Fundamentals and Laser Safety: Core Principles for Clinical Applications On-Demand (2025)

Dr. Kelly Stankiewicz is a board certified dermatologist practicing in Park City, UT as owner and founder of The Dermatology House. She earned her Bachelors of Science degree from the University of Michigan in 2001. She went on to receive her Medical Degree from Indiana University School of Medicine in 2006. She completed her dermatology residency at the Dartmouth-Hitchcock Medical Center in Lebanon, NH. After residency, Dr. Stankiewicz completed a clinical fellowship with Harvard Medical School in lasers and cosmetic dermatology at Massachusetts General Hospital and the Wellman Center for Photomedicine. There Dr. Stankiewicz focused her research efforts on tattoo removal and early treatment of infantile hemangiomas and underwent extensive clinical training in lasers and other cosmetic procedures. Currently, Dr. Stankiewicz continues research pursuits as well as a full-time general dermatologic practice that includes medical, surgical and laser dermatology for all ages.

Sungat K. Grewal MD FAAD is a double board-certified dermatologist and Mohs surgeon who Co-directs the Aesthetic Medicine program at UC Irvine. She completed her dermatology residency at the UC San Francisco School of Medicine before completing a fellowship in laser surgery, aesthetics, and micrographic surgery and dermatologic oncology at the UCI School of Medicine.

Zeina Tannous, M.D. is a tenured Professor and Chair of Dermatology at the Gilbert and Rose-Marie Chagoury School of Medicine of the Lebanese American University (LAU) and Chief of Dermatology at LAU Medical Center-Rizk Hospital. She is also a Dermatology faculty member at Harvard Medical School. A graduate of the American University of Beirut School of Medicine, Dr. Tannous joined the Harvard Medical School for a Dermatology residency and three fellowships in Dermatopathology, Mohs Micrographic and Dermatologic Surgery, and Laser and Cosmetic Dermatology. She is board certified in the United States in Dermatology and Dermatopathology.
Dr. Tannous has published over 70 peer-reviewed articles, reviews, chapters, and abstracts. She has also co-authored the Cosmetic and Laser Dermatology textbook which contains over 600 clinical photographs and has been translated to both Korean and Greek. Subsequently, she served as the first author of the second edition of this textbook. She has also authored the Comprehensive Textbook of Cosmetic Dermatology, Laser and Energy-Based Therapies that was published in 2022. Dr. Tannous has served as a guest editor of Lasers in Surgery and Medicine journal where she serves as an editorial board member. Dr. Tannous is a member of multiple prestigious dermatological and laser societies including American Academy of Dermatology, American Society for Laser Medicine and Surgery, European Society for Laser Dermatology, Lebanese Dermatologic Society and Alpha Omega Alpha Honor Medical Society.

Dr. Tannous has presented over 150 lectures and seminars in regional, national, and international meetings on the topics of Dermatology, Dermatopathology, Laser Surgery, and Dermatologic Surgery. Her teaching record includes numerous local contributions in the form of grand rounds and presentations to faculty, residents, medical students and pharmacy students. She has supervised and trained significant number of fellows, residents, and medical students both in the United States and in Lebanon.
Dr. Tannous has assumed multiple leadership roles throughout her academic career. She has served as a program co-chair in multiple national and international meetings. She has also served as Associate Program Director for Dermatopathology in the Dermatology Department at Harvard Medical School. She was elected in November 2018 as the founding chair of the Arab Board of Cosmetic Dermatology. She subsequently developed and implemented the fellowship program goals and objectives for training in Cosmetic Dermatology and Lasers, as a subspecialty under the Arab Board of Dermatology, and designed the entire didactic and training curriculum. Dr. Tannous is currently the founding chair and the residency program director of the Dermatology Department at the Lebanese American University School of Medicine.
Dr. Tannous has served as a principal investigator on multiple studies, and her research has resulted in three patents. Dr. Tannous’ research interests include the application of lasers and light sources in the treatment of dermatologic conditions, including hemangiomas, portwine stains and skin cancer, as well as non-invasive imaging of skin. She has been exploring the treatment of basal cell carcinoma with vascular-specific lasers and her work has resulted in multiple publications in this area.

