Saddleback Dermatology & Laser Center

I had to take my son here to treat his molloscum and didn’t have a choice because of insurance. I had my three kids, including a tired and cranky 2 year old and was waiting in the waiting room for 45 minutes before being taken back to the treatment room only to wait for another 20 minutes. When Doctor Tang finally came, she had very little warmth or bedside manner. She didn’t talk to my son about anything and told me very little about the procedure or what I might expect later. It was as though she was tolerating us. I asked her if it would hurt and she said, «no» referring only to the actually application of the blister beetle juice. However, she didn’t tell me how much pain my son might be in that night and what to do to help care for the blisters. She said we need to wash the area in three hours and told me to just use warm water. However, this didn’t seem to be enough of a wash because a part of area blistered terribly and became incredibly painful. I learned more about molloscum and blister beetle juice and blister care by reading a single blogpost than from this doctor. She provided no additional information and would have said nearly nothing to me had I not asked specific questions. I hope I don’t have to go back, and I’m thinking that keeping the molloscum is better than returning to this doctor’s office.

I wanted to give a huge shout out to Tracy Macdonald. I started coming to Saddleback Dermatology when I was 13 for acne. I eventually grew out of it, but more recently I became challenged with severe acne breakouts. I came back and saw Tracy for a few glycolic peels with extractions, and we both notice the difference! I will continue going to Tracy for a glycolic peel once a month. She is very professional, kind, and does excellent work! I highly recommend her to anyone in need of a great aesthetician.

Dr. Tang is the greatest. I have been seeing her for 6 years. No complaints. People complain about the wait. Good things are worth waiting for. And if waiting rooms are empty you need to worry.

I am as squeamish as it gets. Conversations related to surgeries and the like can be enough to remind me exactly what I had for lunch.
When I found a very suspicious bump on my back several months ago I, well actually I ignored it. After some time my girlfriend found it, who then informed my mother and sister. Of course, once they all knew I had it I knew I would be forced to get it checked out.
Much to my dismay, I was informed it would need to be surgically removed!
That is where Dr. Bell came in. I have been to doctors all my life for various reasons, and expected to wait probably twenty to thirty minutes before seeing him, but it was quite the opposite! I have a chaotic schedule and he was not only able to fit me in at the end of his, but took me back right on time.
I informed him of my tendencies to lose my nerve and he really spent some time making sure that I would feel very comfortable with the procedure. I was awake during the entire surgery and he walked me through it and for once in a very long time I did not lose consciousness or throw up, so that was great.
As someone who values not only hard work, but taking pride in one’s work, I have nothing but admiration for the good doctor. He gave me detailed instructions on how to clean my stitches in order to prevent infection and on the follow up visit made sure I was well taken care of.
Thank you Dr. Bell for keeping me conscious AND removing that tumor from my back!

I really wanted to like this place. Dr. Benik is ok, not bad. But the front office staff don’t know common curtesy. It’s ridiculous to make your patients wait 45 minutes past their scheduled time without informing them that you’re running behind. The first time, I gave them slack because they at least informed everyone that they were running behind as we sat there and waited. The second time no notice. I sat and waited 20 minutes and then asked what was going on. They then informed me that they were running behind yet again and that it would probably be an additional 10 – 15 minutes. And when I asked why they didn’t inform me upon check in, the girl said she didn’t know what was going on with the appointments. Way to be in contact with the rest of your staff. It’s called communication and customer service. I’m really surprised this place has any patients left! I’ve been to other dermatologists who were almost always on time.

The WORST experience ! The front office lied to me about taking my insurance. I asked 5 separate times. They did NOT accept my insurance and I was stuck with a huge bill! They threatened to send my account to collections so I had to pay. Liars and cheats. I suggest you never go there !!

I have been a patient of Dr. Tang for 15 years, about 4 – 6 times per year. She has helped me with skin tags, sun spots, warts, scar tissue, cists, moles, and skin cancer-​all with very good results. I have never felt disrespected, rushed, nor belittled. I learned early on that this is a busy office and Dr. Tang will take her time with you, answering all questions and being very thorough, so schedule early appointments.

