I'm another long time patient who has seldom had much of a wait and has been cared for with 100% care , concern and competence. Staff and physician are great. read more

She is through and terriffic I have gone to her for more than 20 years and am always satisfited Karen Hanneman read more

I have been going to Dr. Rivera for 20 years and have always been incredibly happy with her care. I am very fair and try to stay out of the sun, but I did some damage to my skin when I was young. Dr. Rivera always does an incredibly close inspection of all of my moles and notices if any of them has chaged, even if it just a fraction. read more

Dr. Rivera is amazingly competent and thorough -- IF you can get into see her. Even though she often has students, she does seem to do an incredibly thorough inspection and analysis. I can't tell you how annoying, off-putting and needlessly complex it is just to schedule an appointment. I've literally given up and seeking other options. It's disappointing as I've been coming here for years ... but they just seemingly no longer care (about the office experience). It's a shame she's associated with this type of behavior. read more

I continue to be pleased with Dr Rivera as my dermatologist. She is very professional and explains everything she is doing step by step. Her staff is friendly and efficient. After moving away from DC, I still travel a long distance each year to get my annual dermatology screening from her. read more

I am a long time patient of Dr. Rivera who I find to be very solid and caring. Yes, there are time constraints due to her popularity and yes, there have been scheduling and staffing issues in the past. She seems to have corrected those issues and things have smoothed out. The fact remains that she is a very competent professional and, fair skinned as I am, I rely on her analysis and treatment of pre cancers & cancers at least twice a year. She has also referred me to other professionals for Fraxell, cosmetic surgery and hair loss. read more

I have been going to Dr. Rivera for years. She is out of network, but thorough in her skin care checks so I am okay with shelling out for her. But not now...I showed up for my appointment a few minutes before my appointment time and completed check in and paperwork before the appointment time. While waiting to be seen by Dr. Rivera, another patient arrived early for his appointment time, which was 15 minutes after my appointment time. The staff advised him that Dr. Rivera was running behind (something they had not shared with me) and that he would be waiting for about 30 minutes. He questioned them when he would be seen by the doctor - this went back and forth for a bit. He said he was going to leave and return in 30 minutes. Instead, a nurse motioned for him to come in and brought him into an examining room to see him right away. They bumped him up before my appointment. Note: it didn't appear to be an urgent issue, just a regular appointment. I was livid but very calmly asked the receptionist to rectify the situation as my appointment was before his, I arrived before him, and I needed to get back to work. I waited another ten minutes for them to fix the situation, but they didn't so I walked out. They called me 20 minutes later and said I could come back and see Dr. Rivera right away. I was already home and looking up another dermatologist. Her staff is very unprofessional and handled this situation very poorly. read more

I have had several friends recommend Dr Rivera, but I honestly now think they must not have high standards for service and patient care. I saw Dr Rivera (waited the usual lengthy amount for a dr), but when I returned for a follow up I specifically told the receptionist that I had to pick my children up early & to please let me know if she was running behind. I waited over an hour and I eventually left. I even told them I would be happy to come back but I was continually told she would be right with me. I've never gone back. I agree with the review below - I have no idea how she became a top rated dr. Her diagnosis/prescriptions weren't any different than my "old-school dermatologist" on Carlin Springs (Dr Fuchs - whom I love). I was trying to find a cosmetic derm & that's when I tried Rivera. So not worth the wait. read more

This is a rating of Dr. Rivera's staff as I was unable to meet with Dr. Rivera. I made an appointment for a routine skin examination with Dr. Rivera's staff in April of 2022 and the appointment date provided was July 13, 2022. Because I had not heard anything from the office regarding this upcoming appointment, I reached out to verify the existence of the appointment. Much to my chagrin, I was told that there was no record of the appointment and I was told I would have to make a new appointment. Based upon the incompetence of the staff to make and memorialize an appointment, I will seek medical assistance elsewhere. read more

