Northshore Dermatology Center - Wilmette

Very Unfortunate experience. At the time of my appointment I was checked in by the receptionist who notified me of a balance from my last appointment that my insurance didn’t seem to cover. She told me to get it sorted by my insurance and have a seat for the MA to call me to the back. I was seen by the MA & as she left for the Dr to come back, the receptionist came in and said “oh I just talked with my manager, the Dr actually will not be seeing you today until you pay the $200”. I was confused and told her I would contact my insurance since I had just drove an hr away and took the day off of work for this appointment. I am also in severe and pain from a chronic HS skin condition while being 6months pregnant. While contacting my insurance, the police arrived and I was told they were called due to a “disturbance” I was now traumatized by this treatment, I hadn’t raised my voice or had been aggressive at all! But simply contacting my insurance as I was told. I was so embarrassed to be escorted out by the police. I am a young African American woman, and I strongly believe this had to do with racism. After being with this dermatologist for going on 2 years I will not be back or referring anyone here. May I add at the time of scheduling this appointment almost a week ago no one made me aware of this balance, when asking was there anything I needed to bring I was told just my insurance card and state ID. With me being 6months pregnant and in severe pain, my insurance was now active at this appointment but they still refused services due to the prior bill which was from Sept of 2025.

One of the best dermatology experiences I’ve had. Christina Avilina is warm, professional, and extremely knowledgeable. She takes time with her patients, explains treatments clearly, and makes you feel heard and respected. The office is clean, organized, and very welcoming. Highly recommend!

I had an incredibly distressing experience at Northshore Dermatology. My fiancée is pregnant, and we urgently needed a specialist for HS symptoms that could affect the baby. After confirming a week prior that insurance was valid, we arrived at 10 a.m. for our appointment. Once checked in, we were told—without prior notice—there was a $200 balance. Despite explaining the urgency and being assured it would be covered, we were told to call insurance and work it out—while we were still in the office. Then, the police arrived, and we were escorted off the premises. At no point did Katie, the manager, or her assistant ask us to leave or explain anything. We were never hostile; we were just confused and humiliated, especially with our children present. This was a deeply embarrassing and traumatizing situation, and I would never recommend this clinic to anyone.

This is a clinic for vanity, not for health. They prey on rich patients that have so much money they don't care what they get charged. Make sure that you ask them about everything they do, as they charged me for two separate things on a single visit that I was not told about until I received the second bill. They said it was ethical to perform a 'procedure' during a visit without warning me that it was a second charge, and that it was my responsibility to know that. In my experience with every other doctor I've ever gone to, if they were going to do something that was a separate charge I was told and scheduled a separate visit for that. Not that this 'procedure' deemed a second visit as it only took 1 minute to perform, but it would have taken another minute to explain that I would get charged separately for it, and apparently since you can't charge for explaining that it wasn't worth the doctors time. If you're rich and vain this is the place for you. Check out their site. "Creating Beautiful and Healthy Skin", of course beautiful is more important so it comes first. Look at their services and products. All tailored towards 'beauty'. If you're concerned with your health look elsewhere.