Dr. Tang is fantastic and they’ve definitely shortened/​improved the wait time from what I’ve had in the past because It only took about 10 minutes from when I came in to when I actually saw her. I’m surprised by some of the reviews about her, I’ve seen her for years and she’s always friendly, but to the point which I like. Seems like the office saw the bad reviews and made an effort to fix the long waits.

I came here throughout high school to see Dr. Benik and had no complaints, but 15 years later with Dr. Tang is a different story. I consistently wait a minimum of 30 minutes (but it has been up to 2 hours), email communication goes unanswered, and it’s about a ⁵⁰⁄₅₀ chance if anyone will answer the phone during business hours. Most importantly, I am extremely unhappy with a cosmetic procedure that was performed on my face a few months ago, and there has been no attempt to remedy the situation. Will not be coming here again.

I used to come here years ago and had 1 – 2 hour waits following the scheduled apointment time. Eventually completely stopped coming here. Came today, seems nothing has changed. Pretty embarrassing.

It took 2 and a half years but finally my skin (face) is completely clear of acne and with minimal scarring. Dr. Tang diagnosed that I had hormonal acne, and prescribed an antibiotic and a diuretic. The antibiotic really helped calm my skin down and the diuretic really helped balance my hormonal acne out, and I’m still on it today, along with bc. She told me flat out that it was going to take time to clear my skin, but that it was possible. I appreciated her honesty, and was excited that it could be possible. And now the goal has been reached! Acne can be psychologically damaging, and I am happy to have this issue cleared up literally and start living life to its fullest. I am indebted to Dr. Tang and her efforts!

Dr Tang is rude and unprofessional! She must have missed the day they taught bedside manners in school!

I have been a patient here for years. I amazed how long I have to wait on every visit. It is not just on random days where maybe another patient needs more time. It is very consistent and highlights that they do not care about their patients time or experience.

We waited an hour and a half to see dr. Tang, one hour in the waiting room and a half an hour in the exam room. She never came, was just too busy and overbooked. We ended up leaving; we were first time patients and were referred here. There was a very disgruntled gentleman who also left early ahead of us. He also never got in. We heard him complaining in the waiting room as he was leaving. This doctor needs to value her patients’ time more. We will not be returning to this office.

Saddleback Dermatology has been helping me take care of my skin and that of my family for a very long time. I’ve had cosmetic procedures (fillers, Botox, Dysport) performed by both Dr. Benik and Dr. Tang and I’ve had laser hair removal and IPL with their RN, Susan. I’ve been pleased every single time. My husband has had some skin surgeries and pre-​skin cancer treatments over the years with Dr. Bell and Dr. Tang and my daughter has consulted with Tracy many times about skin care and also to have custom blend foundation made. This is a wonderful place to visit whether you’re looking into a new home skin care regimen or investing in fillers or more. Trish, their cosmetic coordinator, is so helpful and can answer questions about cosmetic procedures and products in person or on the phone. The person I rely on the most regarding my skin is their aesthetician, Tracy. She’s even there on Saturdays and she helps me with anti-​aging and general skin care advice with patience and confidence.

I have been going to Saddleback Derm. since I moved to the OC in 2003. I have gone to both Dr. Tang and Dr. Benik. Both were very professional and the staff are very friendly! My daughter was treated by Dr. Tang and Tracy the medical esthetician for her acne. It was a tough time for her as a teenage girl. They were very caring and took time to answer questions and recommend the best treatments and products that would help. My husband & I both go to get our yearly checkup as we are fair and have had to get precancerous spots taken off. For me though I try my best to keep looking good so that’s where the botox, fillers and skincare comes in. I don’t want a overdone look so I appreciate the «natural looking» look I always end up with. It’s not easy to trust someone with your face so this is a big deal! I get so many complements about my skin and also the fact that no one can believe how old I am! They are great!

