Aleta Simmons, MD, is a board-certified dermatologist and owner of the Simmons Skin Center in Tennessee as well as the founder and director of Get the Skin-E, LLC.

Skin of Color Savvy: The Art and Science of Treating Patients of Color

Skin of Color Savvy: News Update—The Power of Mentorship & Collaboration in Medicine

In the latest News Update episode of Skin of Color Savvy: The Art and Science of Treating Patients of Color, produced by 

 and the Skin of Color Society, board-certified dermatologist and 'The Gorgeous Plate' podcast host Aleta Simmons, MD, spoke with the 

 editorial team about the power of mentorship, the importance of interdisciplinary collaboration, and her mission to bring a holistic, human-centered approach to 

Simmons, founder of Simmons Skin Center in Nashville, Tennessee, and creator of the educational platform Get the Skin-E, opens the conversation by describing her early passion for mentorship—one that began in grade school and grew into a professional commitment to supporting the next generation of dermatologists. She emphasizes a strategic and empowering approach to mentorship, in which mentees are guided to articulate their goals, identify gaps in support, and create structured agendas for each meeting.

Simmons' methodology is built around helping mentees not just feel seen, but to understand that their dreams—like becoming a dermatologist—are attainable with thoughtful planning and encouragement. Through her practice, Simmons reserves dedicated weekly appointment slots to meet with mentees and learners, including medical students from nearby Meharry Medical College, which lacks its own dermatology department.

She describes her mentee process as dynamic and highly individualized, ranging from clinical observerships to one-on-one career planning. Students begin by observing the practice flow, and based on their interests, are encouraged to explore specific topics in dermatology and report back—helping them begin to identify potential niches within the field.

One particularly rewarding experience she shares is her long-term mentorship of a student she met at a National Medical Association conference. Simmons supported this mentee through the dermatology match process, into residency, and more recently, through the challenges of contract negotiation as a new attending. Helping the mentee navigate compensation discussions and ultimately advocate for a higher offer was a moment of pride and a testament to the life-long impact of mentorship grounded in empowerment and transparency.

Simmons offers candid advice for both mentors and mentees. She urges mentors to proactively schedule regular check-ins to avoid losing momentum and ensure continuity, even amid busy academic or clinical calendars. For mentees, she emphasizes the need for open communication and dismantling fear or intimidation around reaching out to senior physicians. Reflecting on her own hesitancy as a student to meet with her department chair, she now encourages learners to speak up early—sharing interests, asking questions, and building connections that can shape their trajectory.

The episode also touches on the critical importance of collaboration across specialties. Simmons recalls working with a rheumatologist to diagnose a drug allergy in a patient with lupus, underscoring that dermatology does not exist in a vacuum. She frequently coordinates care with internists, plastic surgeons, orthopedic specialists, and nutritionists—particularly for patients with inflammatory skin conditions like psoriasis, where systemic inflammation and comorbidities demand a team-based approach.

In the latter part of the episode, Simmons discusses her podcast, ‘The Gorgeous Plate,’ which she co-hosts with food scientist and chef Tiffany Sutton. The show explores the connection between food science and dermatology, from discussions on nutrients like zinc to how lifestyle and diet choices influence skin health. Simmons’ hope is that listeners take away practical insights—whether it is simplifying their skincare routine or rethinking their relationship with food as part of whole-person wellness.

To learn more about SOCS’s mentorship programs and initiatives, visit 

Editor's note: This podcast was summarized with the help of artificial intelligence tools.

This June 17, 2025 SOCS News Update highlights creating strategic plans with mentors and mentees.



Aleta Simmons, MD, FAAD

I spoke to a patient, a 63-year-old woman who immigrated to the United States from Central America in 1978, about her experience living with liver disease. She is now an 

 NAFLD patient advocate who was diagnosed with autoimmune hepatitis and NAFLD in 2005. After experiencing the devastation of her diagnosis, she has managed to learn to live with the disease and wants to help others achieve better quality of life.

Our patient had been diagnosed with autoimmune hepatitis for several years and doing well. She developed pain in her upper right abdomen and saw three specialists. They assumed she was an alcoholic even though she told them she didn’t drink. She talked to her primary care physician who sent her to a liver specialist. 