Dr. Fernanda H. Sakamoto, MD, Ph.D is an Assistant Professor in Dermatology at the Harvard Medical School, Wellman Center for Photomedicine, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA since 2006. She is a fellow of the AAD, fellow of the American Society of Lasers in Medicine and Surgery (ASLMS), a member of the Société Française de Dermatologie; of the Brazilian Society of Dermatology, of the Brazilian Society of Dermatological Surgery, of the Brazilian Group of Melanoma and of the International Society of Dermoscopy. She is a physician-scientist and board-certified Dermatologist from Brazil. Dr. Sakamoto’s research interests include laser and device therapies, PDT, acne, skin cancer, wound healing, and new material science. Working with translational and clinical sciences in academia and industry is Dr. Sakamoto’s field of interest. Currently her work is focused on the development of new light-based treatments for acne and atopic dermatitis. Dr. Sakamoto is a Co-Director of the Education Committee of the Wellman Center/MGH since 2017 and has served on the ASLMS Education, International Committees, Research and Development Committee and Women in Energy Based Devices Committee of which she was the Chair in 2021. She was the Program Chair of the 2022 ASLMS Annual Meeting and has received Best Overall Scientific Award, Best Clinical Science Award (twice) and Bast Basic Science Award, the Horace Furimoto Award for Innovation and the Ellet Drake Memorial Award for innovative laser procedures by the same society.   

Dr. Sakamoto has contributed with over 30 scientific and clinical publications in peer-reviewed journals, and over a dozen book chapters in the major Dermatology textbooks.  She is an inventor on seven US and international patents on innovations in Dermatology. She has contributed to the creation of FDA approved technologies, including the micro-coring device for skin tightening; and Dr. Sakamoto is the primary inventor of laser for acne treatment. 

She has served as Associate Editor for the Journal of Investigative Dermatology for 4 years and was Guest Editor of Lasers in Surgery and Medicine in 2012. Dr. Sakamoto maintains a cosmetic laser/device clinic in Brazil, and as a founding member of the Dream Beam Foundation, she is actively creating a free clinic and training center in Sao Paulo. In the past, has treated native Indians in the Amazon jungle. Dr. Sakamoto also works as a consultant to multiple laser and cosmetic companies in the US. Dr. Sakamoto lives in Boston with her husband, Rox Anderson, her 3 boys under the age of 8 years old and her little dog, BB.

Dr. Omar A. Ibrahimi is the founding and medical director of the Connecticut Skin Institute. He is a board certified Dermatologist who has completed advanced fellowship training in Skin Cancer, Laser and Cosmetic Surgery. Dr. Ibrahimi has trained at the most prestigious medical institutions in the country. He is one of the foremost physicians in the diagnosis and treatment of all types of skin cancer, as well as medical and cosmetic issues involving the skin. He has been honored as a Castle-Connolly Top Doctor since 2016 for his outstanding patient care.

Dr. Ibrahimi was born and raised in New York City. He graduated from Stuyvesant High School and then attended New York University for both his undergraduate and medical school education. He is a graduate of the rigorous MD-PhD program and was honored with the Sulzberger award given to the top graduating medical student in dermatology. He then completed his Dermatology training at Harvard Medical School working at Massachusetts General Hospital, Brigham and Women’s Hospital, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Children’s Hospital of Boston, Dana Farber Cancer Institute and the Boston Veteran’s Hospital. Omar then completed a fellowship program in Mohs and Reconstructive Surgery, Laser and Cosmetic Surgery at the University of California – Davis.

