Joan Paul, MD, MPH, DTMH

When you read medical articles online about psoriasis, eczema, hives, or even rare pigment conditions,
there’s a good chance you’ve quietly crossed paths with Joan Paul, MD, MPH, DTMH. She’s the kind of
dermatologist who doesn’t just treat skin she thinks about people, populations, and public health,
from clinic exam rooms to communities around the world.

Board certified by the American Board of Medical Specialties (ABMS), Dr. Paul specializes in psoriasis,
skin cancer, skin of color, and global health. She also brings a public health lens (MPH) and expertise
in tropical medicine (DTMH) to everything she does, making her a rare blend of clinician, educator,
researcher, and global health advocate rolled into one white coat.

Who Is Joan Paul, MD, MPH, DTMH?

Professionally, Dr. Joan Paul is first and foremost an ABMS board certified dermatologist who cares
deeply about both common and complex skin conditions. Her clinical focus spans:

• Psoriasis – including topical therapies, systemic medications, and biologics.
• Skin cancer – prevention, early detection, and treatment strategies.
• Skin of color – recognizing that dermatologic diseases can look different on
  darker skin tones and require nuanced diagnosis and management.
• Global health – understanding how geography, climate, and health systems shape
  skin disease and access to care.

Beyond her clinical work, she serves as a trusted medical reviewer for major health websites, helping
ensure that the information people rely on for their health decisions is accurate, current, and grounded
in evidence not myths or social media rumors.

Education, Training, and a Global Health Lens

The string of letters after Dr. Paul’s name tells you a lot about how she approaches medicine:

• MD – her medical degree and foundation in diagnosing and treating disease.
• MPH (Master of Public Health) – training that zooms out from individual patients
  to entire populations, health systems, and prevention strategies.
• DTMH (Diploma in Tropical Medicine & Hygiene) – advanced study in infectious
  and tropical diseases, including time spent in London learning about tropical medicine and
  global infectious disease patterns.

That tropical medicine background is not just a line on a CV. It informs how she thinks about
infections that affect the skin, the impact of climate and environment, and the realities of
providing care in low-resource settings. It also dovetails with her interest in conditions where
dermatology and infectious disease intersect, such as Kaposi sarcoma, atypical viral exanthems,
and skin manifestations of systemic illnesses.

Academic Roles and Professional Appointments

In addition to her clinical practice, Dr. Paul holds an academic appointment as an
Assistant Professor of Medicine (Dermatology) with Drexel University College of
Medicine. In that role, she contributes to medical education while practicing within a large
integrated health system in the Bay Area.

Academic titles can sound formal, but what they really mean is that she spends time teaching residents,
mentoring trainees, reviewing complex cases, and helping shape how the next generation of physicians
think about skin disease and health equity. Being embedded in both academic and community settings
gives her a valuable dual perspective: she sees real-world barriers patients face while staying
connected to emerging research.

Clinical Interests: Psoriasis, Skin Cancer, and Skin of Color

Psoriasis and Immune-Mediated Skin Disease

Psoriasis is more than “a rash” it’s a chronic, immune-mediated disease that affects the skin,
joints, and quality of life. As a psoriasis specialist, Dr. Paul is well-versed in:

• Topical treatments like corticosteroids and vitamin D analogs.
• Systemic medications, including oral small-molecule drugs.
• Biologic therapies that precisely target immune pathways.
• Practical tips for managing itch, scaling, and flares in daily life.

In her expert commentary for health media, she often emphasizes realistic, stepwise treatment plans
and shared decision-making helping people understand what to expect from medications, how long
they take to work, and what monitoring is needed over time.

Skin Cancer Prevention and Early Diagnosis

With skin cancer rates remaining high, especially in fair-skinned populations, Dr. Paul spends a great
deal of time educating patients about:

• The ABCDEs of melanoma and when a mole needs evaluation.
• The importance of regular skin checks and sun protection habits.
• How skin cancer can appear on any skin tone not just pale skin.
• Managing precancerous lesions like actinic keratoses before they progress.

