never Ppm to make his acquaintance...that don't know what it's like to be around GREATNESS...that may have lost faith in the entire medical field! Is Dr. Zimmerman in high demand??? Let me answer the question with a question... How hard is it to get in to see Jay Z at a concert? I often say "Success Leaves Clues."... If you have the presence of mind and the ability to get in his presence...Dr. Zimmerman a.k.a. Jay-Z..is well worth the wait!!! Yours sincerely, John Reed B. Esq. Your Humble Narrator read more

I had to book a new patient appointment 2 months in advance with Saloni Patel even though I originally received a referral to see Vikas Patel. Front desk and assistants were nice, but I had to wait nearly half an hour to be seen - only for Saloni Patel to spend 2 minutes with me. I came in because I've had this thing for a long time and it's become increasingly more irritating and embarrassing to show in public. She did not listen to my request for it to be removed even though she had her bottle of liquid nitrogen with her at the ready. Saloni also seemed very rushed and wouldn't really let me talk. After steamrolling me, she told me to come back for another check-in IN A YEAR to see if it got worse. I've had moles removed before - it's quick and easy and she was clearly ready to take care of it. Why didn't she just take care of it in that moment??? That's why I was there in the first place!! Very unprofessional - such a huge waste of time and money. :( read more

A great place for all your skin care needs. We came here for my sons routine facials, they are always polite, professional and very knowledgeable. Excellent service provide by Frozan and the staff for my "Number 1" son. He may not thank me now, but his future self will be very thankful for his healthy and happy looking skin. read more

Golden State Dermatology - Teen Facial - Dermatologists Near Me - Walnut Creek, California

Golden State Dermatology offers a wide range of dermatology and cosmetology services. Services include (but are not limited to) skin cancer treatments, mole and birthmark removal, Botox injections, body sculpting, tattoo removal, and liposuction. Having gone there for years, we rave about Melissa Pattee, Physician Assistant, who is professional, competent, observant, and compassionate. Golden State has an extensive staff to keep the office running efficiently and to maximize the patient experience. The office also has ample parking. A must visit for your skin needs! read more

Golden State Dermatology - Treatment Room - Dermatologists Near Me - Walnut Creek, California

Avoid this medical practice like the poorly run injection mill it is!!!! Drove all the way from San Francisco to Walnut Creek on Friday to see Dr. Patel for a routine keloid injection that never takes more than 5 minutes . Called 15 minutes out that I'd be arriving 10 minutes late for my 11:50 appt. Was told .. " that's fine" Arrive at 12:00 and greeted by a rude receptionist . Dr.Patel can't see you today. But I just called your office 15 minutes ago and was told "its fine!" Sorry, the earliest the doctor can see you is Monday !!!! Unprofessionalism Personified! read more

So very upset with GS Dermatology. I wanted to send a request to my Dr. through the online portal. However my Doctor was not listed as a Berkeley provider. I called the office, waited on hold for 20 min, confirmed my doctor was still a provider at the clinic, but there must be a glitch in the patient portal. Was transferred to someone that potentially help with my message, but they were not in and voicemailbox was full. After 45 min of frustration, I sent an email to the general email box for GS Derm in Berkeley. 7 days later no response. Called again. On hold for 15 minutes, then a recorded message came on saying could not take my call at this time. Bottom line: GS Derm/Berkeley will not be seeing this patient again. read more

Dr Zimmerman is the best ! Always spectacular treatment , and his enthusiasm is contagious. Always friendly , helpful and a friendly face when dealing with my skin/hair issues . I highly recommend him. read more

Once you get to the actual doctors and other providers, the care is excellent. Reaching them is another matter so I have to give the business a 1. I have tried for a week now to get my antibiotics renewed. Normally, a patient can log on to the golden state dermatology patient portal and request a refill by messaging the doctor directly. However, in my case the doctor was not on the list of Walnut Creek and Berkeley providers where he works. On Thurs and Friday I left a voicemail with the walnut creek office manager describing my problem and have yet to receive a call back. I also left a message with a medical assistant at both the Walnut Creek and Berkeley offices last Friday and yesterday, respectively, bc the doctor is out sick. Could another doctor take over and give me a refill? Apparently not bc I have not received my prescription 8 days later. I sometimes contact the CEO of an organization if I can find the email address. Well I did and emailed Matt Purdue twice describing my problem. I would say 95% of the CEOs get back to me but not Matt Purdue. I am forced to conclude that customer service is therefore not a priority for him. I am glad I know where I stand and other customers stand. I really like my doctor and the physician's assistant but if I cannot reach them..... Update, I did get a hold of the office manager at the Walnut Creek location(9 days later) and she could not have been more helpful and apologetic. So there's that. Waiting for the actual prescription...... read more

PA Jhu - I would rate her negative stars if I could. The first time I came in for an appointment because I had a bump grow on my nose, she said it was benign and convinced me to not get it removed. She never told me to come in again if it got worse or to follow up with her. She did not take me seriously at all and actually made me feel stupid for even making an appointment. Because of her I had skin cancer growing on my face much longer than it needed to be. If you are considering making an appointment, please make it with one of the other talented people in the office. PA Connor-Goold - 5 stars. When the bump on my nose became larger and more unsightly I came back in about 8 months later to get it removed. PA Connor-Goold immediately diagnosed it as skin cancer, removed it, and sent it to get it tested. I had no scar, bump or divot on my nose after she perfectly removed it and it healed. She is great at what she does and her personality is so kind and sweet! She definitely calmed my nerves during the process. Dr. Ahmad - 5 stars. I left her a separate 5-Star review on her personal Yelp pah read more

My review of 5 stars is specifically in regards to Dr. Radell! I've seen Dr. Radell a couple of times now. Each time I've seen her, she's thorough, caring, kind and down to earth! I had a procedure done in office and I was very nervous. Her bedside manner is beyond 5 stars!!! She explained every single step she was doing, throughout the procedure. She talked me through it to keep my nerves calm. I've been a patient here for years and to be honest, I've never even known the practitioner's name that I would be seeing - but I will definitely be requesting to see only Dr. Radell in the future since she's quickly become one of my favorite physicians I've ever had to trust and see! I do understand some of these other reviews in regards to the office being not the best - good luck trying to get through via telephone to a live person. But again, my 5 stars are solely in regards to Dr. Radell and I would honestly follow her if she went to another practice lol. Highly recommend her!!! read more

Both Walnut Creek Golden State Dermatology offices are OUTSTANDING! It has been easy to get appointments. Today's full body cancer check was thorough and the doctor took care of some pre-cancerous spots. I will be back every six months like clockwork! read more

Dr V Patel is the best. He is efficient and kind and compassionate. He is super respectful of your time and doesn't keep you waiting or take too long during the appointment. I would definitely recommend him to anyone looking for a dermatologist. read more

Dr was excellent but if there are any billing issues forget. I have been fighting (actually not true because they don't return calls), for 2 years now on $273. I am a veteran that had a procedure done at their Manteca facility and as I said, the Dr was great but because they didn't get authorization from the Community Care part of the VA, all of the bill did not get paid. I got a Balance Due, called them was told not to worry about it as I am a veteran and one way or another it will be taken care of...that was literally 2 years and 12 calls ago. No one will return my call, now they have turn it over for collections. Just yesterday I was told for sure a supervisor will return my call and it didn't happen. Never again!! read more