The doctor spent 90 minutes talking to her and, based on blood work every three months and ultrasounds every six months, determined that her autoimmune hepatitis medication- prednisone, was causing fatty liver. It took three liver biopsies to confirm the diagnosis of NAFLD on top of autoimmune hepatitis.

Helpful Tips About Healthy Diet and Finding Support

This woman has made huge changes to her lifestyle. Sheexercises regularly, meditates, drinks plenty of water and has changedher eating habits by following a healthy diet and avoiding sugary drinks, such as soda and concentrated juice drinks. She prepares her own food and only takes medicine prescribed by a physician, who do so with caution because she has been at the last stage of liver cirrhosis for the last three years.

Though difficult, she has learned to avoid greasy foods found in fast food restaurants, eats abundant greens, incorporates fruit into her breakfast and vegetables for lunch. She’s learned to prepare food in different ways by sautéing, baking or grilling her food using olive oil. She does not fry her food, which she may have done previously. She avoids additives and salt, relying instead on herbs and spices.

Before trying new foods, she and her caregivers research its possible impact on the liver. When she buys groceries, she avoids red meat, high fructose corn syrup and anything with more than five ingredients. She also practices portion control and learned that the palm of your hand is the amount of meat you should eat, which for her is mostly fish, chicken and occasionally lobster.

She advises people tofollow their doctors’ orders and, once diagnosed, find a support group to learn and share information with others living with the same disease. People can find information online from organizations, such as the 

, and Facebook groups, such as Living with Cirrhosis, Living with Fatty Liver/NASH.

She is a true reflection of what it is to live with chronic liver diseases and how changing in your lifestyle can improve liver health and overall health.

This article is the final installment of four articles exploring the epidemic of liver disease called nonalcoholic fatty liver disease and its more severe form, nonalcoholic steatohepatitis.

The Multiple, Complex Challenges of Living with and Managing Liver Disease

Amreen Dinani, MD

Experts discuss the recent use of biosimilars like inolimomab as treatment for ulcerative colitis (UC).

Biosimilar Treatment Options for Patients With UC

David P. Hudesman, MD

Frank Diamond

Geoffrey Grammer, MD closes this series highlighting the administration options of esketamine, its safety profile, and the importance of monitoring patients using this treatment.

Esketamine Safety Mechanisms and Bioavailability

Geoffrey Grammer, MD

Counting down the biggest news from major medical meetings, it's the HCPLive Five!

HCPLive Five at European Renal Association (ERA) Congress 2025

European Renal Association (ERA) Congress

 is a medical conference bringing together world-renowned experts, researchers, and practitioners in nephrology. 2025’s meeting was hosted in Vienna, Austria, and saw more than 10,000 participants from around the world with a record 2835 abstract submissions from 91 countries. This year’s conference was centered around the theme “Game Changers in Nephrology” with the slogan “Beyond Nephrology,” boasting a comprehensive and innovative program exploring the latest advancements and transformative ideas in nephrology.

As part of HCPLive’s on-site coverage, the editorial team conducted expert interviews and reported on timely topics across therapeutic advances, pipeline updates, new renal clinical trial data, and more. In this edition of the HCPLive Five, the team highlights key conversations on pegcetacoplan in 

 and idiopathic immune-complex membranoproliferative glomerulonephritis (IC-MPGN), a trio of 

 drugs in clinical development, and the potential benefits of simultaneous initiation of finerenone (Kerendia) and empagliflozin (Jardiance) in patients with 

Pegcetacoplan Sustains Proteinuria Reductions in C3G, IC-MPGN at 52 Weeks

Extended data from the phase 3 VALIANT trial were presented at ERA 2025 and support the sustained efficacy and safety of pegcetacoplan (Empaveli) in patients with C3G or IC-MPGN, including adolescents and adults with native or transplanted kidneys. The 52-week results show continued proteinuria reduction and eGFR stabilization in both treatment-naïve and crossover groups, reinforcing 26-week data presented at the American Society of Nephrology’s 2024 Scientific Sessions.

