INTRODUCTION: Teledermatology is a useful tool for underserved areas. However, because it is not without costs, knowledge of the burdens incurred by teledermatology treatment would be valuable for future types of management.

METHODS: All specialist dermatology services in the Faroe Islands have been provided by our department through a mix of standard and teledermatology consultations. We performed a retrospective review of the teledermatology database from its inauguration in 2003 to November 2018. The ratio of consultations per patient (CPP) was calculated as a way to investigate any disproportionate teledermatology burden per patient with a specific disease.

RESULTS: The most common diagnoses were psoriasis, dermatitis, atopic dermatitis, and acne. Among the most frequent CPP diagnoses were bullous pemphigoid, hidradenitis suppurativa, lichen sclerosus, and granuloma annulare.

DISCUSSION: Dermatological conditions that require paraclinical assistance for diagnosis, hands-on examination, or treatment with either biologics or surgery will all result in high CPP. However, teledermatology still has a place in the treatment of high-CPP dermatoses in rural areas because there is no other alternative. For non-rural areas, CPP can be used as a way to identify those dermatoses that are not advantageous to treat using telemedicine, but instead best benefit from standard face-to-face consultation.