Are you always this happy?

“Are you always this happy?”

A question I’ve been asked multiple times over the past several years.

The answer…No. No, I’m not. However, I’m committed to caring for patients happy, sad, stressed, or mad. You name it. Plus, I’ve got a good poker face ;).

But, it’s not always easy. This is hard to admit but dermatology can be a very “cushy” speciality. Acne, rosacea, warts, ugly moles, and, of course, wrinkles. Don’t get me wrong, I LOVE IT and there’s definitely A LOT of serious dermatological emergencies. But, some days are hard.

Recently, someone complained of skin tags as I was completing her full body skin exam. I felt my eyes start welling up, and then a tear ran down my cheek. Thankfully, my mask helped cover it up, but there was no doubt in my mind that I was seconds away from losing it.

At the time, I had family members that were very sick. A friend battling a nasty, horrible cancer. Oh, and a worldwide pandemic.

So, in that moment, it was hard to be sympathetic for something like a skin tag. Not to mention, it was 8 in the morning and it was just one of THOSE mornings, if you know what I mean.

Then, I snapped out of it. I wiped my tears with the inside of my mask. Cleared my throat. And continued on without anyone knowing. Because for her, in this moment, her skin tags may have been one of the worst things she was dealing with. Maybe they make her so self-conscious she doesn’t wear necklaces. Maybe she recently gained weight from a new medication and developed skin tags as a result. Maybe she knows they’re a “cosmetic” concern, but she just finished battling breast cancer and is now taking care of her much less-serious problems. So, although I often say, “skin tags aren’t harmful or dangerous,” it was my job to make them just as big of a priority to me as they were to her.

Please don’t take this as me telling you not to complain about your skin tags. I’m here for ALLLL the skin tags, warts, acne, and ugly moles. Making people look and feel their best is one of my favorite things about my job.

But, sometimes, it’s okay to be real for a second. Don’t apologize for your feelings, regardless which side of the “skin tag complaint” you’re on. Emotions are like waves. You can’t stop them from coming, but you can choose which ones you want to surf.

So, no…I’m not always “this happy.” But, I often remind myself, that, at the end of the day, we’re all battling something. Choose kindness, always.

xoxo