Virtual dermatologist
in Connecticut
Dr. Dennis Porto is a double board-certified dermatologist and Mohs surgeon licensed to practise in Connecticut. Describe your concern, send photographs, and get a diagnosis and treatment plan from a specialist — without the drive, the waiting room, or the months-long wait for a first appointment.
Connecticut holds an unusual place in the history of skin cancer research. He graduated at the top of his class from the University of Iowa College of Medicine, earned a Master of Public Health at Harvard, and is board-certified in both dermatology and Mohs micrographic surgery.
Skin care in Connecticut
Connecticut established the first statewide population-based cancer registry in the United States, and its melanoma records from the 1940s and 1950s are still used as a scientific reference point. When the American Cancer Society estimated how much melanoma across the country is attributable to ultraviolet radiation, it used Connecticut's historically low mid-century rates — under 2.3 cases per 100,000 before 1955 — as the baseline for what incidence looks like without heavy modern sun exposure. Present-day rates are many times that figure, which is a fairly stark measure of how much has changed in a single lifetime.
Modern Connecticut has a long shoreline, a substantial boating culture, and affluent coastal communities where outdoor recreation is year-round. It shares the New England winter pattern as well: cold outdoor air and dry indoor heat producing a reliable seasonal increase in eczema, psoriasis, and hand dermatitis from roughly November onward.
Access follows the usual shape. Fairfield County and the New Haven and Hartford areas are reasonably served, but many residents in the northeastern and northwestern corners of the state travel considerably further, and a good deal of Connecticut's specialist demand spills into New York City, adding a commute to an already difficult appointment.
Serving patients across Connecticut
Care is available to anyone located in Connecticut at the time of their consultation, including:
- Hartford
- New Haven
- Stamford
- Bridgeport
- Norwalk
- Greenwich
- Danbury
- Waterbury
- the Litchfield Hills
- the Connecticut shoreline
What can be addressed
Dr. Porto is a general dermatologist as well as a Mohs surgeon, so the full range of medical dermatology is covered — acne, rosacea, eczema, psoriasis, hair loss, melasma, pigmentation, rashes, and concerning spots among them. The full list of conditions sets out what is treated and how each is approached.
When a prescription is appropriate it is sent electronically to your pharmacy of choice in Connecticut. Follow-up happens by message, which matters more than most people expect: dermatologic treatment succeeds or fails on adjustment over weeks, and that adjustment is far likelier to happen when it does not require another appointment.
Start with a message, not a waiting room
Send photos and a short history. Get a diagnosis and a treatment plan from a double board-certified dermatologist licensed in Connecticut.
Frequently asked questions
Is Dr. Porto licensed in Connecticut?
Yes. Dr. Porto holds an active medical license in Connecticut and in nine other states. He is double board-certified in dermatology and in Mohs micrographic surgery, and is a Fellow of the American Academy of Dermatology.
Do I need to live in Connecticut to be seen?
What matters is where you are physically located during the consultation, not where you permanently reside. Physicians are licensed state by state, so being in Connecticut at the time of your consult is what allows Dr. Porto to treat you there.
How long does it take to be seen?
Far less time than the national norm for dermatology. Survey data has put the average wait for a dermatology appointment in the United States at around five weeks, with wide variation between states. Sending a message does not require waiting for a scheduled appointment slot at all.
What happens if my condition needs a procedure?
You will be told directly, and pointed toward what the next step should be. Dr. Porto is a Mohs surgeon as well as a general dermatologist, so the assessment of whether something needs surgical or procedural treatment comes from someone who performs it.
Why is Connecticut significant in melanoma research?
It established the first statewide cancer registry in the United States. Its melanoma incidence from 1942 to 1954 is still used by researchers as the baseline for estimating how much present-day melanoma is attributable to ultraviolet exposure.
This page is general health information, not medical advice, and reading it does not create a physician–patient relationship. Treatment decisions depend on your individual history and examination. If you are experiencing a medical emergency, call 911 or go to the nearest emergency department.