For Eyebrows That Don’t Sweat Off, Consider Creative Permanent Makeup By Pam

Creative Permanent Makeup by Pam owner Pam Edmonson says that eyebrows are her favorite.

If you’re tired of drawing on your eyebrows, just to worry you might sweat them off later in our Florida heat, Pam Edmonson says she has a solution for you.

It’s called microblading, and Pam has been providing this popular eyebrow service since she was first trained in the technique in 2014. She uses a small blade and ink to create each individual hair. Her steady hands help draw on an eyebrow which she then microblades, with each stroke adding a more natural look to the eyebrow.

As a State of Florida-licensed permanent makeup artist, Pam has owned and operated Creative Permanent Makeup By Pam since 2011. Last year, she and a business partner opened Serenity Salon & Spa Suites, located off S.R. 54 in the Brookfield Professional Park, about a half-mile west of Morris Bridge Rd. The suites are available to be rented by other small businesses, such as hair stylists, massage therapists, and licensed aestheticians.

“As one of the owners of Serenity Salon & Spa Suites, I love the way that we enable other women to be able to do their own job and be successful at it,” Pam says. “We have an amazing group of women working here!”

After many years of running a business in the manufactured housing industry, in 2009, Pam says she wanted to do something different, so — at age 46 — she became the “oldest student in hair school,” she says.

While she enjoyed hair, Pam says she soon discovered something that interested her even more. “I love detail,” Pam says. “As a detail person, eyebrows are what first drew me into the permanent makeup field.”

In 2010, she studied permanent makeup at the Boca Ta-2 School for Permanent Makeup in Williston, FL, then began providing permanent makeup services in Zephyrhills in 2011. Pam is Florida-licensed as both a cosmetologist and as a tattoo artist.

“Any time that ink is implanted into the skin, it is a tattoo,” Pam explains, “and you must be licensed through the Florida Department of Health.”

The cost of Pam’s permanent makeup services starts at $400. She also offers permanent eyeliner, and is now offering permanent lip color, too. “I used to not like to do lips, but I learned a new technique,” she says. “It’s not as painful and the color stays beautifully. I had mine done, and it looks so natural and full.”

Pam also offers a scalp therapy treatment for women who have thinning hair. She says that the scalp therapy doesn’t seem to work well on male pattern baldness — it’s more effective on thinning hair — but women tend to respond well to it.

She also offers microneedling, which improves the skin by producing a slight injury to the face with a tiny needle. The body naturally grows new collagen at the “injury” site, which plumps the skin in the treated area and produces cell turnover, reducing scarring, fine lines and wrinkles on the face.

Of all of her services, however, Pam says she still gets the most satisfaction out of doing a client’s eyebrows.

“Brows are always my favorite because of the drastic way they change how someone looks,” Pam says. “Our eyes are meant to be framed, and brows definitely complete the face. Some women look so much younger when they have them done.”

Pam says she is committed to continuing education and frequently attends training to learn the latest, most advanced techniques. That’s how she came across a class called “Browmasters” in 2014, when microblading was a newer process and just beginning to take off. Now, as the process continues to grow in popularity, she already has lots of experience in doing it – several hundred sets of eyebrows, she says.

Pam encourages anyone who wants permanent makeup to schedule a free consultation with her. “Do your homework,” she says. “Make sure the person who does your eyebrows does a consultation. They should sit down with you and show you their work before and after.”

Having a set of eyebrows done by Pam takes about an hour. The price includes a free touch-up after the first four weeks, to help deepen the color and make them more permanent. Once completed, clients sometimes don’t need to come back for a year or two, although everyone’s skin is different. Those “touch-up” visits start at just $100.

And don’t worry, she says, she’ll be straight with you. Pam says she isn’t going to take on a client who wants her to do something she can’t, or something Pam doesn’t think should be done.

“Although microblading is my favorite,” Pam says, “it may not be the right answer for a client. There can be a better alternative, depending on the canvas that I am working on.”

