About the Founder
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About the Founder
Meet Dr. Sharleen St. Surin-Lord MD, FAAD
- Fellow of the American Academy of Dermatology
- Board-Certified by the American Board of Dermatology
- Not only is Dr. St. Surin-Lord — “Dr. Sharleen” as many affectionately call her, a Board-Certified Dermatologist, but she is also a Hair Specialist. She is Founder of DermHairDoc®, a Key Opinion Leader in her field, Assistant Professor of Dermatology at Howard University College of Medicine, and a published author.
- She has brought the 22 years of clinical research experience and her 20 years of Dermatology (skin, hair, and nail) patient care experience, with over 100,000 patients treated, to you in her world-class, premier hair care line.
- Every product was crafted to bring you dermatologic scalp care and hair care with every use.
- Shop our Dermatologist-Developed Hair Care™ Products Where Real Science Meets Nature and Beauty.
- The Origin Story
- A Physician’s Promise
Board-Certified Dermatologist
Fellow, AAD
Hair Specialist
Key Opinion Leader
Howard University Professor
Published Author
-
Where Science Meets Nature
and Beauty.
The Origin Story
A Physician's Promise to Her Patients
- Dr. Sharleen St. Surin-Lord did not set out to build a hair care brand. She set out to keep a promise. After decades of treating patients suffering from hair thinning, hair loss, scalp disorders, and the damage inflicted by chemical-laden products, she recognized a gap that no mainstream brand was willing to fill: truly clean, physician-grade hair care, formulated with the same rigor she applied in her clinic.
- Every patient who walked into her office deserved more than a prescription. They deserved to take something home that would continue the healing — without parabens, sulfates, phthalates, silicones, or hormone-disrupting chemicals. And so DermHairDoc® was born.
"I took my oath — first, do no harm — from my daily practice into every formula I created. Your hair care should never compromise your health."
— Dr. Sharleen St. Surin-Lord, MD, FAAD
- DermHairDoc® pioneered what Dr. St. Surin-Lord calls the "Skinification of Hair Care" — treating the scalp as skin, restoring its barrier, and nurturing its microbiome so that healthy hair has the foundation it needs to grow longer, stronger, and more resilient.
- A healthy scalp can increase hair growth by up to 50%. That is not a marketing claim. That is clinical science — and it is the foundation of every DermHairDoc® product.
Featured In & Medical Expertise
Dr. Sharleen St. Surin-Lord is a board-certified dermatologist specializing in hair loss, hair growth, and skin of color.
Board-Certified Dermatologist
Dr. St. Surin-Lord holds board certification in Dermatology — the highest standard of clinical training in skin, hair, and nail health. Her patients trust her with their most complex diagnoses.
Fellow of the American Academy of Dermatology (FAAD)
Fellowship in the AAD is a distinguished honor reserved for dermatologists who demonstrate exceptional commitment to the advancement of the specialty and patient care.
Assistant Professor, Howard University
As a faculty member in the Department of Dermatology at the historically Black Howard University, Dr. St. Surin-Lord trains the next generation of dermatologists — ensuring this expertise endures.
Key Opinion Leader (KOL) in Dermatology
Recognized by the pharmaceutical and medical industries as a KOL, Dr. St. Surin-Lord is regularly consulted on emerging treatments, product development, and dermatological research.
Pharmaceutical Industry Leader
Before founding DermHairDoc®, Dr. St. Surin-Lord built a distinguished career in the pharmaceutical industry — specializing in vaccine technology and pharmaceutical sales with one of the largest global pharmaceutical companies — giving her unparalleled insight into how ingredients interact at a molecular level.
Published Author & Columnist
Beyond medicine, Dr. St. Surin-Lord is the author of Grandma, A Treasure Forever — a children's book about loss that adults cherish equally — and the long-running HAPPI Magazine column "Hair's the Thing."
Industry Background
From the Lab to the Bottle
- Long before DermHairDoc® became a brand, Dr. St. Surin-Lord was deep inside the science. Her years in the pharmaceutical industry — including work in cutting-edge vaccine technology and field leadership in pharmaceutical sales for one of the world's largest global pharmaceutical companies — gave her an intimate understanding of formulation, ingredient sourcing, clinical validation, and the rigorous standards that separate products that truly work from those that merely make promises.
