Marilyn Kwolek, MD

I set an appointment for 8:30am, got at the office by 8:20. The office was closed! Waited outside for 30minutes, I try to call but my calls were directed to an emergency line. I booked the appointed a month ago. When someone finally show up, they said I was not in the system… Very nice way to apologize… blame the mistake on the patient!!!
I took the morning off at work for nothing!!!

I had spider vein removal (with a needle not laser) about six weeks ago. The procedure worked and it was affordable. That’s really what matters most to me.
Having said that, Dr. Kwolek’s office is not the fancy, pretentious spa like environment some people are looking for. The man at the desk (her husband/​partner I assume?) is very brusque. It’s very much a medical office, and not a warm and fuzzy one. But she seems to know her stuff, and if I decide to get any other «work» done I’m sure I will return. I care more about experience and results than being coddled or pampered!

I go to see her every time after I fall for a scam somewhere else, and then need my skin fixed. Her prices are reasonable and I imagine it helps pricing to have someone at the desk who juggles the phone, check-​ins and outs, everything. I don’t know how they do what they do, but they’d better be there for many more years. & glad there is now a way to book online through Zocdoc.

She is fine, not the most knowledgeable though. But I agree with the other reviewers. Terry in the office is incredibly rude.

Dr. Kwolek was as amazing as the reviews say, very calm and patient. However while I was on my way to my last appointment, I called terry to confirm and he informed me Dr. Kwolek stopped performing laser. Not only was I angry that I was given absolutely no notice but he also wouldn’t give any reasoning. I don’t understand why she would shut down her laser practice out of nowhere but the least they could’ve done was given their customers a heads up so we could make other arrangements.

I have been seeing Dr Kwolek now for 25 years and there is no better Dermatologist out there. I have fair skin and have had my share of issues over the years. Dr Kwolek is very caring & understanding and always thought-​partners with me potential solutions, including cost. I have had moles and other growths removed and Dr Kwolek has a painless touch and I have never had any scarring. I also do not understand all the negative comments about her staff. They always try their best to fit me in even on short notice, and are very efficient and professional. I currently live in Cambridge Mass and my Derm is still Dr Kwolek even it means taking a trip out here 3,000 miles to see her. Thank you Dr Kwolek and staff for taking care of me all these years.

I have had wonderful service with Dr. Kwolek. I see the other reviews and front desk not particularly warm and fuzzy but certainly efficient and not rude. Dr. Kwolek is direct and no nonsense and excellent to talk to about your issues.

I went to Dr. Kwolek in my late teens for a rash on my face (I am 41). At the time, she gave me a cortisone cream. I used the cream day and night and the rash went away. When I stopped using the cream the rash would come back. So as nieve as I was then I used the whole bottle up and continued to use this prescription and get refills for 2 years. What i did not know at the time was that cortisone cream thins the skin. I was hospitalized and when asked what medications I was using I mentioned the cream. I was asked how long I had been using it and when I told the hospital staff, they gasped. I stopped using it immediatly; however, the damage had already been done. Because Dr. Kwolek was lazy and just conitued to refill my prescription I have horribly reactive skin and cannot use anything on it without a serious reaction to this day. Run,. fast,. and don’t look back.

My husband and myself have been going to Dr. Kwolek for years. She is wonderful. After a brief phone conversation I had with her office manager (Terry) yesterday we won’t be returning. He is rude and it is a shame that she has kept him all of these years. He has always been rude, but yesterday was the icing on the cake. It is unfortunate that she keeps him and makes approaching the front desk awkward and uncomfortable. Thanks for all of the great treatment Dr. K, I hope you are reading these reviews!

She is very nice but is somewhat of a hack, she did a filler procedure on my elderly mother and her method to numb around my poor mother’s lips was less than caring. She poked her like a pin cushion repeatedly and thought nothing of it.

I really like Dr. Kwolek. She is so calm and pleasant.
I will definitely be returning.

First let me say, Dr Kwolek is one of the best dermatologists in the Bay Area, hands down. I live in SF and Dr Kwolek is so amazing I have no problem driving to Danville to see her when needed. I have been been a patient for over 10 years and it is such a shame that the front office staff cannot match the quality of service she provides.
Much like the other reviews below state, Terry will not only talk down to you but will speak in a tone that indicates he has so many better things to do than answer your questions. Most of the time I wouldn’t even mention this but this attitude combined with his inability to let patients know about practice policies has left me no choice than to write this review and warn other patients.