Pam treats clients of all ages, and eyebrows of all sorts, from those that need to be reconstructed to some — on blonde- and red-haired people in particular — that tend to fade from view. Young clients come in for the convenience of not having to draw in their own eyebrows, while older ones come in to fill in plucked-over patches or to highlight brows that have faded with age and exposure to the sun.

She sys she also helps a lot of women who come to her after a mediocre or poor experience with someone else. One such client is Janice, who lives in Wesley Chapel and asked us to only use her first name.

“I had permanent makeup done by another provider about a year ago and was only marginally happy with the results,” Janice says. “It faded, and I had a terrible reaction to the tool that was used on my lips. It took weeks and weeks to heal.”

Janice says she thought long and hard about doing it again, “but the ease of permanent make-up is so great that it superseded my fear. Once you have it, you just think, ‘Man, this is so great for every day.’ After doing my research, I felt that Pam’s method was going to give me better recovery and a better long-term result.”

As it turns out, she was right. Not only did Janice love the spa-like ambiance, cleanliness, and relaxing feeling of Serenity Salon & Spa Suites; she says Pam’s work is “perfect. I couldn’t be happier.”

She adds, “Before, it was just a tattoo. It faded quickly and didn’t look as natural as I wanted it to. With Pam, and microblading, the process was different, and the outcome is superb compared to what I had previously.”

Pam wants to see all of her clients as happy as Janice. “I’m extremely passionate about my work,” she says. “When people tell me what a difference I made in their life and how they feel about themselves, that’s the reason that I love what I do!”

Creative Permanent Makeup by Pam is located at Serenity Salon & Spa Suites, at 33913 S.R. 54, Suite 101. For a free consultation and more info, see the ad on page 39, visit CreativePermanentMakeupbyPam.com, or call (813) 997-6302.

Bay Dermatology’s WC Office Offers Skin Health & Cosmetic Care

Dr. Adam Bennett (right) joined the Wesley Chapel office of Bay Dermatology on BBD Blvd. last year.

When Bay Dermatology & Cosmetic Surgery opened its Shoppes of Wesley Chapel office (on Bruce B. Downs {BBD} Blvd. across from Florida Hospital Wesley Chapel) last year, it brought local residents the resources of a medical practice that has been taking care of skin, hair and nail maladies throughout the Tampa Bay area for almost three decades.

Bay Dermatology marketing manager Tom Agriesti says the health practice’s mission has been clear since it was established in 1988. It has grown to eight offices, including Homosassa, Spring Hill, Port Richey, Palm Harbor, Largo, St. Pete Beach, Wesley Chapel and N. Dale Mabry Hwy. in Lutz.

“From day one, Bay Dermatology has provided the highest quality care for (our) patients and we’re glad to be able to do that for people living in the Wesley Chapel area,” Agriesti says.

Services and treatments available at Bay Dermatology range from health-preserving therapies and surgeries to appearance-enhancing cosmetic surgery, as well as procedures that are non-invasive.

Bay Dermatology’s Wesley Chapel office treats skin disorders such as acne, psoriasis (a condition in which skin cells build up and form scales and itchy, dry patches) and vitiligo, a long-term skin condition characterized by patches of the skin losing pigment.

The office also offers treatments for eczema and rashes, the removal of moles and warts, as well as skin cancer screening and treatment.

Clinical dermatology treatments for conditions like psoriasis, eczema and rashes such lichen planus, an inflammatory skin condition, characterized by an itchy, non-infectious rash of small, pink or purple lesions, include topical and oral medications. Bay Dermatology also uses XTRAC laser therapy for psoriasis, which uses targeted UVB light to treat the condition without damaging surrounding healthy tissue.

An extensive menu of aesthetic services, such as fillers, facials, Botox, peels and laser hair removal, also are available for consideration. Agriesti suggests having a customized, personal skin care consultation as a good starting point in providing patients with recommendations for treatments and products.

