Neelam Ajit Vashi, MD

Associate Professor, Dermatology

Neelam Vashi
617.638.5500
609 Albany St (J Bldg)

Biography

Dr. Neelam A. Vashi is the Founder and Director of the Boston University Center for Ethnic Skin, Director of the Boston University Cosmetic and Laser Center, and an Assistant Professor of Dermatology at the Chobanian and Avedisian School of Medicine. Dr. Vashi received her medical degree from Northwestern University’s Feinberg School of Medicine where she was inducted into the prestigious Alpha Omega Alpha Honor Medical Society. After her internship in internal medicine at Northwestern University, Dr. Vashi came to the east coast to complete her dermatology residency at New York University (NYU) in the Ronald O. Perelman Department of Dermatology.

Dr. Vashi is a recognized leader in medical and cosmetic dermatology in patients with skin of color. She has written extensively on the approach to cutaneous hyperpigmentation, disorders of pigmentation, and cosmetic treatments of dyschromic disorders. Dr. Vashi is widely published in the peer-reviewed literature, author of several book chapters, and is a frequent lecturer at both national and international dermatology meetings. She has published a new book, Beauty and Body Dysmorphic Disorder: A Clinician’s Guide. In addition, she is lead editor of a new book, Dermatoanthropology of Ethnic Skin and Hair, slated to be published in January of 2017. She has been featured in the media, including Ebony Magazine, Prevention, Web Talk Radio, and Doctor Radio.

As one of the only few in the United States, Boston University’s Center for Ethnic Skin uniquely specializes in the diagnosis and treatment of skin and hair conditions unique to men and women from ethnic backgrounds. This center is led by Dr. Vashi who is specially trained to care for the cosmetic and medical issues unique to individuals with skin of color. She offers a comprehensive and personalized care plan that is individually designed for each patient’s color, tone, and texture of skin and hair.

Dr. Vashi’s research interests include a wide variety of topics related to cosmetics and ethnic skin. She currently has many active projects including topics of skin hyperpigmentation, chemical peels, health literacy, and sun protection. She is also the Director of the International Training Program in Cosmetic Medicine in which she trains fellows from around the world in both cosmetics and ethnic skin care. Her most recently published work includes a letter in JAMA Dermatology that analyzed People magazine’s World’s Most Beautiful list to compare standards of beauty in 1990 with the present day. Dr. Vashi extracted information from the lists for age, sex, race, skin type, hair color, eye color and any visible dermatologic conditions and found what people consider beautiful has changed since the ‘90s.
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Education

  • Northwestern University School of Medicine, MD
  • Northwestern University, BA

Publications

  • Published on 6/28/2023

    Lazar M, De La Garza H, Vashi NA. Exogenous Ochronosis: Characterizing a Rare Disorder in Skin of Color. J Clin Med. 2023 Jun 28; 12(13). PMID: 37445377.

    Read at: PubMed
  • Published on 3/28/2023

    Manjaly P, Xia E, Allan A, Vinjamuri S, Garza H, Manjaly C, Szeto MD, Eichstadt S, Maymone M, Vashi N. Skin phototype of participants in laser and light treatments of cosmetic dermatologic conditions: A systematic review. J Cosmet Dermatol. 2023 Mar 28. PMID: 36977196.

    Read at: PubMed
  • Published on 3/28/2023

    Manjaly P, Xia E, Allan A, Vinjamuri S, Garza H, Manjaly C, Szeto MD, Eichstadt S, Maymone M, Vashi N. Skin phototype of participants in laser and light treatments of cosmetic dermatologic conditions: A systematic review. J Cosmet Dermatol. 2023 Sep; 22(9):2434-2439. PMID: 36977196.

    Read at: PubMed
  • Published on 1/19/2023

    Burli A, Vashi NA, Li BS, Maibach HI. Allergic Contact Dermatitis and Patch Testing in Skin of Color Patients. Dermatitis. 2023; 34(2):85-89. PMID: 36917532.

