Dr. Tatyana Nektalova set up her dermatology practice in Plaza del Mar after realizing that barrier island residents had to cross the bridge and drive a ways to receive this service. Tim Stepien/The Coastal Star
One of the nicest perks dermatologist Tatyana Nektalova has found since her move from New York City to South Palm Beach two years ago has been the difference in her commute.
“In New York it was an hour on the Long Island Expressway into Manhattan,’’ the skin doctor said. “Now it’s a 10-minute walk. It’s the best part of my day. I love it.”
A former chief resident of the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai Hospital, Nektalova, 35, left her practice in Tribeca during the coronavirus pandemic when businesses closed for several months. She decided to relocate to coastal Palm Beach County, where she realized the barrier islands were lacking any dermatology facility.
“I had been looking in Boca, Palm Beach, West Palm Beach when I was walking past this shop (in Plaza Del Mar) and didn’t realize we had missed it,” she said. “It was zoned for retail, so it wasn’t coming up in our searches.”
Nektalova resolved that issue by presenting her case to officials from the town of Manalapan, who opted to make an exception. Then the real work began as she set about establishing her practice, Dermatology & Aesthetics of Palm Beach.
“I got the approval from the commission in January (2023) and signed the lease in March. Then I had to find an architect who understood our vision, and then the construction to build a 2,000-square-foot, state-of-the-art office with everything in terms of cutting-edge treatments.”
While waiting for it to open, which happened this past April, Nektalova signed up to provide concierge services, seeing more than 100 patients. That has helped her establish a client base that has continued to grow, albeit slowly, during the off-season.
“The whole practice has been built through word of mouth, no advertising or marketing,” she said. “I’ve been super grateful to the community. I’m trying to fill a very big unmet need.”
Nektalova says she had a severe skin condition called polymorphous light eruption while growing up.
“This itchy, and sometimes painful, rash would emerge with sun exposure,” she said. “Each summer, I was the kid that was restricted to swimming outdoors after dusk and was forced to always wear an oversized T-shirt and wide-brimmed hat to protect my skin. This experience profoundly shaped my life, giving me a window into what my patients are going through, especially the little ones.”
Recognized by her peers as one of New York’s “Super Doctors” yearly from 2019 to 2022, Nektalova also established a mentorship program with impressive results. Invited several years ago to speak at an event for aspiring medical students, she connected afterward with several of them.
“One of my mentees is now a dermatology resident at my alma mater, Mount Sinai Hospital, and we’ve published a paper together. I’ve been able to connect her with the chairman of Mount Sinai Hospital, who got her involved in research, and I’ve tried to keep in touch and be helpful when I can,” Nektalova said.
“Many of my students are now physicians’ assistants, nurses, nurse practitioners, so I really enjoy taking on that role and getting involved, so it’s not just a job where they’re handing me a scalpel. I want them to learn, I want them to be engaged, get hands-on experience, which is as good as it gets.”
She hopes to establish a similar program with students in the Palm Beach area.
Driving around the area with its beaches, Nektalova said she is sometimes alarmed at how casually people can respond to the dangers of the sun’s rays.
“You can enjoy daily activities, you can go to the beach, you can go for a walk or run; you just have to do them safely,” she said. “Sun protection is important: wearing sunscreen, a hat, glasses, SPF-protected clothing, and avoiding peak hours.
“I don’t think dermatologists want to scare people,” she said. “They just want them to be a little bit wiser in their decisions.”
— Brian Biggane
Q: Where did you grow up and go to school? How do you think that has influenced you?
A: I grew up in Brooklyn, New York, within a Bukharan Jewish family that fled the Soviet Union as refugees in the early 1990s. This background influenced my perspective and aspirations, instilling in me a pursuit of the American dream and an unwavering emphasis on education.
The challenges my family faced taught me resilience, which became crucial as I navigated the rigorous academic demands of the Sophie Davis School of Biomedical Education.
This accelerated bachelor of science-doctor of medicine program not only honed my commitment to excellence but also reinforced the values of hard work instilled by my immigrant experience.
Medicine, both noble and compassionate, naturally became the pinnacle of profession for me.
Q: What professions have you worked in? What professional accomplishments are you most proud of?
A: Over the past decade, I have worked as a physician, specializing in medical, cosmetic and surgical dermatology. My training at Mount Sinai Hospital in New York City, where I served as chief resident, laid a strong foundation for my career. I previously practiced in SoHo, Tribeca and the Upper East Side neighborhoods of Manhattan, caring for adults and children.
I am most proud of founding Dermatology & Aesthetics of Palm Beach, a concierge dermatology practice at Plaza Del Mar in Manalapan. My goal with this venture is to build a practice where I can develop deep connections with my patients and offer unparalleled personalized care. I strive to make every person feel seen and be heard, which I believe is central to the essence of medicine and human experience.
Q: What advice do you have for a young person seeking a career today?
A: Focus on being of service to others. Finding fulfillment and gratification often comes from making a positive impact on people’s lives. Follow your internal compass, the place where your personality aligns with your soul’s purpose, and you will not miss.
Q: How did you choose to make your home in South Palm Beach?
A: Like many New Yorkers, I escaped to Palm Beach County during the pandemic and am happy to now call it home.
Q: What is your favorite part about living in South Palm Beach?
A: My walk to work. The palm trees, ocean breeze and sunshine ground me.
Q: What book are you reading now?
A: I am an avid reader. The book I am currently reading, for the second time, is Man’s Search for Meaning, by Viktor Frankl. Profound and compelling, it drives the following message home: “When we are no longer able to change a situation, we are challenged to change ourselves.”
Q: What music do you listen to when you want to relax? When you want to be inspired?
A: Andrea Bocelli’s voice can be incredibly soothing. I was lucky to attend one of his most special events at Madison Square Garden, where he performed with his son and daughter. Frank Sinatra’s My Way tells the story of self-determination and inspires confidence in all people.
Q: Have you had mentors in your life? Individuals who have inspired your life decisions?
A: My parents, Svetlana and Daniel. They moved to this country with nothing. Without the ability to formulate a single sentence in English, my father got his first job as a tailor by walking into a local dry cleaner with only a thimble in his pocket, and knowledge of the work he was certain his hands could do. He is now the head tailor for major Hollywood films and television series. My mother, who started out as a medical assistant for a cardiologist, is now the assistant nurse manager of a surgical intensive care unit at a Level 1 trauma center. They are the definition of the American dream and, above all else, good people.
Q: If your life story were to be made into a movie, who would play you?
A: Penelope Cruz. She is deep, authentic, and has reinvented herself over and over again.
Q: Who/what makes you laugh?
A: My nephew, Benjamin. He is 5 years old. Even when he is misbehaving, you can’t help but smile.
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