Mazin Al-Khafaji founded Dermatology M in 2016, evolving the original formulations crafted for use by clients of his Avicenna Clinic so that our growing global network of practitioners could also access and use them with their patients.
Very quickly, it became clear that many of these specialist skin creams, ointments and tinctures should be accessible to all… and so our website was created.At the forefront of Chinese medicine for more than 30 years, Mazin has not only proven himself to be a world-leading dermatologist, teacher and respected authority of Chinese medicine in the West, but also a true skincare trailblazer.
Here we explore Mazin’s background and career so far; his foundations in ancient Chinese medicine and his application of the very latest in skincare technology to create a unique approach to modern skincare.
Fateful foundations
Raised in Iraq and educated in the UK, Mazin’s roots lie firmly planted between East and West – something you may think would naturally influence his education and career choices. Yet it was a chance encounter with a sought-after Chinese herbal shop in Soho, London in the late 1970s that sparked an interest in the skin-transforming qualities of these ancient remedies.
With neither scholars nor study materials available in the West, Mazin first read Chinese language and Acupuncture before travelling to Shanghai to study Chinese Herbal Medicine. Four years later in 1987, he graduated as a Doctor of Chinese Medicine and returned to the UK, opening a skin clinic and teaching at the London School of Chinese Herbal Medicine. So when exactly did this academic interest in TCM evolve into dermatology?
“It’s fair to say I fell into dermatology. In the late 1980s, very few Westerners studied Chinese Medicine. I was asked to assist some dermatologists in London who were trialling TCM with patients with severe atopic eczema. The results were remarkable, the trials received a lot of applications and I became very busy. It was a very exciting time.”
From that day, and for the last three decades, Mazin’s specialism has focussed primarily on dermatology, auto-immune and allergic disease. Having read, researched and practised extensively, he extended his skin clinic and opened the doors to a new Avicenna Clinic in 1998, successfully treating countless numbers of patients with severe, unusual and very difficult skin conditions.
From field to patient
Such continual encounters, coupled with his true passion in herbal medicine application, led Mazin into designing, trialling and fine-tuning his own topical treatments using raw medicinal herbs.
So I experimented… I drew upon the best of both classic and contemporary
methods, crafting effective, easy to use formulas that can be used solely or alongside internal medicine – speeding up the repair process and restoring skin equilibrium.”
Working closely with suppliers in China to source the finest quality herbs, Mazin also expanded equipment in his in-house laboratory and manufacturing facility to meet the growing pace of demand… both in the clinic and later, with his launch of Dermatology M in 2016.
A unique approach to modern skincare needs
In our seemingly sophisticated modern lifestyles, it seems surprising that we should be seeing and experiencing serious skincare conditions. Yet a staggering 20% of all medical consultations taking place today are for skin diseases – with auto-immune and allergy-related conditions representing a considerable share.The more disenchanted we become by such shortcomings of Western lifestyles and medicine, the more interest in Mazin’s teachings and formulas rises. He continues to travel the world extensively, lecturing postgraduate courses in the UK, Europe and the US. He regularly speaks at global conferences and symposiums, all the while retaining strong, regular contact with China to remain ahead of every development in herbal medicine. It’s fair to say, the results of his competence and craft really do speak for themselves.“I truly believe our lifestyles, stress levels, poor diets and contemporary pharmaceuticals are to blame – they degrade our immune function and create abnormal reactions in the body.”
Mazin Al-Khafaji, Dermatology M founder
Today, Dermatology M proudly presents 25 of Mazin’s exceptional blends. We also continue to draw on his unrivalled expertise, innovating, growing and enhancing our offering to you. We look forward to sharing more from Dermatology M soon… watch this space.
Explore Traditional Chinese Medicine in more detail here.
Browse our collection here.