I scheduled an appointment with Dr. Kwolek at the recommendation of a highly respected surgeon whose opinion I place a great deal of trust. I was fairly nervous leading up to the appointment; however, was immediately put at ease. Dr. Kwolek is so very skilled with a very soft touch and unyielding knowledge. I will certainly be a forever patient and I am so grateful to have discovered her! I also want to say that I personally liked Terry a great deal and can’t even comprehend the other (negative) reviews. Love everything about this office! Thank you all!

Feel like there is no patient rapport it’s just they feed you pills. And usually out of stock of certain things so for the price… Not worth going to

I have been going to Dr Kwolek for over 5 years. I have no problem with her care. However, her office staff are horrendous. Terry, the front office clerk, in particular. He refuses to work with my insurance company to coordinate benefits. It has reached the point where they are ready to cancel their contract with Dr Kwolek. Perhaps, this will wake her up as to what is going on in her front office!

I’ve been going to Dr. Kwolek for years and think she’s fabulous. She shoots it straight, she’s honest, she’s efficient, and most of all she’s pleasant.
In addition, her office has some sort of calming effect on me. I view it as more of a cosmetic atmosphere than medical… full of exciting possibilities ranging from lip injections to Botox!
Lastly, I’m not sure why her office manager has such horrible reviews, but I think he’s fabulous, too! He always chats with me during my brief time spent in the waiting room, he jokes around about my employer (you would too if you knew who it was), and in my opinion he adds to the calm environment.
I would (and do) recommend Dr. Kwolek to any person I know looking for a dermatologist.

I really love Dr. Kwolek. She does NOT mess around. In, out, boom, you’re done. I’ve been going roughly annually for about five years. I’ve never seen her behind schedule.
Is her office person brusque and overly critical about everything related to insurance? Absolutely. But suck it up, because Dr Kwolek is worth it. I figure he’s related.
She is thorough, unchatty, competent, and she doesn’t even blink when I request an all-​over mole check EVERY TIME. (Hey, I spent a lot of time in the sun as a kid!) She really knows her stuff, and there’s no pesky wait for prescription-​writing either. You ask a question, she hands you the prescription that will fix you up. I’m telling you, if all transactions in life could be like this, life would be GREAT!!!

Who doesn’t want to slow down the aging process-​I only wish I hadn’t waited so long!
I came to Dr. Kwolek on the glowing recommendation of a friend. I was very nervous about fillers (you can hide your body, but you can’t hide your face). I needn’t have worried. Dr. Kwolek listened carefully to what bothered me most, selected the proper fillers for the areas and in 45 minutes I was done. I am extremely happy! It took 10 years off my face. It’s the next day and I only have two very small bruises under my chin and I don’t see any swelling. I was also really bothered by the two permanent indentations in my frown area that showed up in all pictures, areas that Botox couldn’t fix because I started Botox late in this journey. They are now GONE. My marionette lines are so much better. I will definitely be going back. She is so worth the two hour drive from where I live.
PS-​I research everything. After my friend recommended her I searched all the reviews I could find on Dr. Marilyn Kwolek, but found most on her office staff. I was prepared for the worst but my experience was great. Terry (I think he runs the front office) was professional and funny. He has a very dry sense of humor that takes a minute to get used to, but it wasn’t a negative experience by any means.

I have always had good experiences with Dr. Kwolek. Although very busy she was professional and knowledgable. However, I chose to write this review based upon a phone conversation I just had with her office manager, and then discovered other reviews with the same opinion of him. He was the rudest, most unprofessional individual I have ever encountered. I have been in customer service and patient care much of my career and there is absolutely no call for the way he talked to me on the phone.
I hope that Dr. Kwolek is paying attention to these posts and addresses this matter. However until she does, I for one with discontinue being a patient.

I know of no other dermatologist as good as Dr. Kwolek, and I have tried many in my area. She is the most knowledgeable in her field in the Bay Area, but I have to only give her two stars merely for the fact that her office manager (male at front desk) is the most rude, unprofessional human I’ve ever spoken to on the phone or in person.
He really takes away from her business. I’m debating whether I will go back. I hate to not see her anymore because of his unprofessionalism, but the anxiety I feel when I have to deal with him is overwhelming.