Patient and physician stories

A dermatologist advocates for sunscreen access in public schools. (Kelley Pagliai Redbord, MD; Britton Bitterman, parent)

A timely surgery in a dermatologist’s office removes a patient’s skin cancer. (Karen Kilianek, patient; Terrence A. Cronin, Jr., MD, FAAD)

Dermatologists are at the forefront of innovative therapies that help patients like Matthew address health problems, transforming their lives. (Matthew Riccardi, patient; Brett King, MD, PhD, FAAD)

A dermatologist leads an FDA advisory committee’s innovation and safety review for new therapies. (Kenneth Katz, MD, MSc, MSCE, FAAD; Ken Tomecki, MD, FAAD)

A dermatologist overcomes prior authorization setbacks to ensure a patient with severe eczema has the medication she needs. (Angela Weeks, patient; Scott Lim, DO, FAOCD, FAAD)

A dermatology-oncology collaboration helped a patient avoid choosing between skin disease and cancer treatment. (Shawn Bruton, patient; Anisha Patel, MD, FAAD)

Dermatologists diagnose and treat a patient’s melanoma after years of tanning bed use as a teen. (Stephanie Nicholl, patient; Shannon C. Trotter, DO, FAOCD, FAAD)

Innovative telehealth—including text messaging and video appointments—helps a patient with severe acne access safe, effective care. (Alana Nicholas, patient; Shoshana Marmon, MD, PhD, FAAD)

Dermatologists deploy COVID-19 vaccines to school nurses and other health care professionals in Illinois and Massachusetts. (Amy J. Derick, MD, FAAD; Louis Kuchnir, MD, FAAD)

A Georgia dermatologist’s National Guard service brings him to the pandemic’s front lines. (Joshua E. Lane, MD, MBA, FAAD; Colonel Louis Perino, MD, PhD, FACEP, State Air Surgeon, Georgia Air National Guard)

Correcting common misconceptions about skin cancer and skin of color help a patient take control of her health and support others. (Yvonne Basil, patient; Seemal R. Desai, MD, FAAD)

A dermatologist’s quick action helps a patient with alopecia regain her confidence. (Julie Wright, patient; Nada Elbuluk, MD, MSc, FAAD)

A dermatologist launches a COVID-19 testing site in a historically underserved area of her city. (Ginette Okoye, MD, FAAD; Mark S. Johnson, MD, MPH)

Needing to protect a patient’s recently transplanted kidney while treating his melanoma, a multidisciplinary care team saves his life. (Anthony Schultz, patient; Jennifer Choi, MD, FAAD)

Collaboration between a dermatologist and rheumatologist transforms care for a patient with blistering wounds. (Parker Enix-Ross; patient, Victoria Werth, MD, FAAD; Preethi Thomas, MD)

An interdisciplinary team makes organ transplant surgery safe for a patient with erythropoietic protoporphyria, a rare photosensitivity condition. (Stacey Creed, patient; Henry Lim, MD, FAAD)

A dermatologist applies her own life experiences to address health disparities during the COVID-19 pandemic and beyond. (Sacharitha Bowers, MD, FAAD; Wendi Wills El-Amin, MD)

After six-year-old Bridger Walker suffered severe bites while protecting his younger sister from a dog attack, dermatologists collaborate to provide life-changing scar treatment. (Bridger Walker, patient; Dhaval Bhanusali, MD, FAAD)

As new symptoms of COVID-19 came to light, dermatologists collaborated to create a registry to track the dermatological manifestations of the virus. (Esther Freeman, MD, PhD, DTM&H, FAAD; Ingrid V. Bassett, MD, MPH)

A dermatologist collaborates with other specialists to manage Kimberly’s chronic hidradenitis suppurativa, a rare and debilitating disease. (Kimberly Meyer-Gamet, patient; Iltefat Hamzavi, MD, FAAD)

A dermatologist in Detroit supports emergency department care during the COVID-19 pandemic. (Linda Stein Gold, MD, FAAD; Michael Nauss, MD, FACEP)

A medical student and dermatologist create skin care kits to make hygiene items and self care more accessible for people experiencing homelessness during the COVID-19 pandemic. (Haya Raef, medical student; Jennifer Tan, MD, FAAD)