In this on-site interview at the meeting, Fadi Fakhouri, MD, PhD, co-lead principal investigator for the VALIANT study and a professor of nephrology at CHUV Lausanne, Switzerland, describes pegcetacoplan’s long-term potential in C3G and IC-MPGN and how the data presented at ERA could shift treatment strategies.

Understanding Zigakibart's Potential in IgA Nephropathy, with Jonathan Barratt, MD, PhD

100-week data from the phase 1/2 ADU-CL-19 trial presented at ERA suggest zigakibart, an APRIL inhibitor under development by Novartis, offers durable reductions in proteinuria and maintains a favorable safety profile in patients with IgAN. In the study, patients experienced a mean 60% reduction in proteinuria from baseline, with 55% achieving proteinuria below 500 mg and 31% below 300 mg, as described by Jonathan Barratt, MD, PhD, the Mayer Professor of Renal Medicine at the University of Leicester, in this interview. Additionally, serum IgA and pathogenic Gd-IgA1 levels dropped by 74%, building on earlier 52-week data showing reductions in IgA, IgM, and IgG of 67%, 78%, and 35%, respectively.

Kidney Compass: CONFIDENCE Trial at ERA 2025, with Rajiv Agarwal, MD, MS

Simultaneous initiation of finerenone (Kerendia) and empagliflozin (Jardiance) in patients with CKD and type 2 diabetes was well-tolerated and resulted in significantly greater reductions in urinary albumin-to-creatinine ratio (UACR) than either agent alone, according to results from the CONFIDENCE trial. During ERA, Kidney Compass host Brendon Neuen, MBBS, PhD, a senior research fellow with the George Institute for Global Health and the director of the Kidney Trials Unit with Royal North Shore Hospital, held a discussion with trial investigators Rajiv Agarwal, MD, Professor Emeritus at Indiana University School of Medicine, about the study results and what they mean for CKD management landscape in real-world settings.

Phase 3 ORIGIN Sets Stage for Atacicept in IgA Nephropathy, with Richard Lafayette, MD

Just days before the ERA 2025, the nephrology community welcomed and celebrated new positive data for atacicept in IgAN in the form of topline results from the phase 3 ORIGIN trial. Announced by Vera Therapeutics on June 02, 2025, the data indicate the trial met its primary endpoint of reduction in proteinuria at week 36, with the atacicept group achieving a 46% reduction from baseline and a statistically significant 42% reduction compared to placebo at week 36.

’s coverage of ERA, we sat down with Lafayette to discuss how this latest data adds to our understanding of atacicept and its potential role in the management of IgAN if it were to receive FDA approval.

Kidney Compass: Sibeprenlimab and the VISIONARY Trial, with Vlado Perkovic, MBBS, PhD, at ERA 2025

, hosts Brendon Neuen, MBBS, PHD, and Shikha Wadhwani, MD, MS, are joined by Vlado Perkovic, MBBS, PhD, dean and scientia professor of Medicine at UNSW Sydney, as he dives into one of the meeting’s most anticipated releases—

. Less than 2 weeks prior to the presentation, Otsuka Pharmaceutical Co. announced the US Food and Drug Administration had granted priority review for their BLA and the application has been given a target action date of November 28, 2025.

These 5 represent only some of the data the 

 team covered at this year's meeting! Check out more KOL insight and our full conference coverage on our 

From new data for potential IgAN treatments to the use of combination initiation therapy for type 2 diabetes and CKD, here are 5 key updates from the annual meeting.

Jonathan Barratt, MBChB, PhD, FRCP

The Top 5 Atopic Dermatitis Studies in the Past 2 Years, with Matthew Zirwas, MD

Top 5 Atopic Dermatitis Studies in the Past 2 Years, with Matthew Zirwas, MD

 studies have been published in the past 2 years, but which ones are the most useful to dermatologists?

At the 2025 New Wave Dermatology meeting in Aventura, Florida, Matthew Zirwas, a dermatologist at Bexley Dermatology, presented the most useful dermatology journal entries in the past year.