16 Mar 2017 I've been a patient of Dr. Rivera's several times over the past 10 annums. I recently had a case of poison ivy---my second bout. As my second was sufficiently mal to see a doctor, I called on Dr. Rivera. I learned from her that subsequent plant toxicity occurrences can be worse than previous ones. She recognized my problem right away and prescribed the necessary medicines, oral and ointment steroids. She and her amicable staff gave me pensive and precise instructions for convalescence. Now, I'm nearly back to normal! Every time that I engaged her aid, I've enjoyed complete satisfaction with my care from Michelle Rivera! ---Richard S. Otto read more

I'll start this off by saying that my experience today actually is a zero star experience, but unfortunately there is no option for that on Yelp. Before today, I was a fan of Dr. Rivera and her staff and had made an effort to go to her office these past few years despite the fact that she was out of network for my insurance. I had read the reviews about her being rude and condescending, and despite being on the receiving end of her snippiness a few times (so yes, the other reviews ARE true), I generally found her to be pleasant and very thorough in her work. However, today's experience completed negated any positive feelings I had, and was nothing short of a nightmare ordeal. I was running a few minutes late to my appointment as a result of rain and traffic, and as a courtesy, I called Dr. Rivera's office to let them know that I was running a little late but that I would be there no more than 5-10 minutes late. The male receptionist informed me that Dr. Rivera had a policy that anyone more than 5 minutes late could be in the danger of having their appointment rescheduled. I found this very surprising (5 minutes, really?) but before I could say anything, he informed me that an exception would be made today and that I would be seen. At this point, I was about 15 minutes from the office and so I continued on my way in. When I arrived (exactly 8 minutes after my appointment time), the same receptionist took down my information and I waited in the waiting area for a few minutes. Then, a female staff member asked to speak with me and pulled me out of the waiting area to let me know that she had consulted with Dr. Rivera and that the doctor did not want to see me because I was 10 minutes late. I was completely stunned by this. I was already in the office (after a nearly 50 minute drive), there were no other patients in the waiting room, and the receptionist had told me that I would be seen when I had called him previously. I also am an old patient of the doctor's and was back in town for a visit as I now reside in a different state, and when I informed the female staff member of this, she told me there was nothing that could be done to accommodate me. The doctor's office is pretty small, and so I know that Dr. Rivera heard me while I was trying to work something out, but she and her other nurses/assistants did not come out to talk to me. I get that I was a few minutes late which is my fault, but the reaction from the doctor and her inability to be flexible and understanding is completely shocking, especially since my usual waiting time at her office is around 30-45 minutes. I would have somewhat understood her new policy had her waiting room been completely packed, but she had no patients in the waiting room and was not seeing any other patient at that time. I also would have somewhat understood had the receptionist turned me away when I had called and saved myself an additional 15 minutes of commuting time + 10 minutes of waiting time in the office. Instead, I ended up with no doctor's appointment, wasted 2 hours commuting round trip, and extreme frustration. read more

I think she is great if nothing time sensitive comes up but I currently have what appears to be a squamous cell carcinoma that is steadily growing and even though I explained this to the staff and am a preexisting patient her office staff told me that my apparent growing cancer is not an emergency and so I have to wait over three months for an appointment. read more

Scam? Called months in advance to make an appointment, verified that they took my insurance, gave them the info on the card, someone put me on hold then came back to say yes they do take my insurance. Show up today and I'm told no they don't, but I could pay out of pocket. Waste of my time and the parking fee. Avoid. read more

I have had a skin rash for a very long time and started to believe it would never go away. I had seen several highly recommended dermatologists and spent a lot of money on various prescriptions with no success. Dr Rivera immediately diagnosed my condition, called in a prescription and after a few applications the rash is almost gone. I can't thank Dr Rivera enough. She was patient and explained exactly what I needed to do. She also introduced me to Good RX which helped me save on my prescription. read more

Dr. Rivera and staff have been taking great care of my 89 year old father, who has had many issues with skin cancer. They always treat him wonderfully and take the time to explain everything in detail. read more

