Spizuoco leads the inaugural DermVIP Summit, enhancing alopecia education for dermatology professionals through expert insights and innovative treatments.
Amy Spizuoco, DO, FAOCD, a board-certified dermatologist and dermatopathologist based in New York, New York, is taking on a new educational initiative—launching a dermatology conference focused specifically on hair loss and scalp conditions.
As founder of True Dermatology, a faculty member in the Department of Dermatology at Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, and a member of Dermatology Times’ Editorial Advisory Board, Spizuoco has long been active in clinical practice, education, and professional leadership. Now, she is spearheading the DermVIP Summit, alongside her co-chair and co–medical director, Peter Friedman, MD, a dermatologist and researcher at The Skin Center Dermatology Group in New York, New York. The inaugural meeting is designed to bring together dermatologists, physician assistants, nurse practitioners, residents, and students for a deep dive into the rapidly evolving field of hair and scalp disorders.
One of the most distinctive features of the conference is its focus on hair and scalp conditions, an area Spizuoco described as both underrepresented and increasingly relevant.
“There aren’t a lot of conferences that focus on hair disorders,” she said. “And right now, hair loss and hair disorders like androgenetic alopecia and alopecia areata are really important and trending.”
Recent progress—including improved algorithms for differentiating conditions, and emerging evidence for procedural and adjunctive therapies—underscores the need for education. Spizuoco and Friedman saw an opportunity to showcase these developments, bridge the knowledge gap, and provide the scientific foundation and practical tools for managing complex hair disorders. “We really want to bring to light how these disorders can now be treated very successfully,” Spizuoco noted.
The idea for the conference emerged from a clear gap Spizuoco and Friedman identified in the dermatologic conference landscape. Although New York hosts numerous dermatology events each year, Spizuoco noted that none serve as a signature annual meeting that is by and for New York dermatologists.
The name itself reflects both the conference’s ambition and its emphasis on high-quality education delivered by top-tier faculty, she said. Importantly, the meeting is being geared toward dermatology professionals and trainees rather than broader audiences in family medicine or primary care.
“We want to make sure our dermatology colleagues have the most up-to-date experts teaching them, our VIP speakers,” Spizuoco said in an interview with Dermatology Times.
Launching a new meeting is no small feat, and Spizuoco described the planning process as both challenging and rewarding. She and Friedman were introduced only a little over a year ago, and although they didn’t know each other beforehand, their working relationship has proven exceptionally synergistic.
“Planning a conference with someone you don’t know that well, you wonder if there’s going to be a lot of obstacles. But, fortunately, we agree on everything. It’s pretty incredible,” Spizuoco said.
She noted the 2 professionals balance each other. Spizuoco brings extensive conference-planning experience from her tenure as president of the American Osteopathic College of Dermatology, while Friedman contributes deep expertise in research and academic programming. “Where I’m a little bit stronger on conference planning, he’s a little bit stronger on topics we should discuss. It’s been really great working together,” she added.
The inaugural DermVIP Summit boasts a lineup of respected dermatologists who are considered leaders in inflammatory disease research and treatment. Similarly, the curriculum highlights the full spectrum of alopecia, with sessions dedicated to inflammatory and autoimmune hair loss, pediatric alopecia, presentation in skin of color, and the evaluation of diffuse shedding. Related diseases such as peliosis, prurigo nodularis, vitiligo of the scalp, systemic hair loss, bullous pemphigoid, seborrheic dermatitis, and various cancers will also be addressed.
Spizuoco envisions the conference as an annual touchstone for dermatologists seeking cutting-edge, clinically relevant education.
“We want this to be our annual New York dermatology meeting for New Yorkers, keeping it local,” she said. Yet she does not rule out possibly expanding nationally or globally, given the need for alopecia education. “I think big,” she added.
In addition to providing practical updates on diagnosing, treating, and counseling patients with hair loss disorders, the meeting aims to foster community among dermatology professionals who share a commitment to advancing the specialty.
“Our goal for our attendees is to take away the latest and greatest updates on how to manage, how to treat, and how to diagnose for their patients and for our community,” Spizuoco said.