Inspired to support the COVID-19 response, a dermatologist discovered a new way to sanitize N95 masks, keeping frontline providers safe. (Iltefat H. Hamzavi, MD, FAAD; Mayur Ramesh, MD)

Telemedicine allows a dermatologist to care for a melanoma survivor with a rare autoimmune condition during the COVID-19 pandemic. (Jennifer Bowers, patient; Janet Lin, MD, FAAD)

A dermatologist helps a patient with psoriasis manage his chronic condition–and navigate a complex insurance process known as step therapy. (Joshua Rubin, patient; Larry Green, MD, FAAD)

Dermatologists at a safety net hospital use telemedicine and strong cross-specialty collaboration to provide underserved patients with specialty care. (Carolyn Senger, MD, MPH; Toby Maurer, MD, FAAD)

Dermatologists launch the country’s first robust telemedicine project during their years in the U.S. Army. (Hon Pak, MD, FAAD, MBA; Darryl Hodson, MD, FAAD)

A unique telemedicine collaboration in Connecticut is improving the health and well-being of women who are incarcerated (Tara Hood, FNP-BC; Jun Lu, MD, FAAD)

A dermatologist treats a tricky case of vitiligo, helping his patient regain her confidence. (Kamyrn Wilcox, patient; Seemal R. Desai, MD, FAAD)

A dermatologist and oncologist collaborate to treat Sézary syndrome, a rare form of lymphoma, after a patient endured years of intense pain. (Mike Murphy, patient; Lindsay Strowd, MD, FAAD; Zanetta Lamar, MD)

A patient visits his dermatologist for a cyst and leaves with a lung cancer diagnosis. (Richard Danzer, patient; Brittany Smirnov, DO, FAAD)

Born with a rare condition called lamellar ichthyosis, a young woman lives a normal life with support from her lifelong dermatologist, while advocating for herself and others. (Abby Evans, patient; Bonnie S. Epstein, MD, FAAD)

A dermatologist and hematologist/oncologist keep a patient’s rare lymphoma in remission. (Victoria Perez, patient; Lindsay Ackerman, MD, FAAD; Craig B. Reeder, MD)

A dermatologist helps a Vietnam veteran manage ongoing skin challenges—including cancer—related to Agent Orange exposure. (Jack Cooper, patient; Cyndi Yag-Howard, MD, FAAD)

A woman dealt with persistent and debilitating skin issues for 40 years before a visit to the dermatologist leads to an allergy diagnosis that changes her life. (JoAnne, patient; Kathryn Schwarzenberger, MD, FAAD)

A cross-specialty team races to save a newscaster’s life after a dermatologist diagnoses a rare, life-threatening drug reaction called Drug Rash with Eosinophilia and Systemic Symptoms. (Phil Lipof, patient; Steven Chen, MD, MPH, FAAD)

A collaborative care team treats an eight-year-old for Sturge-Weber syndrome, which makes her prone to seizures and other complications. (Marissa Terrell, patient; David Goldberg, MD,FAAD, JD)

A dermatologist and a hematologist work together to treat Schnitzler syndrome, a rare autoinflammatory disease. (Arna Shefrin, patient; Bernice Kwong, MD, FAAD)

Dermatologists volunteer to treat nearly 1,000 residents each year at a free clinic in Dallas. (David Harker, MD; Amit Pandya, MD, FAAD)

Using telemedicine, a dermatologist diagnoses a patient’s melanoma and surgically removes it the same day. (Donna Randall, patient; Kari Lyn Martin, MD, FAAD)

A father, daughter, and grandson share pachyonychia congenita, a rare genetic condition — and the same thoughtful dermatologic care. (Buff Farrow, patient; Loretta Davis, MD, FAAD)

A dermatologist collaborates with an infectious disease specialist to treat a tricky case of leprosy. (Keith Hamilton, MD; Carrie Kovarik, MD, FAAD)

After gaining confidence at Camp Discovery, a young man born with recessive dystrophic epidermolysis bullosa works to help others with skin disease. (Jonathan Gionfriddo, patient; Karen Wiss, MD, FAAD)