I’m incredibly happy with this dermatology office and have been a patient of Dr. Meshkinpour’s for years. The staff is prompt and kind during scheduling and I’ve never sat in the waiting room for longer than 5 minutes.
As for Dr. Meshkinpour, she is a complete gem. She’s warm, kind, and always on time. She’s easy to talk to and very caring from mole checks I’ve had to various different skin issues. My whole family loves her and comes to this office for all our dermatology needs. If you’re in need for a dermatologist I highly recommend this office and Dr. Meshkinpour.

The negative reviews that have been posted about Dr. Tang being curt or having a lack of bedside manner couldn’t be further from the truth. I have been to a lot of dermatologists and honestly she is the best (most knowledgeable) and was very kind, throughly answered my questions. She did take extra time with me and I was so appreciative. This is the reason that some might have to wait. For me I want a doctor that is willing to spend extra time with me and not rush out of the room. She was referred to me by a former retired nurse who said she is the best at what she does and I agree.

This is a review for Dr. Tang in particular. I usually never bring myself to write bad reviews about restaurants or clothing stores, but something that can effect somebody’s health and overall self esteem like a dermatologist is absolutely necessary, not only for me but for other people who are also struggling with acne and are sick of hearing the same information from different «professionals» in an attempt to purchase their products.
First of all, Dr. Tang didn’t even take a close look at my skin. After all, she is a skin doctor… I would assume the process of diagnosing somebody for something as serious as Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome after not even a minute into our appointment would be a little more complex. When I asked her to give me a little more information on the medication she wanted me to take for this PCOS that I don’t even have, she spoke to me like a child and just gave me a pamphlet to read for AFTER I purchased the medicine. Shortly after I returned from my appointment and was reading her reviews, I found that Dr. Tang also misdiagnosed multiple women and told one she had PCOS as well when none of the symptoms were even matching up.
In terms of actually treating my acne, the only option Dr. Tang gave me was to go on Accutane. Now, many dermatologists have told me that Accutane is the only way to completely treat acne and I’ve done my research, so I’m very aware of how dangerous it is. Not only did Dr. Tang not tell me about all of the horrifying side effects and potential liver damage that it can do to you, she continued to give me false statistics in order to persuade me into going on this medication. She refused to answer any of my questions regarding why I even needed the medication/​the process of it and instead just told me I needed to make my decision right then and there.
While many reviews have nothing but great things to say about Dr. Tang, I refuse to believe that any dermatologist who looks at your skin from across the room for a minute and automatically has a list of medications you need to purchase at that moment really cares about your health. For anybody who has been struggling with acne and is tired of dermatologists who misdiagnose you and use preposterous reasons to put you on random medications that will end up doing more harm than benefitting you, beware.

Review on Tracy, the aesthetician:
She is wonderful. I have seen her many times over the past 10 years. She has helped clear my skin. She is both professional and caring. She is always on time for the appt and takes time with you, answering any questions you have and problem solving with you. I plan to continue seeing her for my skincare needs.
Review on Dr. Tang:
I would have to say the opposite of everything I said about Tracy. She is always running behind. Her bedside manner is basically nonexistent; in fact, she is downright rude to patients. She is very unprofessional. I have seen her several times and my opinion of her declines each time. The last time I was there, not only did she refuse to listen to my concerns, she raised her voice at me. She has misdiagnosed me twice. The first time she told me I had perioral dermatitis because my nose was red (I had a cold and had been blowing it a lot, and I told her so). She INSISTED I had perioral derm and that I MUST take antibiotics. I didn’t take them. When I saw her a month later, she said I didn’t have perioral anymore — and when I told her I didn’t take the antibiotics, she admitted she was wrong. However, she then told me I had polycystic ovarian syndrome, just because I have a little acne. She didn’t do any tests and didn’t ask me about any other symptoms. She gave me a handout and said I had PCOS and MUST take the hormone meds she was prescribing. She is not qualified to make such a diagnosis — especially in light of fact I have NO other symptoms and she didn’t test me.
Needles to say, I will NEVER see her again and highly recommend you stay away from her.