The Mission
Linking Medical Knowledge with Personal Narratives
As a recent medical graduate who developed Hidradenitis Suppurativa during my fourth year, I realized that the ‘patient side’ of dermatology often looks very different from the textbooks. I founded Derm From Both Sides to close that gap.
Our mission is to contrast textbook diagnostic criteria with real-life patient stories. By providing a privacy-focused patient platform, we give students a space to learn the details of medicine and patients a place to feel seen. We focus on community, coping strategies, and shared knowledge—never medical advice.
Featured Patient Stories
Each card is a brief snapshot of a longer story. Click 'Read more' to explore the full experience for each condition.
Hidradenitis Suppurativa
"My HS journey began when I was around 13 years old, but it took 16 years before I finally received a diagnosis at the age of 29. During those years, I lived with painful flare-ups, recurring abscesses, drainage, and scarring without understanding what was happening to my body. Like many people living with HS, I was repeatedly told they were just ‘boils’ or infections, and I learned to suffer in silence."
-J.U.O., 33-year-old female
Psoriasis
"Nine years ago, I began to experience marked dryness in the area of my elbows and around the cuticles of my nails. Due to the stress of my job and lack of time, I did not visit a specialist, and the rash and dryness gradually spread to the area under my eyes and my knees." -E.T., 59-year-old female
Atopic Dermatitis
"My journey with dermatitis began in 7th grade. At first, it was just intense itching at night, especially after shaving. I was bullied and made to feel self-conscious because I didn’t shave often, and looking back, I realize how much that affected my confidence."
- K.M.A.B., 29-year-old female
Share Your Journey
Contribute to our collective knowledge by sharing your personal experience with dermatologic conditions. Your story helps bridge the gap between clinical definitions and lived reality, fostering understanding and empathy within our community.
Our platform functions as a collaborative hub for education and sharing; it does not offer professional healthcare guidance. We analyze personal narratives alongside academic standards. Ensure all posts protect privacy. This is not a space for medical advice.
NOT MEDICAL ADVICE • PRIVATE, CONFIDENTIAL SUBMISSIONS • REAL STORIES • EDUCATIONAL PURPOSES ONLY
NOT MEDICAL ADVICE - COMMUNITY STORIES ONLY • NOT MEDICAL ADVICE - COMMUNITY STORIES ONLY • NOT MEDICAL ADVICE - COMMUNITY STORIES ONLY • NOT MEDICAL ADVICE - COMMUNITY STORIES ONLY • NOT MEDICAL ADVICE - COMMUNITY STORIES ONLY • NOT MEDICAL ADVICE - COMMUNITY STORIES ONLY • NOT MEDICAL ADVICE - COMMUNITY STORIES ONLY • NOT MEDICAL ADVICE - COMMUNITY STORIES ONLY •
Bridging Clinical Insights with Lived Experience
DermFromBothSides serves as an educational bridge between the standardized diagnostic criteria found in textbooks and the complex, detailed realities of patient stories. We prioritize narratives that ensure privacy while fostering an empathetic learning environment for medical students and patients alike.