Meet Dr. Yssra Soliman, dermatologist at Tono Health
What is your background and training?
I graduated magna cum laude from Case Western Reserve University where I majored in biology and psychology with minors in chemistry and Arabic. I then moved to New York where I attended the Albert Einstein College of Medicine. I was inducted into the prestigious Alpha Omega Alpha and Gold Humanism societies at this time. During medical school, I dedicated a year as a research fellow at the Montefiore Hidradenitis Suppurativa Treatment Center (HSTC) and the group leader at the Hope for HS patient support group. I was also fortunate to complete several global health trips in Egypt and Grenada. I then left to Boston to complete my preliminary year of internal medicine training at Harvard’s renowned Brigham and Women’s Hospital. Currently, I am back in NYC and completing my final year of advanced dermatology training at Columbia NYP Hospital.
Why did you decide to work with Tono Health?
I am so excited that Tono is making excellent dermatologic care accessible to all patients. The team behind Tono is energetic, passionate and really forward thinking. I am looking forward to seeing the positive impact that Tono will have on the lives of so many patients.
It seems that the world is an increasingly busy place. Telederm allows patients to continue to manage their health while working, studying, caring for children, etc. Telederm allows patients to be cared for by the physician specialized in their condition despite the distance barrier. For the appropriate patient, it is a tremendous tool that really improves access to state of the art care.
How did you become interested in dermatology?
To be quite honest, I was enamored by nearly every specialty during medical school. During medical school, I spent eight weeks on a global health elective in Cairo where I spent time caring for patients in tropical medicine and plastic and reconstructive surgery. I knew I wanted a specialty that combine both the critical thinking of medical specialties and the problem solving abilities of surgery. Dermatology was a wonderful blend of both and it allowed to me to care for patients of all ages and greatly improve their quality of life.
What is your favorite thing about working in this field?
I love working with the patients as a dermatologist. Since dermatology is such a visual field, patients are often very eager to work with their doctor on treating their skin condition. Its fun taking care of diverse patients of all ages and I always learn something new from them.
What advice do you have for people looking to take better care of their skin?
Currently, skin care is really having a moment in the media. I think the best piece of advice I can give is to keep it simple. Find a few really important components to your routine and be consistent. Be patient as changes to your skin can take several months and large benefit to a good routine is preventing photoaging, skin laxity and cutaneous cancers down the line.
What do you do to stay up to date on the latest treatments and techniques in dermatology?
Dermatology is a rapidly evolving field with new advances being made every day. I stay up to date on the newest treatments and techniques by being a member of various professional societies such as the American Academy of Dermatology and Skin of Color Society, attending conferences and reading the newest publications.
Do you have any skincare products that you swear by?
There is no one size fits all skin care routine. However, I do think nearly everyone can benefit from a good retinoid and vitamin C. Also, sunscreen is an absolute non-negotiable. The best sunscreen is the one that you will wear every day.
What do you like to focus on/specialize in within the field of dermatology?
I fell in love with dermatology because of the sheer breadth of medical conditions, surgical cases and cosmetic procedures. I have an interest in treating hidradenitis suppurativa, hair loss and acne. I am passionate about providing an excellent standard of care to patients of all skin tones and ethnic backgrounds.