Therapeutic facials offer a way to freshen your appearance and the Bay Skin Care Signature facial treatment brings together the cosmetic benefits of antioxidants, serums, light chemical peel, extraction and facial massage topped off with a mask-treatment application. There’s also a facial geared toward the specific needs of teen complexions, as well as a “Just for Men” routine that aims to ease irritations like razor burn and promote a well-groomed appearance.

Chemical peels include glycolic, vitamin C and therapeutic combinations of salicylic and lactic acids as well as retinol and resorcinol. Generally, peels are intended to minimize the signs of aging, such as wrinkles, but Bay Dermatology’s VI Peel is a deep peel that aims to reduce if not eliminate blemishes such as age spots, freckles and acne scars as well. Many patients use the clinic’s aesthetician services as part of their post-operative care for cosmetic, laser and other surgical procedures.

Dr. Adam E. Bennett, MD, PhD, joined Bay Dermatology’s Wesley Chapel office last year.

He earned his medical degree from the University of Florida College of Medicine in Gainesville and continued his education in dermatology at the University of South Florida Morsani College of Medicine, completing his dermatology residency at H. Lee Moffitt Cancer Center, the James A. Haley Veterans Hospital, Tampa General Hospital, and Florida Hospital Tampa.

Dr. Bennett is Board-certified in dermatology and is a Fellow of the American Academy of Dermatology. His Ph.D. was earned at Cambridge University in Cambridge, United Kingdom.

According to Dr. Bennett, even though Bay Dermatology treats patients throughout the Tampa Bay area, it comes down to the one-on-one relationship between the patient and his or her  dermatologist, which he frames thusly:

“What would you do if it was your own family member or yourself?”

“Every single person who comes through the door is treated that way, with the best principles of excellence in medicine applied to their situation,” says Dr. Bennett, who adds that while he isn’t fluent in Spanish, he is competent in “medical Spanish,” meaning he can communicate on medical issues with patients who prefer to speak Spanish.

“We try to give optimal time to our patients when they’re in the room with the doctor and treat all of our patients like they’re members of our own family,” office manager Vanessa Kirschner  says.

Kirschner says that Bay Dermatology accepts a large number of insurance plans and will try to schedule same-day appointments if requested.

Kirschner’s patient-reception colleague, Anntoinette Sheppard, offers advice that will make your introduction to Bay Dermatology more efficient and easier overall.

“If you print out the paperwork (from our website), and have it filled out when you come in, it speeds up the process and I can get you in the back,” Sheppard says.

Dr. Bennett says sometimes a patient’s first visit is a quest for an answer to an internal query, such as wondering if you have skin cancer. “If you have something you’re worried about,” he says, “that’s a great reason to come in.”

Concern over a mole during a skin cancer screening prompted New Tampa resident Katie Floyd to visit Bay Dermatology’s Wesley Chapel office.

“You have to be aware of what’s going on with your body and if you see something that’s grown or changed color it’s a good idea to have it checked out,” says Floyd.

Floyd added that her experience at Bay Dermatology has been a good one, and conveniently located near her New Tampa residence.

The consensus among Google Reviewers about Bay Dermatology’s Wesley Chapel office is positive, with a score of 4.9 out of five possible stars from 11 reviews, among them, Vicki Barnitt’s five-star rating.

“Dr. Bennett was very thorough, friendly, and explained all procedures,’’ she wrote. “Staff are courteous and everything ran smoothly and on time during both of my appointments. Highly recommend Bay Dermatology!”

On The Cutting Edge

In addition to being a resource for personal skin health and cosmetic care, Bay Dermatology is undertaking initiatives that could bring cutting-edge, state-of-the art dermatological and cosmetic treatments and procedures to Wesley Chapel and New Tampa residents.

Dr. Bennett, who says he has a professional interest in research, says that Bay Dermatology is making big investments in research on behalf of its patients in the Wesley Chapel and New Tampa area.

“(Bay Dermatology) just opened our new clinical research center (in Pinellas County) and my goal is to expand it to all offices, including Wesley Chapel,” he says.