Another scheduling nightmare with her office. First she cancelled then I had to cancel. Finally rescheduled but could not convince scheduler I needed a morning appt. because I work far from the office. Sure enough traffic and bad parking at hospital center made me 20 minutes late. I was rudely told I was late, appt was cancelled and next available was early spring. I am looking for another dermatologist - I don't need this. read more

Dr. Rivera is a 'doctor's doctor.' My gyn saw her; a colleague of mine who has been ill for years sees her. She is very friendly, thorough, and has nice young people taking notes of the appointment for the patient to take with them. I wish I could continue to see her, but -- unfortunately -- she doesn't take Cigna. So now I'm looking for someone ELSE I can trust. read more

Dr. Rivera is a mixed bag. She is knowledgeable and skilled. However, appointments at her office are very awkward. The office staff isn't the most socially skilled and can come off as rude, but that is not even my real concern here. The awkward part is that she always brings at least one or two trainees (I am not sure if they are residents or what) into the room with you. That means you have three people circling around you staring at your body and pointing to things. Imagine sitting in a doctor's office and having three people circle around your body examining you head to toe and pointing at different parts of your body. It is weird. And it has not been my experience with any other dermatologist or doctor I have ever seen. It would be one thing if Dr. Rivera said, "this is ______ and _______ and they are trainees (?) that will be assisting me today. Is that all right with you?" But the strangeness of the situation is never addressed and you end up with three people circling around you as if you are some kind of exhibit at a zoo. Like other reviewers, I also do find Dr. Rivera to be in quite a hurry. She is also always late. So one hand it is understandable why she is in a hurry - she is trying to catch up with her schedule. On the other hand, she must not understand that people have taken time out from their work days and been waiting at her office for exorbitant amounts of time, and when she does finally see you, you are rushed and scurried out. The patient-doctor relationship is a two way street, and I think that is what Dr. Rivera does not understand. read more

I have been seen by several dermatologists in Northern Virginia and Dr. Rivera was by far the best. She is very diligent and clear when explaining what she is going to do before she does it, what she is finding, and her recommendations for follow-up care. Her manner is very calming during and outside the exam. If there were any issues with her staff in the past (per some of these reviews), they seem to be cleared up at this point -- they were great during my most recent visit. read more

DO NOT go to this doctor. She is extremely condescending and rude. She speaks to you as if you are beneath her. I did a double take at some of the remarks that she made. I am an adult, and I was able to ignore some of her comments, but if you are looking for a doctor to take your child to, or you do not have a thick skin, she will make you feel terrible and completely mess with your self-esteem. She will also talk your ear off, and if you have a question, she acts annoyed that she needs to slow down her train of thought to answer you. If you hold all of your questions until she has finished talking, then you will never be able to remember your questions from earlier in the conversation. She completely monopolizes the conversation, yet at the end of my appointment, when I was finally trying to get answers to some of my questions, she had the nerve to tell me that she was spending more than my allotted time with me, and she was not going to be reimbursed by my insurance company based on the amount of time she was spending. WOW what a "caring" doctor. I understand that they need to make money, but she could have addressed the situation with a little more tact. I could not wait to get out of there. She is also one of those doctors that throws out a million names of different types of medicines she can prescribe without good explanations. When I left the office, I had multiple prescriptions without even really understanding what they were for. I would recommend searching for another doctor. I know I will definitely NOT be going back to this office. read more

I have been seeing Dr. Rivera for a few years, and I love her. I don't understand the reviews saying that she is rude and condescending; I find the opposite to be true. Dr. Rivera's staff is friendly, courteous, and professional. I usually don't have to wait very long when I go in for an appointment, but, if I do have to wait for a while, the wait is made more pleasant by a large selection of current, fun magazines in the waiting room (the kind you love reading but never want to actually buy for yourself). Dr. Rivera explains everything as she's doing it. She's not condescending at all, but rather communicative and informative. I always feel like I understand what she is doing and why she's doing it. She somehow manages to make me feel comfortable even when I'm standing practically naked being examined under bright lights (not exactly a situation I love). I don't know why anyone would say she has no "bedside manner." Perhaps she's not super smooth, but who cares? She is nice, warm, funny, and seems very thorough and knowledgeable. Plus she doesn't make you feel rushed--which is unusual for doctors these days. She answers all questions clearly, too. I never leave her office with the feeling of being overwhelmed or confused, as too often happens with specialists. Her assistants are always really good too; they explain how to use the products and reinforce the instructions Dr. Rivera provides, which helps you remember them. I like and respect Dr. Rivera and would recommend her. read more