 He reviewed dermatologic uses for metformin, potential mechanisms of pimozide in delusions of parasitosis, ways to boost JAK inhibitor response in alopecia totalis, and treatments for burning mouth syndrome.

sat down with Zirwas at the meeting to discuss these highlights and his other talk on how to streamline the 

first 4 visits when diagnosing spongiotic dermatitis

. He also shared his picks for the top 5 atopic dermatitis studies published in the past 2 years.

“There have been some incredibly interesting new things, especially around atopic dermatitis,” Zirwas said. “[The most important finding is] that we are terrible at diagnosing it. As dermatology providers, we misdiagnose 2 out of 3 people who have atopic dermatitis. Instead of calling it atopic dermatitis, we're diagnosing it as dermatitis, unspecified. That needs to stop.”

Zirwas explained that adult atopic dermatitis is often misdiagnosed because the wrong criteria are used. While the Hanafin and Rajka criteria from the 1980s work well for children, they fall short in adults. Instead, he said dermatologists should follow the American Academy of Dermatology guidelines.

The difference lies in pathogenesis: genetics drive pediatric atopic dermatitis, but skin damage underlies adult cases. Zirwas pointed to toluene diisocyanate (TDI), a chemical in car exhaust and nylon and polyester clothing, as a major factor for skin damage.

“That explains why atopic dermatitis has been becoming more common, particularly since the 1970s, because the 1970s car exhaust changed to start to have this TDI in it, and that was because they put catalytic converters on cars,” Zirwas said. “Second, nylon and polyester became much more common in clothing, and residual TDI in nylon and polyester clothing is the other big driving factor for this acquired atopic dermatitis.”

Variation in clinical presentation of pediatric-onset and adult-onset atopic dermatitis: a retrospective, single-center, chart review of adults with atopic dermatitis from the United States

This retrospective review compared clinical features of adult- vs pediatric-onset AD. Adults had less flexural involvement and more nummular eczema and extensor surface involvement, with fewer personal or family histories of atopic disease.

Exposure to isocyanates predicts atopic dermatitis prevalence and disrupts therapeutic pathways in commensal bacteria

This study identified diisocyanates as strong predictors of atopic dermatitis. These chemicals disrupt beneficial lipid production and therapeutic modeling of 

 and commensal Staphylococcus. Diisocyanates demonstrated a temporospatial and epidemiological association with atopic dermatitis.

The 2023 Annual Report of DataDerm: The database of the American Academy of Dermatology

DataDerm, the American Academy of Dermatology’s massive dermatology database, included data from 14.2 million unique patients and 53.5 million visits in 2022. This report analyzed longitudinal care patterns for common dermatologic conditions, with emphasis on skin cancer.

Cohort studies on 71 outcomes among people with atopic eczema in UK primary care data

Using UK primary care data, investigators compared 3.6 million people with eczema to 16.8 million controls. They found eczema was strongly associated with hodgkin's lymphoma, alopecia areata, Crohn Disease, urticaria, coeliac disease, ulcerative colitis, autoimmune liver disease, and irritable bowel syndrome.

Association of air pollution and genetic risks with incidence of elderly-onset atopic dermatitis: A prospective cohort study

A UK Biobank study found both air pollution and genetics independently increased the risk of elderly-onset AD, but pollutants had a stronger effect than genetic predisposition.

Other useful dermatology journal entries published in the past 2 years that Zirwas presented are reported 

Relevant disclosures for Zirwas include Galderma Laboratories, L.P, Regeneron Healthcare Solutions, GENZYME CORPORATION, Arcutis Biotherapeutics, Lilly USA, Novartis Pharmaceuticals Corporation, Dermavant Sciences, LEO Pharma, Verrica Pharmaceuticals, Incyte Corporation, AbbVie, and PFIZER.

Zirwas M. The Most Useful Journal Articles of the Last 2 Years. Presented at the 2025 New Wave Dermatology at Aventura, Florida.

Munayco Maldonado G, Foy V, Tai H, Chiesa Fuxench ZC. Variation in clinical presentation of pediatric-onset and adult-onset atopic dermatitis: a retrospective, single-center, chart review of adults with atopic dermatitis from the United States. 