By adding research capability, Bennett says Bay Dermatology will be able to ensure the efficacy and safety of the medical grade cosmetics it offers, and also work with national researchers who are developing experimental treatments for skin diseases such as psoriasis.

Bay Dermatology’s Wesley Chapel office is located at 2653 BBD, Suite 120A. For more information or to make an appointment, visit BayDermatology.com or call (813) 514-0823. 

The Law Office Of Matthew J. Jowanna Serves Clients With Tenacity & Loyalty

Attorney Matthew Jowanna & paralegal Leah Shalna review a case.

Visitors pass by a shin-high stone statue of a bulldog when entering Matthew J. Jowanna’s law office at the Windfair Professional Center, located across Bruce B. Downs (BBD) Blvd. from Florida Hospital Wesley Chapel. The carved canine reflects Jowanna’s personal appreciation of the breed, which the domestic animal website VetStreet.com, among many, says is, “admired for the qualities of loyalty and determination;” characteristics Jowanna considers to be basic to his firm’s handling of clients’ legal concerns.

“A client hires you to be a champion, and you are for them,” Jowanna says. “The client comes before everybody.”

Jowanna lives in Tampa Palms with wife Camille and a bulldog (who, he says, also serves as a “paw clerk” in his firm) named Angelica “Geli” Bulldog Jowanna. “Angelica’s an ice-breaker,” says Jowanna.

Angelica “Geli” Bulldog Jowanna is both a “paw clerk” and the most adorable customer service rep at the Jowanna law firm.

“Geli” succeeds her sister, Brittany Bulldog Jowanna, as office mascot, after Brittany passed away last year. Our editor says that Angelica is the sweetest bulldog ever, but that alone isn’t reason enough to hire Jowanna.

The law firm handles personal injury cases, bankruptcy filings, family law issues, insurance disputes and coverage representation, as well as estate matters such as writing wills and establishing and managing estates through the probate process. Jowanna says his firm does not handle criminal cases.

Law is a second career for Jowanna, who earned his B.A. in Mass Communications from the University of South Florida in Tampa and worked in the local broadcasting industry as a television news assignment editor and on-air radio personality. His occasional media-related trips through the local courts led him to an observation.

“I saw a lot of 65-year-old lawyers around the courthouse but I didn’t know too many 65-year-old guys on the radio,” says Jowanna, whose transition from broadcast media professional to a second career as an attorney was made smoother by commonalities between the two professions — such as the need for excellent research skills and the ability to communicate and connect with people, such as jurors.

According to Jowanna, anyone interested in practicing law “should be a theatre major,” to be an effective litigator in a process he describes as, “essentially a show of conviction, and convincing.”

While Jowanna already had the delivery and presentation skills of being a lawyer, he needed the academic credentials to take the bar exam, so he earned his J.D. (Juris Doctor) degree from Nova Southeastern University Shepard Broad College of Law in Davie, FL.

Jowanna eventually also received his Master of Laws (LL.M.; Legum Magister) from Notre Dame Law School, in Notre Dame, Indiana.

Before opening his own office in 2006 to serve Wesley Chapel- and New Tampa-area residents, Jowanna worked his way up in the local legal field from associate attorney at a private firm to becoming a partner at another, while learning the ins and outs of personal injury and insurance-related law.

He says that background gave him the tools he needed to serve his clients well in a courtroom when called upon to do so.

“When you go down to that big law firm you see on TV, you’re not going to see that lawyer, they’re going to shuffle you off to a case handler,” says Jowanna. “When you come here, you’re going to meet the lawyer. We give the benefit of a big-firm lawyer with the comfort of being in your neighborhood.”

Jowanna adds that his firm’s eleven years of service have given it a bit of seniority within the local legal community.

“That makes us one of the oldest law firms in Wesley Chapel,” he says, proudly.

Jowanna also says his experience of working at a firm with more than 100 lawyers also taught him what not to do.

“A lot of lawyers tend to be robotic,” he says. “People don’t pay me to follow a checklist; people want a lawyer who thinks and is original.”

