We are delighted to announce Dr Samar Khalil as a touchDERMATOLOGY Future Leader 2026.
Dr Khalil is a general and cosmetic dermatologist practicing at Skin Experts Polyclinic in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, and Skin Clinic in Beirut, Lebanon. She completed her medical degree and dermatology residency at the American University of Beirut before undertaking further training in cosmetic dermatology in São Paulo, Brazil. Her clinical practice now encompasses treating skin diseases as well as using non- and minimally invasive procedures, such as injectables and lasers, for skin rejuvenation.
Alongside her clinical work, Dr Khalil is active in research across medical and aesthetic dermatology. She was elected to the Alpha Omega Alpha Honor Medical Society and was among the winners of the American University of Beirut Fellowship and Residency Research Program. She has published her work in numerous peer-reviewed journals and presented her research internationally, establishing herself as an emerging voice in evidence-based aesthetic dermatology and skin longevity.
In this Q&A, Dr Khalil discusses how her personal experience of acne drew her to dermatology, the mentors who shaped her clinical and aesthetic practice, and why she sees medical dermatology, aesthetics, and skin longevity as part of the same continuum.
Q: What drew you to dermatology, and how did your interest in your current area of focus develop?
I struggled with acne as a teenager and spent a lot of time sitting on the other side of the dermatologist’s desk as a patient. At that age, acne felt like much more than a skin condition. It affected how I saw myself and sometimes even how I interacted with the world around me.
I experienced firsthand what it meant to have a dermatologist gradually give me back something I had lost. I changed as my skin did. Looking back, I think that was my first understanding of how profoundly dermatology can affect someone’s life.
Later, as I went through medical training, I understood the specialty on a much deeper level. We diagnose and treat complex inflammatory, autoimmune, infectious, and malignant diseases. But what makes the specialty particularly meaningful to me is that it also challenges the idea that the value of medicine can only be measured by whether we save a life. Improving a life matters too.
That philosophy is also what eventually drew me toward aesthetic dermatology. I never saw aesthetics as something completely separate from medical dermatology. To me, they exist on the same continuum: understanding the skin, respecting its biology, and helping people feel like the best and most comfortable version of themselves. That intersection of science, longevity, and aesthetics is where much of my passion lies today.
Q: Is there a specific patient, mentor, or experience that shaped your path in this field?
I’ve been fortunate to have mentors who have shaped different aspects of the dermatologist I want to become.
In medical dermatology, Dr Mazen Kurban had a major influence on me. Beyond his knowledge and expertise in genodermatoses, what always stood out to me was how much he genuinely cared about his patients. He follows them closely, thinks beyond the immediate consultation, and is deeply committed to research and to finding better solutions for them. He taught me that being an excellent physician is not simply about knowing the diagnosis or prescribing the right treatment; it is about remaining curious, invested, and present for your patients.
In aesthetic dermatology, Dr Hassan Galadari has also been an important inspiration. For many physicians from our region, he helped pave the way and showed us that it is possible to build an international presence while remaining scientifically credible and respected. Seeing someone from our part of the world become a global voice in aesthetic dermatology made that path feel possible for the generations of physicians who followed.
“I never saw aesthetics as something completely separate from medical dermatology. To me, they exist on the same continuum: understanding the skin, respecting its biology, and helping people feel like the best and most comfortable version of themselves.”
Samar Khalil
Q: What current innovations in dermatology excite you the most?
What excites me most is how rapidly approaches in dermatology are becoming more precise, targeted, and regenerative.
In medical dermatology, we are moving away from broad treatments that suppress disease at the expense of significant systemic side effects and toward therapies that target very specific pathways. The evolution of biologics and small-molecule therapies for chronic inflammatory skin diseases has completely changed what we can offer many patients. Conditions that once could mean years of uncontrolled disease can increasingly be managed with highly effective, more targeted treatments. I think we are only at the beginning of what precision medicine will bring to dermatology.
In aesthetic dermatology, I am particularly excited by the shift toward regenerative medicine and skin longevity. The conversation is gradually moving beyond simply filling a line or changing a feature to understanding how we can improve the quality and function of the skin itself.
Disclosures: This short article was prepared by touchDERMATOLOGY in collaboration with Dr Khalil. No fees or funding were associated with its publication.
Citation: Dr Samar Khalil on connecting science, aesthetics, and skin longevity: touchDERMATOLOGY Future Leaders 2026. touchDERMATOLOGY. XX September 2026.
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