Women To Watch 10.12.25 - Flipbook - Page 39
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A New Era of Dermatology:
Dr. Patel Puts Families First
“I really like to involve them in the decision-making
and make them feel like they have a choice when
deciding on their care,” she says. “Some diseases can
be more what we call cosmetic, where they don’t have
any internal impact, but even something cosmetic
can have a lot of psychological impact for kids. It may
look cosmetic to somebody else, but it may actually
be really hurting them and their self-esteem. Being
able to talk with them, see, how is it impacting them
and how much it is bothering them helps drive the
treatment plan.”
By Linda L. Esterson
S
hivani Patel grew up watching her father care for
families in a small South Carolina town. As a primary
care physician, he followed patients long-term and
built solid relationships over years and decades.
Following in his footsteps, she completed medical
school at the Medical University of South Carolina.
But when she entered residency, she “fell in love” with
dermatology and its visual aspects and the pattern
recognition involved.
“I really liked that we could provide treatment and
that most people could see the results themselves,”
she says. “And I liked that patients could kind of track
the results by just looking at their skin and seeing
improvement, versus needing confirmation through
lab results.”
But it wasn’t until she saw two small patients that
her future path was cemented. Patel cared for two
five-year-old brothers with severe eczema who were
frequently hospitalized with skin infections. She was
part of a dermatology team that utilized an emerging
treatment, through a compassionate use program, to
clear the condition and not only keep the boys out of
the hospital but provide relief for the entire family.
“When your child has a chronic condition of any kind,
whether it affects the skin or not, it affects the entire
family,” Patel says. “It snowballs into every part of
their lives -- their sleep, time off of work and school
activities. Seeing this happen with this family drew my
attention to the impact we can have for these families
and these kids by employing emerging and advanced
treatments to care for these conditions.”
This led Patel to complete a rare fellowship and
become board certified in pediatric dermatology,
adding to her board certification in general
dermatology. She joined the University of Maryland
Medical Center last winter, and spearheaded the
opening of a new clinic in Lutherville in May that is
dedicated to dermatology care. The clinic offers the
full spectrum of care for patients of all ages, from
newborns to seniors, for conditions like eczema, acne,
psoriasis, vitiligo, rare genetic diseases, birthmarks,
skin tag and atypical mole removal. A pediatric
dermatologist, general dermatologist, cosmetic
dermatologist, and surgeon comprise the clinical staff.
The clinic offers the latest advanced therapies utilizing
state-of-the-art technology including the new Derma
V laser, which treats vascular and pigmented skin
issues with less pain, less bruising and fewer sessions.
While the child’s feelings and opinions are involved,
their parents and sometimes grandparents provide
input as well. Opinions, reservations and concerns are
shared. “When we consider treatments that haven’t
been in use for children as long as they have for
adults, we have to consider safety and long-term side
effects. I like to always engage the family in those
discussions and make sure that they have a really good
understanding of what we’re using and how we’re
going to use it, and what kind of benefit we’re hoping
to see for their child.”
“I envisioned a place where patients could get full
dermatologic care in one location,” Patel says. “Whether
you’re a grandfather with skin cancer, a child with a
concerning birthmark or someone in between, we
wanted to offer all of those services in one place. It’s
been very well received.”
Reflecting back to her roots, Patel has implemented
a unique methodology of practice. She involves the
family unit in decision-making. She spends time
explaining conditions and treatment options to
children who are old enough to comprehend, and they
are part of the care discussion.
This paid post is supplied by Linda L. Esterson. The
newsrooms or editorial departments of The Baltimore Sun
are not involved in the production of this content.
WOMEN TO WATCH | 2025 | 39