Communication The Key To Client Satisfaction

One principle Jowanna abides by is to always keep his clients informed.

“My number-one goal is client satisfaction and the best way to get that is through communication,” he says.

One client who appreciates how Jowanna combines commitment and communication is Glenn Eckoff, who retained the firm for a personal injury case when he was hurt in an auto accident. Eckoff says the experience went well from the moment he met Jowanna for a free consultation to discuss his case.

“He was on time, he welcomed me with a smile on his face and he was straightforward,” Eckoff says. “From that day on, Matthew Jowanna was nothing less than a spectacular representative of my case.”

Eckoff notes that he never had to wait for a return call from the law office, and that Jowanna would personally call him with case updates.

He adds that he also was pleased with how Jowanna handled the legal opposition en route to what Eckoff calls, “a very nice settlement.”

“During the deposition, he was very much on my side; he didn’t let me get bullied and made sure that the other parties were fair,” he says. “Not only did he have a smile on his face, but he was a warrior.”

Working on insurance-related litigation on behalf of consumers and insurance industry clients has given Jowanna a perspective he says helps him deliver outcomes that satisfy whoever he is representing in a particular case.

“Having worked both sides of the fence is an advantage,” he says. “When I represent a carrier, I can give them the insights of what the average “insured” (person) is thinking. When I represent an insured (person), I can give them the insights of how insurance companies really work.”

Family law practice serves client needs such as establishing legal paternal identification of children born outside of a marriage, dealing with divorce, child custody, wills, trusts and probate matters. As his practice has grown, Jowanna has brought on board Elyssa M. Harvey as managing attorney and to handle many of the family law cases.

Harvey, who earned her J.D. degree from Western Michigan University Cooley Law School’s campus in Riverview, FL, says family law can get emotional and legal situations like divorce cases go better when civility can be maintained.

“If people can at least be polite to each other and work together, it can keep things from getting dragged out,” she says.

Whatever the specifics of a case may be, Jowanna has developed a standard that applies to the work his firm does.

“There’s the law and the rules of law, and one must stay within those rules (while still doing) the best for a client,” he says.

Another way Jowanna tries to serve his clients is through a personal injury/accident app that is available via Jowanna.com, with versions for both Apple and Android smartphones.

The Matthew J. Jowanna Accident App was developed to capture and organize basic information from an accident scene, such as photos, video, witness contact information and GPS location, as well as where nearby medical and repair facilities are located.

For readers who may be considering scheduling a free consultation with the Law Offices of Matthew J. Jowanna, the firm’s paralegal, Leah Shalna, recommends writing down relevant questions before arriving to get the most out of the visit.

“Sometimes, they’ll get halfway home and think of something they wanted to ask,” she says.

The Law Office of Matthew J. Jowanna is located at 2521 Windguard Circle, Suites 101 & 102. You can find out more about the firm’s services and schedule a free consultation by visiting Jowanna.com or by calling (813) 929-7300. The firm also has a toll-free number: (855) 2-MJJ-LAW.

Carats & Cents For One-Of-A-Kind, Custom-Designed Jewelry & More!

Tampa Palms resident Adeel Karim of Carats & Cents in the Westshore area of Tampa wants to create a unique piece of jewelry for your special someone this holiday season. (Photo: Andy Warrener)

When Carats & Cents owner Adeel Karim moved to Tampa Palms in 2010 from Leesburg, FL, his client base was already growing.

The move not only put Karim closer to his clientele, it also put him closer and with easier access to both Tampa (TIA) and Orlando International airports, where he conducts a lot of his international travel. For a guy in search of the very best jewels around the world, it was an important move.

His physical store location on N. Westshore Blvd. is just minutes from TIA and serves as a showroom/design center where Karim hosts clients.

There’s no glittering marquee on the street, no gaudy signage on the building. The store is actually quite simple, subdued and discreet. Karim works on an appointment-only basis. There aren’t any posted store hours or pushy salesmen. There is plenty of inventory to look at, but Carats & Cents specializes in custom-made jewelry.