Dr. Omar Ibrahimi is accredited by the American College of Mohs Surgery, the American Society for Dermatologic Surgery, the American Society for Lasers in Surgery and Medicine and the American Academy of Dermatology. He is well-known nationally and internationally, having been an invited speaker at numerous national meetings, and has written extensively about Mohs Surgery, Laser and Cosmetic Procedures. Dr. Ibrahimi has published many articles on skin cancer surgery, laser and cosmetic procedures in leading medical journals. He has also performed tens of thousands of cases of Mohs Surgery and Laser and Cosmetic procedures. Dr. Ibrahimi has been responsible for unveiling and optimizing many of the latest cosmetic procedures that have hit the market in recent years and his practice is among the first to receive the latest innovations in aesthetic dermatology.

Dr. Ibrahimi has served as a Visiting Assistant Professor of Dermatology at Harvard Medical School in the Wellman Center for Photomedicine. The Wellman Center for Photomedicine is the world’s leading research center, where the majority of today’s laser and cosmetic technologies were invented and tested. He is an active participant in many clinical trials of new technologies. Prior to founding the Connecticut Skin Insititute, Dr. Ibrahimi was also an Assistant Professor of Dermatology, Dermatologic Surgery and Mohs Surgery at the University of Connecticut, and served as the Director of Laser and Cosmetic Surgery.

Dr. Ibrahimi prides himself on treating his patients, not just their skin cancer or cosmetic concern. His goal is to provide you with the best possible medical care in a friendly office environment.

Jill S. Waibel, MD, practices as a board-certified dermatologist specializing in general dermatology, cutaneous laser surgery, and cosmetic dermatology for adults and children. She is in private practice in Miami, Florida, and Coral Gables, Florida. She is currently the medical director and owner of the Miami Dermatology and Laser Institute in Miami. Dr. Waibel is the subsection chief of Dermatology at Baptist Hospital. In addition, Dr. Waibel serves as a Clinical Voluntary Assistant Professor at the University of Miami. She is a world-recognized leader in dermatologic laser surgery and lectures worldwide to train other physicians. In her practice, she has over 40 laser devices and treats a wide variety of cutaneous diseases. Dr. Waibel is active in basic science clinical trials at the University of Miami and has a clinical trials division at Miami Dermatology and Research. One of Dr. Waibel’s primary passions is the treatment of scars by applying today’s latest cutaneous laser technologies. She has successfully developed industry-leading procedures and techniques with lasers, received numerous awards for her contributions to medicine, and published numerous peer-reviewed journal articles and several textbook chapters. She was named “Person of the Week” on ABC World News Tonight in 2015 and was recently granted a Cutting Edge Research Grant by the American Society for Dermatologic Surgery. She has received numerous awards for her contributions to medicine, including an award given by Surgeon General Koop. The 2016 JDD Humanitarian Award has been given to Dr. Waibel for her innovative work in using lasers to treat patients with traumatic burn injuries. Dr. Waibel lectures, collaborates, and trains military physicians to help the wounded warriors. Dr. Waibel makes her home in Coral Gables with her husband and four children.

Merete Haedersdal, MD, PhD, DMSc is a clinical professor of dermatology at the University of Copenhagen, Denmark, and director of the Danish Research Center for Skin Cancer. She is a visiting scientist at the Wellman Center for Photomedicine, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, focusing on the project “Laser-Assisted Drug Delivery” in collaboration with Dr. R. Rox Anderson and his team. Dr. Haedersdal received her MD degree from the Medical School program of the University of Copenhagen, Denmark, and was authorized as a specialist in dermato-venereology in 2004. Dr. Haedersdal received her PhD degree in 1997 and became Dr. of Medical Science in 1999. Her theses covered aspects of side effects from dermatological laser procedures in animal and human experimental studies. Professor Haedersdal has published more than 250 scientific papers and lectures internationally. Her research team focuses on translational medicine in the field of lasers and energy-based devices in dermatology, imaging-guided procedures, fractional laser-assisted drug delivery, photodynamic therapy, and treatment of skin cancer with light-based devices in combination with topically applied drugs.