- That hard-won knowledge is embedded in every DermHairDoc® product. When Dr. St. Surin-Lord says a formula is "clinically proven," she does not mean it was tested once in a marketing study. She means it meets the same standard of evidence she applies to the medicines she prescribes.
- This is the difference between a hair care brand and a DermHairDoc® formula.
Decades
of clinical dermatology experience
0
Parabens, Sulfates, Phthalates, Silicones
50%
Potential increase in hair growth with a healthy scalp
All
Hair types: curly, coily, relaxed, color-treated & more
A Voice the World Trusts
Dr. St. Surin-Lord's expertise has been sought by some of the most respected media outlets in the world. Her insights on hair health, scalp care, and clean beauty regularly appear alongside the most trusted voices in medicine and wellness.
Newsweek
Featured Expert
Real Simple
Featured Expert
Business Insider
Featured Expert
Healthline
Contributing Editor
Medical News Today
Contributing Editor
Fort Lauderdale Magazine
Featured
JustLuxe
Gift Guide
HAPPI Magazine
Columnist
"Hair's
the
Thing"
- For years, Dr. St. Surin-Lord has authored "Hair's the Thing" — her dedicated column in HAPPI Magazine, one of the leading trade publications in the personal care and cosmetics industry. Each installment brings her clinical authority to the conversation around ingredient science, scalp health, hair disorders, and the future of clean hair care. It is required reading for anyone serious about what goes on their hair.
Three Principles That Don't Compromise
Clean Without Compromise
In an era of greenwashing, DermHairDoc® sets the standard. No parabens. No sulfates. No phthalates. No silicones. No hormone-disrupting chemicals or artificial fragrances. Every formula is built for your health first — because great hair should never come at a cost to your body.
Science You Can Trust
DermHairDoc® products are not wellness trends. They are Dermatologist-Developed™ formulations backed by decades of clinical dermatology research. Powered by avocado oil, jojoba seed oil, shea butter, Vitamin C, and other clinically validated ingredients that restore, protect, and strengthen from scalp to tip.
Community & Culture
DermHairDoc® was created with Black women and women of color at the center. The unique needs of curly, coily, kinky, and relaxed hair — too long overlooked by clinical research — are not an afterthought here. They are the entire point. Representation in the lab leads to results in the mirror.
Shop DermHairDoc®
Experience the Dermatologist Difference in Every Wash Day
- The DermHairDoc® Moisturizing Hair Mask is the hero product born from Dr. St. Surin-Lord's clinical practice. Hydrate, detangle, reduce frizz, and restore your scalp barrier — naturally, cleanly, and with the science of a Board-Certified Dermatologist behind every drop.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is DermHairDoc safe for color-treated or chemically processed hair?
Yes. Because DermHairDoc is free from sulfates, parabens, phthalates, and harsh synthetics, it is completely safe for color-treated, bleached, relaxed, and keratin-treated hair. The all-natural formula actually helps restore vibrancy and strength to chemically processed strands.
What hair types does DermHairDoc work for?
DermHairDoc is formulated to work across all hair types and textures: from straight (Type 1) to coily (Type 4C). It is especially effective for naturally curly, wavy, thick, and coarse hair textures prone to tangling and breakage.
What does ‘dermatologist-approved’ actually mean?
It means a board-certified dermatologist reviewed, tested, and endorsed the formula not just marketing claims, but the actual ingredient list, concentrations, and clinical efficacy. DermHairDoc® is dermatologist-developed (created by a dermatologist), dermatologist-tested (formally evaluated), and dermatologist-approved (passed expert clinical review).
Is DermHairDoc safe for kids?
DermHairDoc’s non-toxic, paraben-free, phthalate-free formula makes it gentle enough for children’s hair and scalps. Always perform a patch test before first use, especially on sensitive individuals.
How often should I use DermHairDoc® Hair Mask?
For optimal results, use 1–2 times per week as a deep conditioning treatment. For intensive repair or extremely dry and damaged hair, use the DermHairDoc® Hair Mask each time you wash your hair.
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