Dermatologists who treat acne are able to conduct successful follow-up appointments via email, according to a recent study appearing in Archives of Dermatology.
For follow-up treatment of acne, 121 patients were randomly assigned to a) the in-office group or b) the e-mail group. Patients in the email group sent photos of their skin to a dermatologist every six weeks, giving the doctor an opportunity to give advice and alter prescriptions.
Highlights
- Inflammatory acne lesions decreased 6.67 percent in the email group and 9.39 percent in the office group.
- Participants reported similar satisfaction rates in both groups
- Dermatologists spent roughly the same amount of time treating patients in each group (4 – 5 minutes).
Doctors involved in the study concluded that follow-up visits conduced online could produce “equivalent clinical outcomes.” Furthermore, the online model was deemed popular due to convenience and time savings.