Her public-facing work reinforces a key message: you don’t have to be afraid of every freckle,
but you do need to pay attention and partner with a dermatologist you trust.

Advocating for Skin of Color Dermatology

One of the most important aspects of Dr. Paul’s work is her focus on skin of color.
Many classic dermatology textbooks and training cases historically centered on lighter skin tones,
which can delay diagnosis or lead to misinterpretation in Black, Brown, and other darker-skinned
patients. By prioritizing this area, she:

• Highlights how conditions like psoriasis, eczema, and hives may look different on deeper skin.
• Raises awareness of pigmentary disorders and post-inflammatory hyperpigmentation.
• Encourages culturally sensitive conversations around hair care, cosmetic practices, and scarring.
• Promotes inclusive medical education materials and imagery.

This focus doesn’t just improve diagnostic accuracy; it helps patients feel seen, heard, and understood
in a system that has not always been built with them in mind.

Research and Publications

Dr. Paul’s academic work includes case reports, clinical observations, and contributions to the
dermatology literature. One of her notable publications is on
Laugier–Hunziker syndrome, a rare, benign pigment disorder characterized by
mucosal and acral hyperpigmentation. By documenting its features and emphasizing that it is
noncancerous and not associated with gastrointestinal disease, she helps clinicians distinguish it
from more serious conditions and avoid unnecessary invasive testing.

She has also co-authored reports touching on:

• Verrucous Kaposi sarcoma in people living with HIV, where recognizing unusual
  presentations can guide appropriate biopsy, staging, and treatment.
• Eczema coxsackium and related viral eruptions, highlighting how infections can
  look different in patients with underlying skin barrier disorders like atopic dermatitis.
• Patient–provider communication in dermatology, examining how trust,
  concordance, and communication quality relate to patients’ ratings of care and their
  willingness to follow treatment plans.

Together, these publications show a pattern: Dr. Paul gravitates toward the intersection of
complex clinical problems, patient experience, and real-world diagnostic challenges.

Medical Reviewer and Health Communicator

If you’ve ever clicked on a health article and noticed the small “Medically reviewed by…” line at the
top, you’ve seen part of Dr. Paul’s impact. She serves as a medical reviewer and expert for several
major health platforms, including:

• Healthline – reviewing content on psoriasis, topical treatments, and practical
  management advice.
• Medical News Today – contributing expertise on eczema, bacterial infections,
  and skin barrier health.
• PsychCentral – supporting content at the intersection of dermatology and mental
  health, such as how chronic skin disease affects mood, anxiety, and self-esteem.
• Greatist and Healthgrades – reviewing pieces on alopecia areata, hives, and
  other common dermatologic concerns.

Her role in these outlets is to make sure the science is sound, the language is balanced, and the
recommendations are realistic. That means correcting overly simplistic claims (“this one cream cures
everything!”), tempering sensational headlines, and keeping the focus on evidence-based options and
thoughtful risk–benefit discussions.

Global Health and Seven Medical Missions

The DTMH credential reflects a serious commitment to global infectious disease and tropical medicine,
and Dr. Paul has backed that up with hands-on work. She has completed seven medical missions
in countries including:

• Haiti
• Trinidad & Tobago
• Mexico
• Malawi
• Uganda
• India
• Botswana

On these trips, dermatology doesn’t happen in a sleek, fully equipped clinic. It happens in busy
community health centers, temporary outreach sites, and sometimes under a shade tent with limited
supplies. The work often includes:

• Diagnosing common conditions like fungal infections, scabies, eczema, and bacterial skin infections.
• Recognizing serious illnesses that show up in the skin such as HIV-related conditions,
  leprosy in certain regions, or severe drug reactions.
• Educating local clinicians and community health workers so that care continues long after
  visiting teams leave.
• Thinking creatively about treatment options when the usual “first-line” medications are not available.

