Jenna Lester

Last updated
Jenna Lester
Alma mater Harvard University
Brown University
Scientific career
Institutions University of California, San Francisco

Jenna Lester is an American dermatologist and faculty member at the University of California, San Francisco (UCSF). Lester founded the UCSF Skin of Color Clinic, where she is the director. The clinic looks to address health disparities by providing dermatological care to people of color.

Contents

Early life and education

Lester was born into a family of healthcare workers. Her grandmother, Ruby Brangman, worked as a nurse practitioner, and her mother, Sharon Brangman, is a geriatrician. [1] Her grandmother was one of the first Black women to work as a nurse practitioner in the state of New York. [2] Lester realised that she wanted to be a physician at a young age; her mother set the example. [3] Their family story was featured by NPR's Story Corps. [3]

Lester earned her undergraduate degree at Harvard University. [1] She eventually studied medicine at Brown University, where she was elected to the medical honour society Alpha Omega Alpha. [4] Black people are underrepresented in medicine, and this underrepresentation gives rise to a cycle of health disparities for Black people. [5] Lester was encouraged by her father to specialise in dermatology. [6] Whilst she was at medical school, a Black patient presented with psoriasis, but none of the physicians could diagnose the condition because they had not been trained in how to identify it on dark skin. [7] In fact, in a survey of dermatologists in 2011, half of the participants reported that they could not diagnose conditions on Black skin. [8]

Research and career

Lester has worked to train physicians how to identify dermatological conditions on skin of colour and is a leader in equity in dermatology. [7] [9] [10] She established the first UCSF Skin of Color program and clinic, where she serves as the director. [7] [5] The programme focuses on research, education and clinical care. [6] Her work and research has been nationally and internationally recognized for tackling inequities in dermatology. [7] [11] In 2019, the San Francisco Chronicle described Lester as the only Black dermatologist working in San Francisco. [5] She was also featured on NPR's Science Friday with Ira Flatow where she reviewed some the differing features of skin disease across skin tones. [12]

She is a member of the American Academy of Dermatology, where she sits on the committee for Augmented Intelligence, a working group that provides expert advice regarding the use of artificial intelligence in dermatology. [13]

During the COVID-19 pandemic it emerged that occasionally coronavirus presented as skin disorders (including so-called covid toes). Whilst it was well known that coronavirus disease disproportionately impacts people of colour, in the countless scientific papers documenting the dermatological manifestations of the disease Lester noticed a distinct underrepresentation of non-white patients. [14] [15] She was the first person to publish about these disparities, and subsequently profiled in the New York Times. [7]

Select publications

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Melanocytic nevus</span> Skin condition, mole

A melanocytic nevus is usually a noncancerous condition of pigment-producing skin cells. It is a type of melanocytic tumor that contains nevus cells. Some sources equate the term mole with "melanocytic nevus", but there are also sources that equate the term mole with any nevus form.

Dermatology is the branch of medicine dealing with the skin. It is a speciality with both medical and surgical aspects. A dermatologist is a specialist medical doctor who manages diseases related to skin, hair, nails, and some cosmetic problems.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Acne</span> Skin condition characterized by pimples

Acne, also known as acne vulgaris, is a long-term skin condition that occurs when dead skin cells and oil from the skin clog hair follicles. Typical features of the condition include blackheads or whiteheads, pimples, oily skin, and possible scarring. It primarily affects skin with a relatively high number of oil glands, including the face, upper part of the chest, and back. The resulting appearance can lead to lack of confidence, anxiety, reduced self-esteem, and, in extreme cases, depression or thoughts of suicide.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Birthmark</span> Medical condition

A birthmark is a congenital, benign irregularity on the skin which is present at birth or appears shortly after birth—usually in the first month. Birthmarks can occur anywhere on the skin. They are caused by overgrowth of blood vessels, melanocytes, smooth muscle, fat, fibroblasts, or keratinocytes.