“Nearly 100 percent of our business is custom design,” Karim says. “We don’t carry (the standard) bridal lines; we want to focus on creating something unique for every one of our clients. You won’t find our designs anywhere else.”

And, that’s not hyperbole. While he does have several handsome pieces of quality jewelry on display at his store — he calls them “statement pieces” — he says that quite a few of those pieces came from the imagination of a client.“I work with designs that our clients come up with, along with my own creations,” Karim says.

If the custom piece doesn’t meet 100 percent of the customer’s satisfaction, it’s either addressed by a local artisan or it’s kept for display. “If a piece has a really cool design and it’s too much of a change to fix here, I’ll keep it for inventory,” Karim says. “If I don’t like it, I’ll melt it down and make something else.”

Minor alterations are sourced locally but Karim says his design facility is actually located in Dubai. It’s there that Karim and his partner and brother-in-law have recruited some of the top craftsmen and artisans from all over the world.

Above is a small sampling of the unique jewelry designs available at Carats & Cents.

Karim learned diamond grading at the Gemological Institute of America (GIA). Diamond grading is outlined by the four “Cs” — Cut, Color, Clarity and Carat. He travels the world seeking out elegant pieces and sometimes will track down a local artisan whose work appeals to him.

Karim often finds talented craftsmen working in sub-standard conditions for low pay. He says that his artisans are given an offer to re-locate their family to Dubai, where they earn better pay and work in much improved conditions. Over the last five years, Karim says he and his brother-in-law have recruited at least 10 artisans to their workshops in Dubai.

“Some of the talent you see when you go to these places is unbelievable,” Karim says. “Their skills have been passed down over generations. We have a concept that we want to support third-world artisans, educate them and set them and their families up to help showcase their artistic talents.”

He says the result has been the creation of some of the most unique, custom designs that can be found anywhere. Karim revealed a certain piece that contained 323 hand-set diamonds. Pieces are created from wax molds from either 18K (carat) gold or platinum, and can take up to 45 days to create, depending upon the complexity of the design.

“As a jeweler, the most joy I get is to see someone wearing the jewelry and they love it so much, they refer me to their friends,” Karim says. “I want you to have that feeling that everytime you look at the piece, it takes your breath away.”

Unique, Quality Designs

Diamond engagement rings aren’t the only items Karim showcases, either. While he doesn’t custom make them in Dubai, he carries the Lashbrook line of men’s wedding bands. Lashbrook creates unique designs borne from carbon fiber, cobalt chrome and even meteorite.

“Gone are the old days when a guy would just get a band and call it a day,” Karim says.

Custom designs include accents portraying baseball stitches, basketball leather, tire treads, even camouflage. Karim says he has several clients in the Tampa area who are prominent professional athletes.

Carats & Cents also deals in Swiss time pieces, including Rolex, Cartier and Patek Philippe. The store is not an authorized dealer of new watches, but Carats & Cents has a large inventory of used watches and everything they sell has a one-year minimum warranty and a five-year warranty on mechanical movement.

“I purchased a high-end timepiece from Carats & Cents and they are fantastic to do business with,” said client Ronny Kalash. “Adeel is not only extremely knowledgeable about both jewelry and watches, but also extremely professional. He applies his knowledge base to help find the best fit for you, works hard to find you a reasonable price, never applies unreasonable sales pressure and delivers his products quickly and in flawless quality.”

Carats & Cents has both new and used pieces and is an authorized dealer of Everest Horology products. Everest products offer a different look for your Swiss time piece, whether it’s a new band or a new diamond bezel. Everest products, “look like they came from the original from a fit and finish standpoint,” according to Karim.

With such a wide selection of luxury items, Karim could very well have a storefront brimming with customers. But, that’s not the way he likes to do business.

“When a client comes in, it’s confidential and no pressure,” he says. “I’m okay with clients not streaming in and out. Our customers expect an ambiance that is high-end and with an international flavor. They get the feeling they’re seeing pieces that would be found in an auction in Hong Kong or Thailand.”

