Is My Dermatologist a Prude?

[misanman]

The doctor I referenced earlier schedules the full body scans on the same day because she says they are exhausting for her. She seemingly goes over every inch, using a magnifier (no jokes please) and an alcohol swab to highlight changes in skin texture. She circles anything suspicious with a marker and comes back again for an even closer examination. I'd guess I'm getting my money's worth.

 

[garyt]

I think it's pretty sad if it's a case of the dr. being a prude. Probably in the wrong profession. Some stuff is uncomfortable for both sides, I'm sure but necessary. The prostate digital exam, for instance. My female dr. has quit doing this, saying they're useless, but I know a person who's cancer was found by the digital exam yet PSA test was fine. I would prefer she do one but would feel weird insisting she do it. She's also quit doing the hernia exam which I'm fine with because I always thought that was kind of useless.

 

[ER Eddie]

There was a Medical Assistant in the room with us, which is an easy solution for boundaries protection.

Not always easy, and not foolproof, but yes, having someone else present (often called "chaperones," oddly) does provide protection against false complaints. I don't know if the OP's doctor had someone else present in the room or not.

If a Dr or NP misses a deadly melanoma that could be very uncomfortable also, for pt as well as provider’s reputation & malpractice insurance.

Right. I'm not saying the doctor is handling things appropriately. I'm just offering a potential explanation for his behavior.

She seemingly goes over every inch, using a magnifier (no jokes please)

lol

 

[Amethyst]

Worrying about the female Dr. doing a finger procto exam strikes me as akin to worrying about a male OBGYN doing a manual breast exam. Mine found a thickening I had not noticed, which was sonogrammed and found to be nothing serious - but what if it had been?

As I said, we and our insurance co's pay these specialists plenty to do their jobs. They, in turn, paid dearly to get their medical educations. The least we can all do is collaborate to do the exams well and thoroughly.

I think it's pretty sad if it's a case of the dr. being a prude. Probably in the wrong profession. Some stuff is uncomfortable for both sides, I'm sure but necessary. The prostate digital exam, for instance. My female dr. has quit doing this, saying they're useless, but I know a person who's cancer was found by the digital exam yet PSA test was fine. I would prefer she do one but would feel weird insisting she do it. She's also quit doing the hernia exam which I'm fine with because I always thought that was kind of useless.

 

[REWahoo]

The prostate digital exam, for instance. My female dr. has quit doing this, saying they're useless...

My female doc found an interesting solution to this - she didn't refuse to do the exam, but didn't use any lube. Never again...

 

[mpeirce]

Wow. If I had a doctor who was shy at giving me an exam I'd be shopping for another doctor.

They are professionals and their job is to take a good hard look and make sure all is well.

 

[redduck]

If I am paying for a head to toe scan, that is what I expect..

Me too, but I would expect the doc would also check the upper part of my body.

 

[copyright1997reloaded]

Doctors are coming under increased scrutiny for sexual boundary violations of patients. This used to be swept under the rug by various agencies (including medical boards), but there has been a significant shift in the last decade, so that patient complaints about doctors who violate sexual boundaries are more frequent and taken more seriously (still a long way to go).

Doctors can lose their license because of these complaints. Even a false complaint can badly damage a doctor's reputation. As a result, some physicians are a bit anxious about doing exams of intimate areas -- not because they are prudes, but because they don't want a patient filing a complaint to the medical board. So they become extra-cautious to avoid anything that might make you uncomfortable.

That's one potential explanation, anyhow.

Agree with this. I visit my doctor 3x/year. On the last two visits, the nurse asked me if I wanted a chaperone for the visit. I'm guessing this is a new procedure to prevent claims regarding inappropriate behavior.

I decline it. It's bad enough having one person giving you a rectal exam, it would be worse with an extra person there.

 

[MRG]

Agree with this. I visit my doctor 3x/year. On the last two visits, the nurse asked me if I wanted a chaperone for the visit. I'm guessing this is a new procedure to prevent claims regarding inappropriate behavior.

