In addition, the researchers found that black and Hispanic patients showed no slowing in the development of symptoms.

"Hispanic patients don't go to the doctor alone," Dr. Shea said.

Hispanic patients specifically reported increased compliance to treatment plans when their physician spoke Spanish and also shared a similar background.

Lots of the Hispanic patients at the hospital used them along with conventional medicine.

The study examined 103 Hispanic patients and 110 non-Hispanic patients.

In a random survey of 405 adult Hispanic patients, he found that 29 percent had sought a curandera's intervention at least once in their lives.

Physicians, too, who are seeing more Hispanic patients, are striving to learn how to better treat their skin.

Still, the biggest concern of many dermatologists is not appearance but rather that their Hispanic patients are facing an increased risk for skin cancer.

The study was controlled for other factors such as the percentage of Hispanic patients.

At last researchers can point to an area of medicine in which African-American and Hispanic patients get more attention than white ones do.