Asian influences incorporate colored gemstones like peridot, but much of the work circles back to diamonds. Karim sources all of his diamonds according to the Kimberly Process Certification Scheme (KPCS), which was established in 2003 by the United Nations to prevent so-called “conflict” diamonds from reaching the mainstream rough diamond market.

“It’s one of the reasons I was okay with getting into the business,” Karim says. “Part of my business has to do with giving back to communities, whether it’s in Tampa or Dubai.”

Karim’s humanitarian side extends beyond relocating artisans and seeking conflict-free diamonds. He also manages Tampa Bay Cares, a public Facebook group that helps with refugee resettlement, and other charitable causes.

Karim is active in the New Tampa community. He is on the community board of the Windsor at Tampa Palms Neighborhood Association and has been amazed at the rapid growth in the area.

“The growth in New Tampa has been remarkable,” Karim said. “It’s become an affluent area. I remember, years ago, it was cow pastures.”

As the area has expanded, so has Karim’s business.

“When people say, ‘I know a guy,’ I want to be that guy,” he says.

Carats & Cents is located at 1111 N. Westshore Blvd., Suite 105. For more info, call (813) 343-4653, visit Carats andCents.com.

Riverchase Dermatology Expands Again With Its New Tampa Palms Office

The staff of Riverchase Dermatology, located in the Palm Lake at Tampa Palms office building off of Amberly Dr., includes Board-certified physician assistant Kim Siders (front left) and Baord-certified dermatologist Dr. Salma Pothiawala (front right).

Riverchase Dermatology & Cosmetic Surgery, a regional practice with 27 offices throughout Florida, acquired Tampa Palms Dermatology in March of this year. Along with Board-certified physician assistant Kimberly Siders, PA-C, who has been there since 2014, Riverchase Dermatology has added two practitioners — Milan Lombardi, M.D., and Salma Pothiawala, M.D.

Located in the Palm Lake at Tampa Palms office building off of Amberly Dr., Riverchase Dermatology promises to offer the same quality dermatology services patients have come to know and trust from Tampa Palms Dermatology, which was founded 30 years ago by Ruth Hanno, M.D.

“Dr. Hanno built an incredible practice and, along with Kimberly Siders, they have established an excellent reputation in the community,” says Andrew T. Jaffe, MD, FAAD, who is the founder, CEO and Chief Medical Officer of Riverchase Dermatology & Cosmetic Surgery. Riverchase was founded in 2000 in Naples, getting its name from the street where that first office was located.

In Tampa Palms, Dr. Hanno has retired from private practice and has shifted her focus exclusively to dermatopathology, while Siders has joined the Riverchase team and will continue to see her established patients and welcome new ones.

Siders has more than 10 years of experience. She started her medical career at the University of Florida in Gainesville, where she received a Bachelor of Science (B.S.) degree in Nutritional Sciences in 2003. In 2006, she earned a Master of Science (M.S.) degree in Health Sciences/Physician Assistant Studies at the Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine in Philadelphia, PA, and began specializing in dermatology.

For Dr. Hanno’s former patients, the transition has been seamless. “My wife and I were previously patients of Dr. Hanno but (we) have been seeing Kim Siders for about a year and a half,” says Bob Dolan. “We both find Kim extremely thorough. She follows through very carefully if there are any issues during an exam.”

Bob also appreciates how quickly he gets in for his appointments, which are every few months. “I never have to wait more than 10 minutes from the time I get there until the time she sees me,” he says. “I’m out of there in a matter of 15 or 20 minutes.”

Elaine Stewart also is a former patient of Dr. Hanno’s who is now happily seeing Dr. Pothiawala. “You know how difficult it can be to change doctors, but I was so pleased,” she says. “She put me at ease right away. I’ve already recommended her to a couple of my friends.”

New & Expanded Services

The addition of Dr. Lombardi and Dr. Pothiwala to the office expands the offerings available to patients.

