Advanced Dermatology and Cosmatic Center

The wait time was terrible, Dr. Michael obviously overbooks her appointments with patients. I waited 45 mins-​1 hour to see her for 10 minutes. In those ten minutes I felt rushed and not comfortable to ask questions. I came in for a «rash», dry patches of skin that have been bothering me for some time. She took a look at a couple of my dry patches and without telling me what it may or may not be, decided to book me for a biopsy at 9am the very next morning. (Another reason I believe she overbooks, she «scheduled» my appt with me in the exam room without checking if she had another patient the following morning) While I admit, it was partly my fault for not asking «Hey Doc, what do you think it could be, just so I have an idea, before I come in tomorrow for the punch biopsy?» She should have told me SOMETHING without me having to ask. I got absolutely no information from her. Well, I thought the biopsy was unnecessary and a little soon, so I called the next morning to cancel my appt for the biopsy and asked for Dr. Michael to call me back because I had some questions for her. Questions like, is this an emergency (because she acted like it was), any idea what the problem may be, and where she was planning to do the biopsy? I got no phone call back. I decided to go to another doctor (Moore Dermatology in Melrose Park) for a second opinion. The staff at Moore were much more pleasant, I was comfortable asking questions, not in a hurry, and even diagnosed my problem WITHOUT a biopsy. The people at Moore told me to try the meds they gave me for 2 weeks, if these meds don’t work THEN I’ll have to go in for a biopsy. I apologize for the novel here, but this seriously irked me. Find somewhere else to go, for your own sake!

Ok. I had my mole removed. She seemed to be efficient during the procedure and Dr Michael is actually quite nice and so is her nurse. But, the staff behind the counter is not as pleasant, and she was 40 minutes behind again today. She also doesn’t like to shave for biopsies. She likes to punch and stitch. So, she’s more on the conservative side. Hoping test results may come back well, but I am not looking forward to another 45 – 1 hour wait to have stitches removed. I asked again about bookings — and they confirmed they double book every appt. Also, they do not give results over the phone, which means another visit for the doctor.

Stay away. I trusted this woman as a healthcare professional and she failed on all fronts.
Overbooked appointments. Even if you are first in line when they open Dr. Belmina Michael is always late without apology. She will start cutting into you without explaining what she’s doing. She subjected me to unnecessary punch biopsies that left disfiguring scars. Now it looks like I had some terrible skin disease. Another derm told me it was not needed and that they should have been shave biopsies. To make things worse their billing department will double bill you and charge your credit card WITHOUT your authorization even if you have ALREADY paid your balance. I’ve been trying to get the double charges reversed for weeks with no success.
Save yourself the headache and go somewhere else.

Finally a place I can count on! The Staff is knowledgeable and Dr. Michael Belmina is professional and knows exactly what she is doing. She listened to my issue and right away provided a number of solutions. We discussed what would probably work best based on my personal schedule and within weeks have seen a difference with skin based on the treatment we are on. Thank you, Dr. Belmina! I will refer my family, friends and anyone else I know. You are the best and I cannot THANK YOU, enough!

I’ve seen the dr multiple times, and each if those times I’ve scheduled my appointment for first thing in the morning because I had to go to work afterward. Each time she excessively overbooked her appointments. To make matters worse, she was late to the office on two of these instances. She was nearly an hr late the last time I was there, and resulted in a dozen people standing around the waiting room pissed off. By the response of the receptionist, I’m assuming that this was not an anomaly.
The billing service they use is horrendous. I haven’t been to this office in years, but still receive a random bill dated years ago, resulting In myself having to call, inform the person on the line that I paid the bill, and then getting an «oh yeah, you did pay the balance off. Sorry for the inconvenience» reply; and then the process starts over a few months later.
To be fair, her treatment was very good, and she was very nice to me. She presented me with various options to treat my ailment and allowed me to make a decision. However, I firmly believe in the whole patient experience from top to bottom, and that’s how I’m basing my review.

Made an appointment, based on Unilocal reviews, with Dr. Michel Belmina several weeks prior. Side note: received no day prior appointment reminder. This was not an issue for me, but I know some people have come to rely on these.
Arrived for appointment at 9am today, as scheduled, which I gleaned to be their first appointment of the day. There were at least five other people in the waiting room and when the receptionist logged my name in, I noted that there were 4 – 5 other names already listed at the 9am timeslot. Not sure how a doctor can see five people at the time, but perhaps they book several people on the hour and just see patients at their convenience, without regard for people’s time?
I completed my paperwork and at about 9:20, they finally called the first couple patients. Around 9:35, I asked when I might expect to be seen and was told: a) the doctor had just arrived a few minutes earlier (I suppose dermatological emergencies do occur, but you can draw your own conclusions), b) they were over-​booked and c) I would be seen in about 30 minutes (or more than an hour after my appointment time).
Not having any confidence in their ability to see me even an hour late as suggested, I decided to cut my losses and leave.
I don’t know if I caught this office on a bad day or if it’s is always run with such indifference or incompetence. Regardless, I’ll find a new dermatologist.

Dr Michel is awesome! The billing process is extremely suspect! I have insurance, and I pay my portion before each visit. I received a notice from a collection agency for $ 11.73 for a visit back in March 2011. Since ³⁄₁₁ I’ve probably seen Dr. Michel 3 or 4 times, and not once did the staff bring up the mystery balance, nor did I receive one phone call. This is NOT a good way to do business. I called to complain, and they passed me off to some billing company that never gets back to you. I called the office again to complain, and its been almost a week now, no response! I will try again today, and will ask to speak with the Dr., this problem must be corrected!

Dr. Michael Belmina is really nice and listens to her patient’s problems and goals. If one treatment doesn’t work she will seek other treatments available. The doctors and staff at this facility are all friendly and welcoming. They all make you feel as comfortable as possible. One time I almost fainted at this clinic. It was extremely hot outside and I hadn’t ate or drank anything all day. The staff around me ran to my rescue and laid me down in one of the office chairs and gave me some cold water and cookies. They even asked me if I wanted an ambulance but I was fine.
Note: parking is extremely limited and very tight in space. Street parking is also available but it might be a problem considering it’s on Harlem Ave. Plan accordingly and arrive early enough to look for parking. Otherwise, I suggest having someone drop you off or taking public transportation like the bus.

Dr. Michael is very professional as is her staff. Parking is tight and limited so street parking might be your only choice.
The office is clean and spacious, and the doctor is very attentive.
I’d recommend her to anyone looking for a dermatologist.

Belmina Michael, MD is the dermatologist at this practice. She’s a very good listener, thorough and attentive to the medical problems of her patients. Another plus is she treats adults and kids. You might have to wait a while but she will give you as much time as you need. She’s also well-​educated and Board Certified, so you know she’s up-​to-​date on current therapies and standards of care.
If you’re feeling vain about those wrinkles, she can also make you look many years younger a la the B word (*botox*) and other magical, expensive tonics. No, I haven’t gone there. Not yet.