Experiences like these don’t just change how a physician practices abroad; they reshape how she
thinks about access, equity, and resource stewardship back home.

Why Her Work Matters: Skin, Identity, and Whole-Person Care

Skin lives at the intersection of biology and identity. It’s what the immune system uses as a
barrier and what the world sees first. For people living with psoriasis plaques on their elbows,
hives that come and go unpredictably, or facial pigment changes that draw unwanted attention,
the impact is as emotional as it is physical.

Dr. Paul’s work reflects that reality. By focusing on skin of color, global health, and communication,
she helps move dermatology away from a narrow, one-size-fits-all model and toward a more inclusive,
person-centered approach. She brings together:

• Scientific rigor – staying current on new therapies and evidence.
• Educational clarity – breaking down complex topics in plain language.
• Global awareness – understanding how context shapes disease and care.
• Empathy – recognizing the emotional weight of visible skin disease.

That combination is especially important today, when patients are flooded with conflicting advice
from social media, influencers, and unverified “skin hacks.” Having a grounded expert quietly
double-checking the information behind the scenes matters more than most readers will ever realize.

Experiences and Lessons Inspired by Dr. Paul’s Work (Approx. )

What does it actually feel like to work with or learn from a dermatologist who thinks the way
Dr. Paul does? You can imagine a few recurring themes.

First, there is the moment of recognition. A patient with darker skin walks in,
frustrated after years of being told that their rash is “just dry skin” or that “it doesn’t look
like the pictures online.” A dermatologist with real skin-of-color expertise can look more deeply,
ask targeted questions, and say, “I believe you, and here’s what I think is going on.” That shift
from dismissal to validation is powerful. It doesn’t cure the condition overnight, but it
immediately changes the emotional temperature of the room.

Second, there is the global perspective. Physicians who have practiced in both
resource-rich and resource-limited settings tend to think differently about what’s “necessary”
in medicine. They’re often very intentional about ordering tests, choosing treatments that
patients can realistically access, and recognizing social determinants of health housing,
work, family responsibilities that affect whether a plan is truly workable. That mindset is
clearly reflected in the way experts like Dr. Paul talk about treatment options: they rarely sound
like they’re lecturing; they sound like they’re collaborating.

Third, there is the educator energy. Academic dermatologists who stay close to
research and training are constantly turning complex problems into teachable moments. A resident
or student might present a puzzling case; instead of simply giving the answer, a teacher like
Dr. Paul might walk through the pattern-recognition steps, ask what else could look similar,
and discuss what’s “on the table” before landing on a diagnosis. Patients benefit from this too,
because the explanations they receive are often clearer and more structured.

You can also sense a public health narrative running through their work. Rather
than thinking only in terms of “this one patient, this one rash,” they think about patterns:
Who else in the community is at risk? What environmental factors might be contributing?
How does access to care, language, or health literacy shape outcomes? When that perspective
shows up in online articles the kind Dr. Paul reviews readers get more than a list of
symptoms and treatments; they get context.

Finally, there is a quiet but important lesson about trust in digital health information.
Many people assume online health articles are either marketing or guesswork. Knowing that physicians
with real-world experience in clinics, hospitals, and global health programs review and refine
that information should offer some comfort. It doesn’t mean every article is perfect, but it does
mean there is a trained eye watching out for oversimplifications and exaggerations.

In that sense, the impact of a physician like Joan Paul, MD, MPH, DTMH extends far beyond the patients
she meets in person. Her influence shows up in exam rooms, classrooms, global health initiatives,
and in the everyday decisions people make after reading a carefully reviewed article about their skin.

Conclusion

Whether she is diagnosing a rare pigmentation disorder, reviewing a patient education article on eczema,
or consulting on a complex psoriasis case, Dr. Joan Paul consistently brings the same core values:
evidence-based medicine, inclusive care, and a global, public health–oriented mindset. For patients,
that means better information, more thoughtful treatment options, and a dermatologist who understands
that skin health is about far more than what meets the eye.