Darier's disease (DD) is a rare, genetic skin disorder. It is an autosomal dominant disorder, that is, if one parent has DD, there is a 50% chance than a child will inherit DD. It was first reported by French dermatologist Ferdinand-Jean Darier in 1889.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Keratosis pilaris</span> Skin condition characterized by small bumps caused by overproduction of keratin

Keratosis pilaris is a common, autosomal-dominant, genetic condition of the skin's hair follicles characterized by the appearance of possibly itchy, small, gooseflesh-like bumps, with varying degrees of reddening or inflammation. It most often appears on the outer sides of the upper arms, thighs, face, back, and buttocks; KP can also occur on the hands, and tops of legs, sides, or any body part except glabrous (hairless) skin. Often the lesions can appear on the face, which may be mistaken for acne or folliculitis.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Seborrheic keratosis</span> Skin disease

A seborrheic keratosis is a non-cancerous (benign) skin tumour that originates from cells, namely keratinocytes, in the outer layer of the skin called the epidermis. Like liver spots, seborrheic keratoses are seen more often as people age.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Comedo</span> Medical condition

A comedo is a clogged hair follicle (pore) in the skin. Keratin combines with oil to block the follicle. A comedo can be open (blackhead) or closed by skin (whitehead) and occur with or without acne. The word "comedo" comes from the Latin comedere, meaning "to eat up", and was historically used to describe parasitic worms; in modern medical terminology, it is used to suggest the worm-like appearance of the expressed material.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Erythroderma</span> Inflammatory skin disease with redness and scaling

Erythroderma is an inflammatory skin disease with redness and scaling that affects nearly the entire cutaneous surface. This term applies when 90% or more of the skin is affected.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">UV tattoo</span> Tattoo made with dye only visible under blacklight

UV tattoos or blacklight tattoos are tattoos made with dyes that fluoresce visibly under a blacklight or other ultraviolet (UV) light source. Depending upon the tattoo ink used, an ultraviolet tattoo can be nearly invisible when illuminated only by light within the visible spectrum. Blacklight tattoo ink does not glow in the dark, but reacts to non-visible ultraviolet light, producing a visible glow by fluorescence.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Dermatoscopy</span> Medical examination of the skin

Dermatoscopy, also known as dermoscopy or epiluminescence microscopy, is the examination of skin lesions with a dermatoscope. It is a tool similar to a camera to allow for inspection of skin lesions unobstructed by skin surface reflections. The dermatoscope consists of a magnifier, a light source, a transparent plate and sometimes a liquid medium between the instrument and the skin. The dermatoscope is often handheld, although there are stationary cameras allowing the capture of whole body images in a single shot. When the images or video clips are digitally captured or processed, the instrument can be referred to as a digital epiluminescence dermatoscope. The image is then analyzed automatically and given a score indicating how dangerous it is. This technique is useful to dermatologists and skin cancer practitioners in distinguishing benign from malignant (cancerous) lesions, especially in the diagnosis of melanoma.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Blaschko's lines</span> Anatomical structure

Blaschko's lines, also called the lines of Blaschko, are lines of normal cell development in the skin. These lines are only visible in those with a mosaic skin condition or in chimeras where different cell lines contain different genes. These lines may express different amounts of melanin, or become visible due to a differing susceptibility to disease. In such individuals, they can become apparent as whorls, patches, streaks or lines in a linear or segmental distribution over the skin. They follow a V shape over the back, S-shaped whirls over the chest and sides, and wavy shapes on the head. Not all mosaic skin conditions follow Blaschko's lines.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Liver spot</span> Age-related skin blemish

Liver spots are blemishes on the skin associated with aging and exposure to ultraviolet radiation from the sun. They range in color from light brown to red or black and are located in areas most often exposed to the sun, particularly the hands, face, shoulders, arms and forehead, and the scalp if bald.

Psychodermatology is the treatment of skin disorders using psychological and psychiatric techniques by addressing the interaction between mind and skin. Though historically there has not been strong scientific support for its practice, there is increasing evidence that behavioral treatments may be effective in the management of chronic skin disorders.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Fitzpatrick scale</span> Classification of skin color and response to UV light

The Fitzpatrick scale is a numerical classification schema for human skin color. It was developed in 1975 by American dermatologist Thomas B. Fitzpatrick as a way to estimate the response of different types of skin to ultraviolet (UV) light. It was initially developed on the basis of skin color to measure the correct dose of UVA for PUVA therapy, and when the initial testing based only on hair and eye color resulted in too high UVA doses for some, it was altered to be based on the patient's reports of how their skin responds to the sun; it was also extended to a wider range of skin types. The Fitzpatrick scale remains a recognized tool for dermatological research into human skin pigmentation.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Genodermatosis</span> Medical condition