    Read at: PubMed
  • Published on 12/3/2022

    Minkis K, Bolotin D, Council ML, Bar A, Farah RS, Kibbi N, Miest RYN, Orringer JS, Ortiz A, Suozzi KC, Vashi NA, Yoo SS, Albrecht J, Blalock TW, Bruce AJ, Deng M, Desai S, Eshaq M, Fiessinger LA, Ghareeb E, Greywal T, Hebert AA, Hooper D, Hordinsky M, Hu JC, Jibbe A, Joo J, Kelly KM, Kenkare S, Khetarpal S, Kole LCS, Kourosh AS, Kuhn H, Lee KC, Lucas R, Luke J, Mafee M, Mayo TT, Nawas ZY, Olasz Harken EB, Pearlstein MV, Petronic-Rosic V, Robinson CA, Rogge MN, Saikaly SK, Schenck OL, Schlick CA, Shahabi L, Shipp DM, Shive M, Silapunt S, Stratman EJ, Sulewski R, Suggs AK, Tolaymat L, Ward KHM, Weinstein Velez M, Zeichner J, Kang BY, Ibrahim SA, Christensen RE, Anvery N, Dirr MA, Lawrence N, Alam M. Needs and Gaps in Resident Trainee Education, Clinical Patient Care, and Clinical Research in Cosmetic Dermatology: Position Statement of the Association of Academic Cosmetic Dermatology. Arch Dermatol Res. 2023 Aug; 315(6):1755-1762. PMID: 36463367.

    Read at: PubMed
  • Published on 12/2/2022

    Minkis K, Bolotin D, Council ML, Bar A, Farah RS, Kibbi N, Miest RYN, Orringer JS, Ortiz A, Suozzi KC, Vashi NA, Yoo SS, Albrecht J, Blalock TW, Bruce AJ, Deng M, Desai S, Eshaq M, Fiessinger LA, Ghareeb E, Greywal T, Hebert AA, Hooper D, Hordinsky M, Hu JC, Jibbe A, Joo J, Kelly KM, Kenkare S, Khetarpal S, Kole LCS, Kourosh AS, Kuhn H, Lee KC, Lucas R, Luke J, Mafee M, Mayo TT, Nawas ZY, Olasz Harken EB, Pearlstein MV, Petronic-Rosic V, Robinson CA, Rogge MN, Sachs DL, Saikaly SK, Schenck OL, Schlick CA, Shahabi L, Shipp DM, Shive M, Silapunt S, Suggs AK, Tolaymat L, Ward KHM, Weinstein Velez M, Zeichner J, Kang BY, Ibrahim SA, Christensen RE, Anvery N, Dirr MA, Lawrence N, Alam M. The Association of Academic Cosmetic Dermatology: improving cosmetic dermatology education through collaboration, research, and advocacy. Arch Dermatol Res. 2023 Jul; 315(5):1449-1452. PMID: 36456760.

    Read at: PubMed
  • Published on 11/21/2022

    Karch J, Maymone MBC, De La Garza H, Vashi N. Lip Fillers: A Cross-Sectional Analysis of Instagram Trends. Dermatol Surg. 2023 Jan 01; 49(1):114-115. PMID: 36533808.

    Read at: PubMed
  • Published on 11/4/2022

    Trepanowski N, De La Garza H, Goldminz J, Lam CS, Vashi NA. The impact of skin disfigurement in patients with autoimmune connective tissue disorders on quality of life, willingness-to-pay, and time trade-off: A cross-sectional analysis. JAAD Int. 2023 Mar; 10:48-50. PMID: 36636102.

    Read at: PubMed
  • Published on 7/5/2022

    De La Garza H, Saliba E, Rosales Santillan M, Brem C, Vashi NA. Pityriasis Lichenoides et Varioliformis Acuta as a Complication of COVID-19 Infection. Dermatopathology (Basel). 2022 Jul 05; 9(3):244-250. PMID: 35892481.

    Read at: PubMed
  • Published on 6/1/2022

    Anderson JB, Laughter MR, Hatch J, Patel P, Maymone M, Vashi NA. Shifting the Standard of Beauty: Beginning of the Body Inclusive Model. Cureus. 2022 Jun; 14(6):e25584. PMID: 35785000.

    Read at: PubMed

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