The new year is the perfect time to refresh your approach to caring for yourself, and one often-overlooked aspect of wellness is the health of your largest organ: your skin. At Premier Dermatology & Associates in Hyde Park, Dr. Jewell Gaulding is making it easier than ever for neighbors to access comprehensive dermatological care—for medical and aesthetic needs. It’s all done without the usual hassles of referrals, long wait times, or surprise billing.
Just across from Hyde Park Country Club, Premier Dermatology offers something increasingly rare in healthcare: transparency, accessibility, and genuine personal attention. Dr. Gaulding explains, "There’s no mystery here. When you leave our office, you know what your bill is, you're done. You'll never get an unexpected bill from our office." It's a refreshing departure from the confusing back-and-forth with insurance companies.
The practice operates on a direct-pay model, which Dr. Gaulding says makes care more affordable than many people realize. With a senior discount and payment plans offered, they dispel the myth that direct pay means expensive. "A lot of people hear the words direct pay and think that it's not affordable," she notes. "I have some people who have insurance plans, and they say, ‘it costs more with my insurance’, because of their high co-pay or deductible." The transparent approach means patients can focus on their health rather than navigating bureaucracy.
Getting an appointment is also easy. While many dermatology practices book months in advance, Premier Dermatology typically schedules within the same week or the next week. "You get the specialty care you're looking for without jumping through the hoops to get to your final destination," Dr. Gaulding says.
Some of Gaulding’s favorite patient visits involve delivering diagnoses and treatment plans quickly to patients who’ve been batted around the traditional medical system without answers—sometimes for years. "You can just see the light in their eye. Their whole attitude changes, and you can see that they're like, okay, there's hope," she says. "That’s what I do this for."
The practice offers comprehensive services spanning three main areas: medical dermatology for conditions like eczema, psoriasis, and acne; preventive care, including full skin checks; and aesthetic treatments for those seeking rejuvenation.
Premier Dermatology invests in cutting-edge technology to enhance patient care, including a dermatoscope for detailed examinations and FotoFinder—a full-body photography system that uses AI to track changes in your skin over time. "When people have hundreds, thousands of moles...you're not going to remember all of those," Dr. Gaulding explains. The technology creates a detailed baseline and monitors for concerning changes at each annual visit.
As far as aesthetic treatments, the practice offers microneedling, chemical peels and platelet-rich plasma therapy among other methods. Microneedling stimulates collagen production to address imperfections with minimal downtime—just twenty-four hours until you're back to normal activities. "People have things to do and are busy, and it's hard to have a procedure and then have to wait two to three weeks to go outside," Dr. Gaulding acknowledges.
As January inspires fresh starts, Dr. Gaulding offers practical skincare wisdom above the noise of complicated routines and influencer advice. "You don't need a complicated plan, you just need the right plan for you," she emphasizes. Rather than pushing exclusive products, she works with each patient to create realistic, brand-agnostic, effective routines. "Some people are like, I realistically can only use two things a day. Some want to do all the things. We’re going to work on your goals and how we can get there."
Originally planning to become a psychiatrist, Dr. Gaulding discovered her calling in dermatology because of its profound psychological impact. "If you're walking around and you have heart disease, nobody knows, but with skin issues, people can see it… and they make all these assumptions about someone, and that can really affect people psychologically."
The welcoming atmosphere at Premier Dermatology deliberately avoids the sterile, rushed feeling of typical medical offices. "We can have a good time, have discussions, a sense of humor is always welcome," Dr. Gaulding says. She wants patients to know that common embarrassments simply don't matter. "I see this all day, every day.”
Dr. Gaulding recommends annual full skin checks, particularly for those with family history of melanoma or concerns about past sun damage. Her top advice for skin health? Sun protection is non-negotiable. "UV radiation can damage all skin types," she stresses, recommending wide-brimmed hats, sunglasses, and sun-protective clothing for those who dislike sunscreen. And timing matters—try to schedule outdoor activities before 10 a.m. or after 2 p.m. when UV rays are less intense.
This January, as you're setting intentions for better health, consider adding dermatological wellness to your list. Premier Dermatology makes it simple: accessible location, available appointments, transparent pricing, and a physician who genuinely takes time to listen and create a plan that works for your life. In a healthcare landscape that often feels impersonal and complicated, that might be the most refreshing renewal of all.
"When you leave our office, you know what your bill is, you're done. You'll never get an unexpected bill from our office."
"You can just see the light in their eye when we make a diagnosis. Their whole attitude changes - there's hope. That's what I do this for."
Premier Dermatology & Associates offers same-week appointments, no referrals needed, and transparent (and surprisingly affordable) pricing. Located near Hyde Park Country Club and Coffee Emporium, they have convenient parking. The practice specializes in technology-driven, personalized care - that’s intentionally accessible.