“Now, we have more services,” says Siders. “With Dr. Lombardi, we have a surgeon, so we don’t have to send patients offsite for Mohs surgery (Note-see below for an explanation of Mohs surgery and information about cosmetic procedures available at Riverchase Dermatology.)

And, Dr. Pothiawala does cosmetic procedures, so we can offer a lot more than we used to.”

Since Riverchase Dermatology & Cosmetic Surgery acquired the former Tampa Palms Dermatology in March, the practice now offers cosmetic procedures, such as Botox and dermal fillers.

Dr. Lombardi specializes in Mohs surgery for skin cancer. He joined Riverchase Dermatology & Cosmetic Surgery in 2016, after graduating in 2008 with his M.D. degree from Cornell University Medical College in New York City. He also holds a Bachelor of Arts (B.A.) degree in Physics from Vassar College, Poughkeepsie, NY, which he earned in 2004. His postgraduate medical training included Lenox Hill Hospital in New York City and Stanford University Hospital in Palo Alto, CA. He also worked as a research fellow at Cornell University Medical College, studying the immune system of the skin.  Dr. Lombardi then completed his residency in Dermatology at the Washington University School of Medicine-Barnes Jewish Hospital in St. Louis, MO, and also received extensive training in both cutaneous surgery and laser surgery.

“Mohs surgery is a method for certain skin cancers to be removed based on the type of cancer, how aggressive it is, or the location of it,” explains Dr. Lombardi. “The purpose is to make sure you get the entire cancer out with a high degree of accuracy, while taking the smallest amount of (healthy) tissue.”

He also explains that the procedure starts with him removing what is visible to the naked eye, then the patient waits while he checks that tissue under a microscope. He then takes additional tissue, if needed, and checks again. He says it takes a couple of hours — up to half a day — but patients leave knowing the entire lesion has been removed.

“It’s a very efficient way of clearing skin cancer,” Dr. Lombardi explains, saying that it is performed “anywhere the conservation of tissue is important,” especially on the patient’s face.

Claudia Candella recently saw Dr. Lombardi for this type of procedure. “He was very personable with a great bedside manner,” she says. “He was very concerned about getting it right.”

Dr. Pothiawala joined Riverchase in 2017. She completed the combined B.S./M.D. program at the University of South Florida in Tampa, where she earned a B.S. degree in Biomedical Sciences as well as her Doctor of Medicine degree in 2009. She then moved to Boston to study at the Harvard School of Public Health and received a Master of Public Health degree in 2010. Dr. Pothiawala then spent four years at USF, completing an internship in Internal Medicine and a residency in Dermatology, which she completed in 2014. She then moved to New York City, where she practiced for two years, before returning home to the Tampa Palms area.

“I was in a practice in Manhattan that was very focused on providing cosmetic services,” Dr. Pothiawala explains. “That was the majority of my work for those two years. The practice had cutting-edge technology and used the latest techniques. Some of that is now available at Riverchase, and some of that we’re going to add going forward.”

She says that some of those cosmetic procedures that are now available at Riverchase Dermatology, include Botox, injectable fillers and microneedling (a type of skin rejuvenation procedure that increases collagen and plumps and smooths the skin). “We are expanding our services,” she says, “so our office is a good place to come to take care of all of your dermatologic needs.”

Dr. Pothiawala says she also sees patients for their general dermatology needs, and expects that will continue to be most of her practice. However, she wants to be sure to get the word out that cosmetic procedures are now available at Riverchase.

“I think it’s really important to know that if you come to us for cosmetic procedures, you’re getting it done by a Board-certified dermatologist, who has been trained for years in this type of practice,” she says. “You’re going to someone who’s had formal medical training, as opposed to someone who’s just done weekend courses.”

Riverchase Dermatology in Tampa Palms is located at 15310 Amberly Dr., Suite 150. For more information, see the ad on page 41 or visit RiverchaseDermatology.com. To make an appointment, call the office at (813) 978-8888.