I decline it. It's bad enough having one person giving you a rectal exam, it would be worse with an extra person there.

A couple of years ago I had prostatitis, not my first rodeo.

Unfortunately my PCP was out so I saw the young, pregnant NP. DW had an issue so they pull us in the exam room together.

I tell her my symptoms and she's going to do the DRE. Only she needs a nurse for her protection. Haha I thought about asking if anyone else in the waiting room was bored! How many people can you put in one exam room?

 

[JustCurious]

I am completely naked and standing when the female PA does my total body check with a female nurse in the room. I am male.

 

[gayl]

My MD had me undress, returned with MA, took a mess of pictures for the file, not uncomfortable at all but cautious. I've had the same type of CA all over (breast, colon, skin, head, hand). No way do I opt for a cursory exam. Get it while it's small please

 

[redduck]

How many people can you put in one exam room?

Any more than six and the noise level becomes intolerable.

 

[sengsational]

Any more than six and the noise level becomes intolerable.

And they'd need to sell popcorn.

 

[MRG]

And they'd need to sell popcorn.

Maybe the answer to the issues with healthcare costs, just sell tickets and refreshments.

 

[ER Eddie]

And they could be like Olympic judges, and hold up ratings cards at the end.

 

[mickeyd]

My dermatologist checks my junk closely. She is very precise.

 

[Amethyst]

I dunno; the OB-GYN never does that.

And they could be like Olympic judges, and hold up ratings cards at the end.

 

[redduck]

And they could be like Olympic judges, and hold up ratings cards at the end.

ER Eddie, I don't think those are rating cards, I think they are size estimates.

 

[garyt]

ER Eddie, I don't think those are rating cards, I think they are size estimates.

I want to marry the girl who thinks it's a ten!

 

[Nemo2]

I want to marry the girl who thinks it's a ten!

She's the one using centimeters?

 

[braumeister]

Interesting how attitudes vary by region.

Last time I went for my annual checkup at my urologist, he was busy and late as usual. After sitting in the exam room for a while, a young woman walked in and introduced herself as a physician assistant. She asked if I would be OK if she did the finger wave so I didn't have to wait so long for the doc.

I was fine with it, so we got it done quickly. Nobody else required to chaperone. I thought it was a great thing, to take some of the workload off the doc. A DRE is really pretty basic and I've had so many of them that I think I can tell if it's thorough or not. Hers was very well done IMHO.

Maybe I just look so ancient that they figured I was safe in mixed company.

 

[garyt]

She's the one using centimeters?

lol

 

[redduck]

I dunno, but I'd like to think that my physician's assistant is simply too delighted for words.

 

[SecondCor521]

My only data point is when my then-wife wanted an all-over check from the dermatologist because she had a number of moles and such.

IIRC, he had her strip completely, put on one of those paper robes, and then checked everywhere (and then some) on her with me in the room. I'm not sure who was most uncomfortable out of the three of us, but he was very businesslike and his MD was from Harvard and had a top-notch reputation, so it probably wasn't him. And I know she and I appreciated the thorough look.

On a related note, my oldest son had a mole show up very quickly between his toes when he was about 5 years old. Same Harvard-trained dermatologist cut it off for us.

What I don't get is how the dermatologists tell what is dangerous and what isn't. My then-wife had some rather large moles which concerned her but the doc dismissed them with what seemed like a sub-millisecond look. Others that looked like nothing to us concerned him greatly and were removed.

 

[Ronstar]

I had my dermatologist check for problems. He had me strip to my underwear.

He seemed thorough for most places on my body, but he literally pulled the front of the underwear out, peeked in, and snapped it shut. Couldn't have been more than two seconds. The same for the rear.

Is he a prude, or is that SOP?

Let's see if we can wait until twenty posts before we start with the jokes!

That must be SOP. I’ve had two female dermatologists in the past 2 years do the same thing.