. 2024;316(7):409. Published 2024 Jun 15. doi:10.1007/s00403-024-03008-x

Zeldin J, Chaudhary PP, Spathies J, et al. Exposure to isocyanates predicts atopic dermatitis prevalence and disrupts therapeutic pathways in commensal bacteria. 

. 2023;9(1):eade8898. doi:10.1126/sciadv.ade8898

Van Beek MJ, Swerlick RA, Daveluy S, et al. The 2023 Annual Report of DataDerm: The database of the American Academy of Dermatology. 

. 2024;91(5):904-909. doi:10.1016/j.jaad.2024.05.096

Matthewman J, Schultze A, Strongman H, et al. Cohort studies on 71 outcomes among people with atopic eczema in UK primary care data. 

. 2024;15(1):9573. Published 2024 Nov 6. doi:10.1038/s41467-024-54035-1

Gu X, Jing D, Xiao Y, et al. Association of air pollution and genetic risks with incidence of elderly-onset atopic dermatitis: A prospective cohort study. 

. 2023;253:114683. doi:10.1016/j.ecoenv.2023.114683

Zirwas shares top dermatology studies, highlights AD misdiagnosis, and reveals how pollution and fabrics may trigger adult-onset atopic dermatitis.

Matthew Zirwas, MD

Rakesh, how about other emerging studies in both pediatric and adult ADHD [attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder] treatments? What are you most excited about?

 The world of adult ADHD researchers and clinicians has been more empowered in the last decade or so. If our excitement is being shared by our colleagues listening to us, that’s great, but be ready for even more. In fact, 3 of us—Dr Andrew Cutler, Dr Mattingly, and myself—published a paper in 

 in 2020. I encourage people to check it out. The title of that very paper is “Current and Future Nonstimulants in the Treatment of ADHD.” There are a number of them. Obviously, viloxazine is 1 we have our eyes on. Centanafadine is another compound that shows great promise, with a very different mechanism of action. There are a number of other molecules in development. Our goal is to be very excited, but let’s not forget that what we have today is pretty powerful. We should focus on our accurate identification, matching the patient with the right treatment option, and using measurement-based tools. We remain very excited for what the future holds for us.

 I would add, as David also said, there are other stimulants in development. A variety of nonstimulants are in development. The 1 that’s probably going to get approval soon is viloxazine, but there are others in development. There’s a whole group of digital therapeutics in development. In these digital therapeutics, we use the world around us—digital video games, cognitive enhancers—to strengthen pathways in the brain of adults with ADHD. I have 3 trials going on of digital interventions for adults with ADHD. That’s a really promising and interesting area of the future.

Thanks to all of you for this very rich and informative discussion with my friends. Before we conclude, I’d like to get final thoughts from each of you. Are there any messages you’d like to send to our audience? I also want to thank them for caring about ADHD patients and being with us. Dr Mattingly?

 Thank you, everybody, for joining us. Thank you for the discussion. Most important, ADHD is there. We all see it. When you treat it, you make a big difference. These are the patients who walk in and they’re thankful. They’ll tell you the difference you’ve made in their job, in their family, in their marriage, at their school. Treatment makes a difference. It’s rewarding. Once you get used to this, you’ll be thankful that you dove into this field.

 I echo everything that everyone has said. What’s most important and unique about ADHD is that if you treat depression, you bring the person back to where they were. When you treat anxiety disorder, you bring them back to where they were. When you treat ADHD, you transform this person’s psychological state into a state of mind they’ve never experienced. This is an inflexion point on the trajectory of the success of their life. That’s what is unique about treating ADHD compared with some of the other psychiatric disorders.

 I’ll reflect similarly. It can be such a bittersweet story when they come in and haven’t had treatment or have been only partially treated. We watch them gain confidence and self-esteem and flourish in so many aspects of their lives. It’s rewarding for them and for me. I’ll echo what my colleagues said. Thank you all for having me.