I don't understand what this reviewer said because my experience was so different. A friend told me to see Dr. Rivera after I had a bad Botox treatment that left my brows drooped. I could not even put shadow on!!! At the visit, Dr. Rivera explained how my forehead muscles worked and the problem with how the Botox was injected, and how it needed to be corrected. She injected between my brows and around my eyes, and told me to come back in 2 weeks for a follow up. I was told if I need more Botox at that time it would be done for free, sine the touch up is included in the price. I was pretty nervous, but it has been more than a week and I can see the changes already. Was the treatment worth the 680? For me, definitely yes!!! can't wait to go back in one more week! read more

My review relates to female adult acne related to stress and hormone shifts. I was being treated by a dermatologist who was a bit far from Arlington. I decided to visit Dr. Rivera because of her location and high ratings. First, where is her bedside manner? She came into the examining room with two nurses and says, "Wow, I can see why you came in today!", referring to the cyst on my chin. Basically, she never treated my acne. She gave me several different oral antibiotics, which did nothing. Then, she didn't think Plexion, which I've used before with success, would work for me. She recommended OTC cleansers, which I tried and exacerbated my condition. So, within 3 months of visits, she finally prescribed Retin-A. That slowly dried up my skin. However, I wasn't impressed with her treatments. I was hoping for laser treatments, but she said she didn't do them in the summer, then she told me I wouldn't be a good candidate. I returned to my former dermatologist, who started laser treatments in July, and the treatments work. They work well enough that I only use topical BenzaClin once or twice a day, rotating with Effaclear (OTC) cream, and occassionally using Plexion, in rotation with Effaclear cleanser and AcneFree Oatmeal and jojoba oil. My skin is sooo much better now! Back to Dr. Rivera, her office staff and some of the nurses are rude. I told her I was planning on having a baby. I come back 1.5 months later and the nurse is like, "So how are the baby plans?" I said, "We're trying." And the nurse says, "Oh, with in vitro!" That is sooo insensitive. It was 1.5 months since I declared my intention to get pregnant. And this nurse made me feel like a freak for not getting pregnant after 1.5 months of trying. Hurtful, combined with Dr. Rivera's first comment on seeing me, "Wow, I can see why you came in today!" Wait times are also pretty hideous, too. Skip this doctor. (FYI, we put off baby plans while I took the Retin-A.) read more

This review relates exclusively to Botox and fillers. Went to her after seeing her listed as one of the best derms in Washingtonian magazine. Since there were no reviews on Yelp, I thought she must be so good that y'all were keeping it secret. She does not accurately target the muscles and does not use enough product (Botox), so there is little to no effect. She charges by the area--680 for one area, 880 for two, 1080 for three--and by using so few units, she must be making a killing. One month after treatment, I had full mobility in all treated areas. read more

No one has addressed the front office staff. I can not understand them and asking for a simple receipt turned into not getting the correct thing. I dread having to talk to them again. Unless you speak Spanish don't try to get anything accomplished with them. read more

I had to wait two months for an appointment, but this would have been true at any dermatologists office. Dr. Rivera lacks interpersonal skills and professionalism. At my initial appointment she did not introduce herself and quickly turned me over to her assistant. I felt as if my problem was so trivial she could not be bothered. At the second appointment she did two skin biopsies. The procedure was painless and fast. She then turned me over to her assistant. Two weeks later the biopsy results came back. It was not good news. I was appalled when the assistant, not the doctor, called and in a very clumsy way told me the diagnosis. I did not have an opportunity to ask questions and was given no treatment plan. read more