Molly Wanner, M.D., M.B.A., is a board-certified dermatologist who specializes in laser and cosmetic dermatology at Massachusetts General Hospital and is an assistant professor in dermatology at Harvard Medical School. Dr. Wanner conducts clinical and basic science research in the areas of cosmetic and laser dermatology. Her research interested include the impact of laser and EBD on tissue biology and vascular treatments and imaging.

Dr. Wanner has authored numerous scientific publications and is frequently cited as a clinical expert. Dr. Wanner is a board member and treasurer of the American Society of Laser Medicine and Surgery. Dr. Wanner also contributes to popular consumer media.

Dr. Wanner graduated Alpha Omega Alpha from the Columbia University College of Physicians and Surgeons and Beta Gamma Sigma from Columbia University business school. At Columbia, she received the American Medical Women’s Association (AMWA) achievement citation and the F. Lowenfish Prize for dermatology research. She completed her residency training in dermatology at Columbia University Medical Center and served as Chief Resident. She was a fellow in laser and cosmetic dermatology at the Massachusetts General Hospital and Wellman Center for Photomedicine.

Biography: Dr. Christine C. Dierickx, MD, received her M.D. degree from the medical school program of the University of Leuven, Belgium and completed a dermatology residency at the same university. She then developed clinical expertise in phlebology during a two-year fellowship with Professor Neuman in the Netherlands. Subsequently, she finished a clinical laser fellowship with Dr. R. Fitzpatrick in San Diego, California, and a Mohs fellowship with Dr. F. Mohs in Madison, Wisconsin. During a two-year laser fellowship with Dr. R. Rox Anderson at Massachusetts General Hospital of Harvard University, she developed research laser expertise in various fields. The projects on vascular lesions draw directly upon her research on the thermal relaxation time of ectatic blood vessels. She established the need of millisecond laser pulses for the treatment of vascular lesions and showed that the formation of gentle cavitations driven by a slow photothermal process underlies the destruction of blood vessels with the longer millisecond laser pulses. For this work, she received the Best Basic Science Award of the American Society for Laser Medicine and Surgery. Subsequently, she became a full-time staff member of the Wellman Laboratories at Harvard. During this time, she conducted research projects with long pulsed ruby and diode lasers for hair removal. She returned to Europe in early 1999, where she is currently in private practice in Luxembourg. She served as Vice president for the American Society for Laser Medicine and Surgery in 2006-2007. In 2013 she was the recipient of the Vasant Orwal Oration van de British Medical Laser Society. In April 2016 she received the Leon Goldman memoriam award from the American Society for Laser Medicine and Surgery. She continues to be involved in the development of new applications for energy-based devices as well as new applications for photodynamic therapy. Dr. Dierickx has published and lectured nationally and internationally in the field of laser surgery and photodynamic therapy.

Patricia Richey, MD is a double board-certified dermatologist and Mohs surgeon with an interest in laser, cutaneous surgery and clinical research, with a special focus on non-invasive treatments of cutaneous neurofibromas. After graduating Georgetown University magna cum laude, she attended medical school at Georgetown University, where she had been accepted as part of the competitive “Early Assurance Program.” She completed her dermatology residency (serving as chief resident) and Mohs micrographic surgery and dermatologic oncology fellowship at The University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics. She is currently the Director of Mohs Surgery for Boston University School of Medicine, a researcher at The Wellman Center for Photomedicine and a visiting professor at Harvard Medical School. She was awarded the Dr. Richard E. Fitzpatrick Clinical Research and Innovations Award at ASLMS 2023 for her work with Dr. Rox Anderson on treatment of cutaneous neurofibromas.

Additional passions within healthcare include legislative advocacy. She previously worked for several years on Capitol Hill (with then Senator John Kerry) and has served on the AAD Congressional Policy Committee, SkinPAC Advisory Board and ASLMS Public Policy Committee. She is also interested in graduate medical education and has served on the ACGME Mohs Milestones Committee.

Dr. Richey is a nationally recognized singer-songwriter and spends much of her free time recording in Nashville and Los Angeles. She has been featured on Spotify and has amassed millions of views on YouTube.