 Here is a good way to look at it. It’s the best of times, and it’s the best of times. There’s nothing negative to talk about in terms of adult ADHD. We have so many treatment options. We have so many pathways we can take to help these individuals. I want to thank our colleagues who are listening. In many ways, you could choose to ignore adult ADHD. You might say, “I’m busy enough. I’ve got so many other disorders to take care.” But let me share this with you. If you’ve identified and treated an adult with ADHD, the transformative power of clinical intervention is 1 of the greatest I’ve seen in my 32-year career in medicine, so I encourage you to be empowered in identifying and treating as optimally as you possibly can. It’s getting more possible with the passage of time. Before I wrap up. Teresa, I want to hear your thoughts. What are you most excited about in the world of ADHD?

First, thank you all for being part of this panel. It’s much appreciated. Thank you to our viewing audience for participating. I want to emphasize that, as all of you have said, there’s so much to look forward to in this field. When I started as an ADHD specialist 20 years ago, we had very few options for treatment. We had very little understanding that there even was adult ADHD. I’ve been thrilled to be part of the process and the evolution in our understanding. I’m very excited to know that there’s much more to come.

 discussion to be useful and informative. We look forward to seeing you in the future. Thank you, everyone.

Drs Rakesh Jain, Greg Mattingly, David W. Goodman, Birgit H. Amann, and Theresa R. Cerulli, discuss emerging agents in the pipeline for the management of pediatric and adult ADHD.

Novel Agents for the Management of Pediatric and Adult ADHD

Rakesh Jain, MD, MPH

Furie shared how Obinutuzumab could enrich the treatment landscape of LN.

Anticipating Obinutuzumab’s Approval for Lupus Nephritis, with Richard Furie, MD

Patients with active lupus nephritis treated with obinutuzumab (Gazya/Gazyvaro) achieved achieving more complete renal responses than those receiving standard therapy alone.

These findings are from the phase 3 REGENCY trial, which has met its primary end point, with 46.4% of patients treated with obinutuzmab achieving complete renal response at 76 weeks compared to 33.1% of people treated with standard therapy alone (adjusted difference, 13.4%; 95% CI, 2.0 to 24.8; 

The data primary investigator Richard Furie, MD, the Marilyn and Barry Rubenstein Chair in Rheumatology and Chief of the Division of Rheumatology at Northwell Health, and colleagues found no unexpected safety signals identified in the trial, but the obinutuzumab group did have a higher incidence of serious adverse events of mainly infections and events related to coronavirus disease 2019, emphasizing the importance of up-to-date vaccinations for this population.

 spoke Furie to learn more about the REGENCY trial and new questions that the findings may have prompted. He stressed that while the benefits of obinutuzumab may not be dramatic, they are clinically meaningful, and compared it to other milestone approvals of belimumab and voclosporin.

“I do think it will get an approval, and I do think people will be using it. We have been using it off label, because it's been approved since 2013 so for a patient with refractory disease, that's our go-to medicine. But we'll use it more extensively than just for that sub population,” Furie said.

Furie's relevant disclosures include Alexion Pharmaceuticals, Amgen, AstraZeneca, Biogen, Bristol-Myers Squibb, Eli Lilly, EMD Serono, galapagos, Genentech, GlaxoSmithKline, Janssen, Kezar Life Sciences. Kyowa Kirin, Kyverna Therapeutics, Merck, Novartis, Remegen, Sanofi, Takeda, and UCB.

Furie RA, Rovin BH, Garg JP. Efficacy and Safety of Obinutuzumab in Active Lupus Nephritis. 

 Published online February 7, 2025. doi:10.1056/NEJMoa2410965

FDA accepts supplemental Biologics License Application for Roche’s Gazyva/Gazyvaro for the treatment of lupus nephritis. News release. Roche. March 5, 2025. Accessed March 17, 2025.

Richard Furie, MD

Sorana Segal-Maurer, MD, offers clinical insights on treating patients with HIV who have viral mutations, including M184V, highlighting guideline recommendations.

HIV: Treating Patients with Viral Mutations

Video content above is prompted by the following questions:

Patients with viral mutations, including 

, require a different and more tailored therapeutic approach to manage their disease.

Can you share your treatment approach for a patient with a viral mutation, such as 

What are the current treatment guideline recommendation on this?

Authors