I just went to see Dr. Rivera today. I was impressed by her and her excellent staff! I was worried going after reading some of the negative reviews, but as I have been to many derms in the area, I would say to give her a try. She sees you with an assistant, who is extremely knowledgeable. While the doctor wrote the prescriptions, the assistant explained the products, how to use, why they would help, and how long to use. My prior derm would pretty much say 'use this' with no explanation. I had several issues to discuss, she listened and addressed each one. Several of my issues I had brought up to other derms and they dismissed them, or sold me some useless product. I found her and her staff very professional. I highly recommend and plan for her to be my derm from now on. read more

I originally saw Dr. Rivera on an "emergency" referral from another Dr. I was visiting, who was very concerned about my infected poison ivy. I walked over to her office and she saw me immediately, perhaps explaining why some appointments run late. I wasn't hospitalized but she stressed the seriousness and her assistants handed me the info and the prescriptions. I have since returned for skin cancer checks and a skin care consultation (required up-front fee) and started on a regimen of cremes, which I chose instead of a more aggressive approach. Solo office is run a little old-fashioned. Accepts BCBS for qualifying medical expenses. Dr. Rivera spoke to me quietly, quickly and calmly and has always answered questions. I will return. read more

I just had a very bad experience with Dr. Rivera's office in trying to make an initial appointment. I saw where I could make an appointment on-line and I successfully did so. I got a call awhile later saying that the appointment time was not actually available and I needed to reschedule it for another day. I was given a lecture by the person rescheduling about how they do not take my insurance and I would be handed a bill and would need to immediately pay the bill and wanted to make sure I understood this. I could never imagine that cosmetic dermatological services would be covered by my insurance anyway so I really don't understand the lecture. Dr. Rivera's website explains that the best way to use her service is to schedule an initial consultation which I was trying to do. The person making the appointment wanted me to fully explain what my reasons were for seeing the doctor and I told him I want a consultation regarding a few cosmetic procedures. I was pressed to be more specific. There is a disconnect between the website for this doctor and the reality of doing business with her and her office. Makes me wonder how she is considered a Top Doc by Washingtonian magazine. read more

Dr. Rivera is the second dermatologist I went to go see after a horrible experience with my first dermatologist at Virginia hospital center (I won't say any names). I chose Dr. Rivera because my coworker recommended her. After my first appointment I knew why she recommended her. She is very knowledgeable, nice, patient, and you feel like she really wants to help. Her staff is very friendly and informative. I am extremely happy to have found such a great provider for my skin care. read more

I've been using Dr Rivera for a few years now. I really can't recommend her more highly. The way she talks you through everything she is doing was a little different than other Drs I've used but you quickly get used to it. She has pulled a few cancers and pre-cancerous moles off me and given me a great understanding of what I have to do to reduce the risks of skin cancer going forward. read more

I have always found Dr. Rivera to be professional, thorough and helpful in explaining what is going on. Personally, I really like her manner. Sometimes her staff make things a bit awkward for me as they repeat her instructions and talk over her. The office staff can be a bit clueless at times but they are usually polite. I would guess some of the complaints are cultural in origin due to different communication styles. read more

Dr Rivera and her assistants were phenomenal! I would highly recommend her from the moment I walked in all the way through the end of the appointment the entire operation was one of the best I have been to in the DC area!She talks you through all the details of what she is doing and gives you a lot of information for taking care of yourself better. She clearly knows what she is talking about! read more

I've been a patient of Dr. Rivera's for several years and she is always extremely courteous and takes the time to answer questions. Her assistants are there to document all the discussion and provide you with detailed instructions to take home. My only complaint and reason for not giving 5 stars is the front desk staff. They don't seem to know what they're doing when they book appointments because there is always an excessive wait. Last time I had to wait over an hour and they saw me just as I was about to leave (after an hour and 15 min), and this has happened more than once. Still, I'm willing to deal with the staff to get the great care from Dr. Rivera. read more