Genodermatosis is a hereditary skin disease with three inherited modes including single gene inheritance, multiple gene inheritance and chromosome inheritance. There are many different types of genodermatosis, the prevalence of genodermatosis ranges from 1 per 6000 people to 1 per 500,000 people. Genodermatosis has influence on the texture, color and structure of skin cuticle and connective tissue, specific lesion site and clinical manifestations on the body vary depending on the type. In the spite of the variety and complexity of genodermatosis, there are still some common methods that can help people diagnose. After diagnosis, different types of genodermatosis require different levels of therapy including interventions, nursing interventions and treatments. Among that, research of therapy for some new, complex and rare types are still in the developing stage. The impact of genodermatosis not only can be seen in body but also can be seen in all aspects of patients' life, including but not limited to psychological, family life, economic conditions and social activities. Accordingly, the patients need treatment, support and help in these areas.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Black salve</span> Ineffective and unsafe alternative medicine cancer treatment

Black salve, also known by the brand name Cansema, is an ineffective and unsafe alternative cancer treatment. The product is commonly classified as an escharotic—a topical paste which destroys skin tissue and leaves behind a scar called an eschar. Escharotics were widely used to treat skin lesions in the early 1900s, but have since been replaced by safer and more effective treatments. Escharotics, such as black salves, are currently advertised by some alternative medicine marketers as treatments for skin cancer, often with unsubstantiated testimonials and unsupported claims of effectiveness.

Esther Ellen Freeman is an American physician who is an Assistant Professor of Dermatology at the Harvard Medical School and Director of Global Health Dermatology at Massachusetts General Hospital. Her research considers HIV infection with AIDS-defining malignancies, including Kaposi's sarcoma. During the COVID-19 pandemic Freeman established the American Academy of Dermatology register of COVID-19 skin complaints, through which she identified the novel symptom of COVID toes.

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Kavita Mariwalla is a dermatologist and author based in Long Island, New York. She is acknowledged as a leading scholar in skin cancer and aesthetic and medical dermatology and is the president-elect of the American Society for Dermatologic Surgery.

References

  1. 1 2 "SPOTLIGHT ON SOCS MEMBER JENNA LESTER, MD, WHO LEADS THE NEW SKIN OF COLOR CLINIC AT UCSF". Skin of Color Society. 2019-07-16. Retrieved 2020-09-05.
  2. ↑ "Doctors on Their Groundbreaking Multigenerational Passion for Medicine". storycorps.org. Retrieved 2020-09-05.
  3. 1 2 "For These 3 Women, Medical Careers Are A Family Affair". NPR.org. Retrieved 2020-09-05.
  4. ↑ "Dr. Jenna Lester, MD: Byrdie Beauty & Wellness Board". Byrdie. Retrieved 2020-09-05.
  5. 1 2 3 Allday, By Erin (2019-03-21). "UCSF opens 'skin of color' dermatology clinic to address disparity in care". San Francisco Chronicle. Retrieved 2020-09-05.
  6. 1 2 "Dedicated Derms: Dr. Jenna Lester" . Retrieved 2020-09-05.
  7. 1 2 3 4 5 Rabin, Roni Caryn (2020-08-30). "Dermatology Has a Problem With Skin Color". The New York Times. ISSN   0362-4331 . Retrieved 2020-09-05.
  8. ↑ Forster, Victoria. "Dermatology Has A Race Problem. Meet One Of The Doctors Trying To Fix It". Forbes. Retrieved 2020-09-05.
  9. ↑ "Dermatology has a problem with skin colour". TODAYonline. Retrieved 2020-09-05.
  10. ↑ "The Lancet Voice". www.thelancet.com. Retrieved 2020-09-05.
  11. ↑ Singh, Neil (2020-08-13). "Decolonising dermatology: why black and brown skin need better treatment". The Guardian. ISSN   0261-3077 . Retrieved 2020-09-05.
  12. ↑ "Jenna Lester". Science Friday. Retrieved 2020-09-05.
  13. ↑ "AAD supports high-quality, responsible applications of augmented intelligence". www.healio.com. Retrieved 2020-09-05.
  14. ↑ Lester, J. C.; Jia, J. L.; Zhang, L.; Okoye, G. A.; Linos, E. (2020). "Absence of images of skin of colour in publications of COVID-19 skin manifestations". British Journal of Dermatology. 183 (3): 593–595. doi:10.1111/bjd.19258. ISSN   1365-2133. PMC   7301030 . PMID   32471009.
  15. ↑ "Lack of darker skin in textbooks, journals harms patients of color". STAT. 2020-07-21. Retrieved 2020-09-05.
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