Virtual dermatologist
in Massachusetts
Dr. Dennis Porto is a double board-certified dermatologist and Mohs surgeon licensed to practise in Massachusetts. 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.
Dr. Porto completed a Master of Public Health at Harvard and a skin cancer research fellowship in Boston, and is licensed to practise in Massachusetts. 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 Massachusetts
Boston has one of the densest concentrations of academic medicine in the world, which has not translated into easy dermatology access. Appointment waits at the major teaching hospitals are frequently quoted in months rather than weeks, and demand from a large student and young professional population keeps the general dermatology schedules full.
The New England climate produces a distinct seasonal pattern. From late autumn through early spring, the combination of cold air outdoors and forced hot air indoors strips moisture from skin, and dry skin, eczema, and hand dermatitis all worsen predictably. Winter sports add a second mechanism: at altitude in the Berkshires and further north, ultraviolet exposure increases with elevation, and snow reflects a substantial fraction of it back upward, onto exactly the areas sunscreen is most often skipped.
Outside Route 128, access thins considerably. Western Massachusetts, the Cape, and the Islands have far fewer dermatologists per resident than Greater Boston, and seasonal population swings make scheduling harder still in exactly the months when sun exposure peaks.
Serving patients across Massachusetts
Care is available to anyone located in Massachusetts at the time of their consultation, including:
- Boston
- Cambridge
- Somerville
- Worcester
- Springfield
- Lowell
- Newton
- Brookline
- the North Shore
- Cape Cod
- the Berkshires
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 Massachusetts. 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 Massachusetts.
Frequently asked questions
Is Dr. Porto licensed in Massachusetts?
Yes. Dr. Porto holds an active medical license in Massachusetts 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 Massachusetts 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 Massachusetts 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.
Did Dr. Porto train in Massachusetts?
He completed a skin cancer research fellowship and a Master of Public Health at Harvard, where he was awarded the Lewis Hackett Scholarship. He is licensed to practise in Massachusetts.
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.