| 1 in 5Americans who will develop skin cancer | 45 days – Average wait for in-person dermatologist | 2 days – Virtual dermatology treatment plan via TSB | 45 days – Average wait for an in-person dermatologist |
Skin cancer is the most commonly diagnosed cancer in the United States. The American Academy of Dermatology estimates that one in five Americans will develop skin cancer in their lifetime. Early detection — the difference between a suspicious lesion reviewed when it first appears and one examined months later — is the single most important factor determining treatment outcomes. And yet the average wait time to see a dermatologist in the United States is 35 to 45 days.
The Scale of the Dermatology Access Problem
There are approximately 13,000 board-certified dermatologists practicing in the United States — for a population of 340 million people. The conditions waiting to be seen affect 84.5 million Americans at any given time:
- Acne — affecting 50 million Americans annually, with significant mental health implications
- Eczema and atopic dermatitis — affecting 31.6 million people
- Psoriasis — a chronic autoimmune condition affecting 7.5 million Americans
- Rosacea — affecting 14 million Americans, often undertreated due to diagnostic barriers
- Skin cancer — 9,500 people are diagnosed every single day
Nine thousand five hundred Americans are diagnosed with skin cancer every single day. The average wait to see a dermatologist is 35 to 45 days. Virtual dermatology reduces that wait to 48 hours — at no additional cost for TSB subscribers.
— Third Sector Benefits, 2026
How Virtual Dermatology Works — The HealthiestYou Process
| Step | What You Do | What Happens Next |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Open the HealthiestYou app and select the Dermatology service | The app guides you through the photo capture process with specific instructions |
| 2 | Take clear, well-lit photos of the skin condition according to app guidance | The app confirms photo quality and completeness before submission |
| 3 | Answer a brief questionnaire about the condition’s history, symptoms, and prior treatments | Your submission is assigned to a board-certified dermatologist in the Teladoc network |
| 4 | Receive your diagnosis and treatment plan within two business days through the app | Treatment plan may include prescribed medication (sent to your pharmacy electronically) or referral guidance if in-person follow-up is needed |
What Virtual Dermatology Can — and Cannot — Address
Conditions Commonly and Effectively Addressed:
- Acne — including cystic and hormonal acne requiring prescription treatment
- Eczema and atopic dermatitis — diagnosis, treatment protocol, and prescription management
- Psoriasis — evaluation and treatment recommendation
- Rosacea — identification and treatment planning
- Rashes — contact dermatitis, allergic reactions, unexplained skin reactions
- Suspicious moles or lesions — initial evaluation with guidance on whether in-person biopsy is warranted
- Fungal infections — athlete’s foot, nail fungus, ringworm
Conditions Requiring In-Person Follow-Up:
- Lesions requiring physical biopsy for definitive cancer diagnosis
- Conditions requiring dermoscopy or specialized in-person examination tools
- Severe systemic skin conditions requiring complex multidisciplinary management
For conditions requiring in-person follow-up, virtual dermatology serves a critical triage function: it provides expert guidance on whether the condition warrants urgent in-person evaluation — preventing both unnecessary urgent specialist visits and delayed diagnosis of genuinely serious conditions.
Third Sector Benefits — Dermatology Access Within 48 Hours, Included in Every Subscription
Every Third Sector Benefits subscription through HealthiestYou by Teladoc includes dermatology access at no additional cost. There is no specialist copay, no appointment to schedule, and no 35-day wait. Your employees upload photos and receive a board-certified dermatologist’s diagnosis and treatment plan within two business days — accessible from any smartphone, at any hour.
A single avoided in-person dermatology visit saves $150 to $350. A single early-detected skin cancer diagnosis avoided through timely virtual review could represent savings and outcomes that are genuinely life-changing.
Give your team dermatology access starting today. Visit thirdsectorbenefits.com or contact Eric Snyder at eric@thirdsectorbenefits.com.
