Travis Vandergriff, M.D.

Meet Dr. Vandergriff

Dermatologist in Dallas

Dr. Travis Vandergriff has two important roles at UT Southwestern Medical Center when it comes to caring for patients with skin diseases.

As a dermatologist and dermatopathologist, Dr. Vandergriff evaluates and treats general dermatology patients with a wide variety of skin conditions – from eczema and acne to dermatitis and rashes. His primary clinical interest, however, is treating patients with all types of skin cancer.

He specializes in helping patients with a history of skin cancer, those at high risk for the disease, and people who are concerned that they may have it because of the presence of atypical moles, lesions, or other symptoms.

Board certified and fellowship trained in dermatopathology , Dr. Vandergriff is an expert in microscopically examining and interpreting skin biopsies (tissue samples), including cases of suspected skin cancer.

“Because our ultimate goal is to choose the most appropriate treatment for every patient’s specific condition, the most essential part of treating a patient is making sure you have the right diagnosis,” he says.

“By interpreting patients’ biopsies within the context of their clinical findings, I can provide the most accurate diagnoses possible for skin cancers such as basal cell carcinoma, squamous cell carcinoma, and melanoma.”

Teaching Tomorrow’s Specialists

Named a Super Doctors® Texas Rising Star three times, Dr. Vandergriff is also active in teaching tomorrow’s dermatologists and dermatopathologists.

“I try to instill in our residents a curiosity about skin disease and its diagnosis, and to teach them to think critically and problem-solve,” he says. 

“Many different diseases involve the skin, so dermatologists really have to know a lot about general medicine and the ways skin issues can be clues to other processes going on internally.”

Dr. Vandergriff notes there is a special satisfaction in being able to help people with skin diseases.

“I enjoy the challenge of figuring out a problem and solving a mystery, especially when it’s something that's not obvious,” he says. “And treating people with skin diseases is rewarding because, in many cases, patients are able to see the results of treatment almost immediately.