
Seemal R. Desai MD, FAAD
Chair, AAD Specialty Positioning; Founder & Medical Director, Innovative Dermatology; Clinical Assistant Professor, Department of Dermatology, The University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TexasSeemal R. Desai, MD, FAAD, is a Diplomate of the American Board of Dermatology, and a board-certified dermatologist. He graduated with honors from Emory University. He received his medical training at Morehouse School of Medicine in Atlanta, Georgia, and received his Doctor of Medicine degree magna cum laude with honors.
Following medical school, Dr. Desai completed his medical internship in Internal Medicine. He then went on to complete his residency at The University of Alabama at Birmingham, and served as Chief Resident for the Department of Dermatology.
Dr. Desai has been active on a local, state, and national level with numerous medical organizations. His major accomplishments have been with the American Academy of Dermatology and the American Medical Association, where he has held numerous elected and appointed positions. He is also actively involved in teaching and mentoring medical students and residents. He is the Founder & Medical Director of Innovative Dermatology, a state-of-the-art private dermatology practice, and also serves as Clinical Assistant Professor of Dermatology at The University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center.
Dr. Desai is the author of numerous publications and has been invited to present at numerous international Dermatology events. His is a world-renowned expert in the field of skin of color, pigmentary disorders including vitiligo and melasma, atopic dermatitis, psoriasis, acne, and cosmeceuticals. Dr. Desai also conducts numerous clinical research trials in his private practice.
Dr. Desai is very active in the local and national dermatologic community and was elected to the AAD Board of Directors in 2017. In his role on the AAD Board of Directors, he represents the interests of over 20,000 dermatologists worldwide, and also serves as an elected member of the AAD Executive Committee. Dr. Desai is also the Immediate Past President of the Skin of Color Society, which is the largest international organization dedicated to the field of skin of color dermatology, and is also Past President of the Texas Dermatological Society. In addition, he is a Past President of the Dallas / Ft. Worth Dermatological Society. He has also served on the Board of Directors of SkinPAC, and is Immediate Past Chair of the AAD Leadership Development Steering Committee. Also, he serves on the Board of Directors of the Women's Dermatologic Society. In 2017, Dr. Desai was also appointed to serve on the US Food & Drug Administration, Pharmacy Compounding Advisory Committee, and is the only dermatologist on this important hearing committee. He also serves as the Associate Editor of the Journal of Clinical & Aesthetic Dermatology and Pigment International, while also serving on numerous editorial advisory boards. Dr. Desai is a sought after media spokesperson in the area of skin of color and advocacy, and frequently speaks at congresses and in press around the world. Dr. Desai is married with two children and resides in Dallas, Texas.
Recent Contributions to PracticeUpdate:
- Treating Vitiligo With a 308-nm LED: Follow-Up of Chinese Patients
- Effect of Dermatologic Consultation on Survival in Patients With Checkpoint Inhibitor Associated Cutaneous Toxicity
- Inpatient Dermatology Consultations in Hematology and Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplant Patients
- Dermatologic Support for Hospitalized Oncology Patients
- Hair Stylists as Screeners for Scarring Hair Loss Within the African American Community