A joint rheumatology-dermatology clinic streamlines and improves patient care and physician education. (Adey Berhanu, MD, RhMSUS; Alison Ehrlich, MD, FAAD)

A young woman faced years of pain caused by swimming or showering, until two dermatologists diagnose her with aquagenic keratoderma and develop a treatment plan. (Josie Lopez, patient; Jean Pierre Galliani, MD, FAAD; Naomi Johansen, MD, FAAD)

A patient seeking relief for chronic itching is diagnosed with hepatitis C. (Louella Shelton, patient; Carrie Davis, MD)

Xeroderma pigmentosum—a rare genetic condition—greatly increases Aimee’s risk of skin cancers. (Aimee Milota, patient; Sima Torabian, MD, FAAD)

After 17 months of painful blisters, Becky recovers from pemphigus vulgaris and thrives. (Becky Strong, patient; Andrzej Dlugosz, MD, FAAD)

A dermatologist discovers deep bruising during a routine skin cancer exam, leading to a leukemia diagnosis. (John Ahern, patient; David M. Paul, MD; Lindsay S. Ackerman, MD, FAAD)

Medical, surgical, and radiation oncology; dermatology; and other specialties collaborate to improve skin cancer treatment. (Mark R. Albertini, MD, oncologist; Gloria Xu, MD, PhD, FAAD)

Through Medicaid, a patient finds relief for hidradenitis suppurativa after years of severe, chronic abscesses and blisters. (Cyrina Anthony, patient; Haley B. Naik, MD, MHSc, FAAD)

A pediatric oncologist and dermatologist team up to diagnose and treat a transplant patient experiencing sclerotic graft-versus-host disease. (Jennifer Huang, MD, FAAD; Jennifer Whangbo, MD, PhD)

An innovative dermatology clinic significantly decreases its wait times. (Benjamin F. Chong, MD, MSCS, FAAD; Joseph Chang, MD, MBA, FACOG)

A dermatologist works with other specialties to provide comprehensive care for alopecia areata. (Deirdre Nero, patient; Stacy Chimento, MD)

A dermatologist and patient create a community for others living with chronic lymphoma. (Susan Thornton, patient; Stuart R. Lessin, MD, FAAD)

A dermatologist establishes a monthly dermatology clinic to provide lifesaving care to patients in the underserved Mississippi Delta. (Carolyn Newhof, patient; Robert T. Brodell, MD, FAAD)

Specialists work together to coordinate care for patients with eczema at a multidisciplinary clinic. (Hrayr Attarian, MD, Jonathan Silverberg, MD, PhD, MPH)

An ICU patient’s bloodwork indicates lymphoma, but a dermatologist recognizes drug-induced hypersensitivity syndrome (DIHS) days before chemotherapy. (Sarah Shark, patient; Steven Daveluy, MD, FAAD)

A dermatologist diagnoses a surgery patient’s ulcer as pyoderma gangrenosum and coordinates with a gastroenterologist to treat the condition. (Jennifer Sariego, patient; Misha Rosenbach, MD, FAAD)

A dermatology clinic’s innovative walk-in appointment schedule allows a patient to receive an eczema diagnosis and timely care. (Kate Gleason, patient; Abby Van Voorhees, MD, FAAD)

Telemedicine helps dermatologists see more patients at a free clinic that cares for a mostly Spanish-speaking population. (Cory Simpson, MD, PhD, FAAD)

Derm ECHO, a program connecting primary care physicians with dermatologic best practices, helps identify a patient’s ‘ugly duckling’ lesion leading to a critical surgical excision. (Daniel Fessler, patient; Robert Pierce, MD, MSPH, FAAFP)

A pediatric team and a dermatologist determine the mysterious cause of an infant who was failing to thrive. (Hassan Galadari, MD)

Dermatologists work together to help a patient and her children navigate insurance hurdles to access the treatments they need to treat pityriasis rubra pilaris, a rare auto-immune disorder. (Virginia Maxwell, patient; Jessica Burgy, MD, FAAD)

A ‘dream team’ of several specialties led by dermatology help a patient recover from two battles with angiosarcoma, a rare and aggressive form of cancer. (Ralph Cousins, patient; Alan Menter, MD, FAAD)