Office staff is unprofessional, rude and difficult to understand. Cannot get through to the doctor with follow-up questions or for refills without having to explain to staff, correct misunderstanding, explain, correct and then repeat multiple times. I found the doctor herself to be condescending and would not go back. read more

Dr. Rivera is rude, abrupt, and generally unprofessional. I have never before felt the need to comment on a doctor but if I could save one person the experience of dealing with this one my time is well spent. I am shy by nature and on my very first visit I disrobed, put on the paper gown and waited to meet the doctor. When she finally came into the exam room, after a considerable wait, she had 5 people - what I assume were students or assistants - with her. When I expressed to my brand new doctor my discomfort with being examined completely naked in front of this small group (not to mention what a surprise it was to have them all walk in) she actually screamed (NOT an exaggeration) at me for wasting her time and walked out of the room without further comment. It all happened so quickly and I was left stunned, upset and embarrassed. When I collected myself, I got dressed and when I went out to the check out area, where they told me I could leave and said nothing else. When I described the situation that had just occurred the person in check out said "she can be like that". I truly hope the assistants and students who work with her don't believe that her behavior is appropriate when she treats patients like that. In discovering some of the other similar comments on this site I realize my experience was not unique. Do not go to this doctor! read more

I waited a month for my appointment because I needed afternoon appt. unfortunately I had bad traffic and problems to find a parking at hospital center so made 15 minutes late. I was so rudely told that the doctor is not going to see me because I was late. Previous app I waited when dr. was busy but if I had an inconvenient out off my control they cancel my appointment. I am not going there again. I don't need this. read more

I had an appt. with Dr. Rivera yesterday for my adult acne. I was nervous to see her after reading the horrible reviews on here, but my appt. actually went really well. I did have to schedule it a few months in advance, but that seems standard for dermatologists around here. I waited about 15 minutes before seeing her, but that also is pretty standard. She listened to my concerns and recommended a treatment plan. I was uncomfortable with one of the prescriptions she recommended, and she was understanding and accommodated me by prescribing something else. The treatment plan was simple and affordable which isn't always the case with dermatologists- sometimes they push pricey products on you. I will write another review in a few months to see if the treatment is effective, but all in all, I"m really satisfied. I can't imagine her being rude or uncooperative. The only drawback was the appt. did feel a little bit rushed and sometimes I didn't quite understand what they were telling me about the prescriptions because they were in a hurry. But I still got to ask all my questions and they were happy to respond. read more

I have been a patient of Dr. Michelle Rivera since the 1990s. She is the same age as me (58). She has an excellent bedside manner. She enters the examining room that you're in with a smile and a pleasant greeting and she looks you right in the eye. Every single instruction, piece of advice, whatever, is written down by an attendant of hers while Dr. Rivera is speaking, and then you, the patient, are given the written instructions/advice to take home with you. So you, the patient, don't have to try to remember anything at all, which is a relief if/when you have many questions and concerns (serious stuff like melanoma, biopsies, etc). Regarding one of the comments below, Dr. Rivera is always listed in Washingtonian magazine as a top doctor because those ratings are based on surveys of physicians only, not patients. Physicians nominate other physicians whom they know and trust and would go to themselves. Regarding another comment, YES, many dermatology procedures are indeed covered by medical insurance. Skin cancer is the first that comes to mind. No, vanity stuff like Botox wouldn't be covered. My only complaint about Dr. Rivera's practice is that often times the people working at the front desk are flat out rude, whether in person or on the phone. Her attendants--the women who work side by side with her when she sees patients--are, of course, never rude. In fact, I have always found them all to be friendly and helpful. I think Dr. Rivera is a top-notch dermatologist and I would highly recommend her. Just be aware that she evidently has no shortage of patients because there is a long waiting period (many weeks or months) to get an appointment with her--unless you call, I guess, right after someone cancels. read more