Skin doctor shortage in Saxony worsens significantly - Germany's Rural Dermatology Crisis Leaves Patients Stranded for Basic Skincare
Dermatological care in eastern Germany has sharply declined over the past five years. Regions outside Saxony—Brandenburg, Mecklenburg-Vorpommern, Sachsen-Anhalt and Thüringen—now face severe shortages, with fewer dermatologists, longer waits and worsening access. Rural areas, in particular, struggle as practices close and patients travel further for basic skincare treatments.
Between 2021 and 2025, the number of dermatologists in Brandenburg fell by 12 percent. Mecklenburg-Vorpommern, Sachsen-Anhalt and Thüringen report similar drops, leaving districts like Uckermark, Mecklenburgische Seenplatte and Altmark with critically low coverage. Patients now wait up to eight weeks for appointments, while travel distances stretch beyond practical limits.
The crisis stems from three key factors: retiring dermatologists without successors, shrinking rural populations and declining interest in rural practice. In Bautzen, the care ratio plummeted from 142 percent to just 78 percent over the same period. Saxony's Löbau-Zittau district saw an even steeper drop—from 122 percent in 2016 to 15 percent today. Annaberg's ratio fell from 161 percent to 60 percent since 2016, mirroring broader trends across the state.
The Professional Association of German Dermatologists (BVDD) and the German Dermatological Society (DDG) will address the issue in a virtual press conference on February 24. Their discussion aims to explore solutions for a problem now affecting millions.
Delays in diagnosis and treatment have become routine in underserved areas. Patients with chronic conditions or suspicious moles face preventable complications due to the shortages. Without intervention, the gap between urban and rural dermatological care will continue to widen.
