Kathryn Dempsey, MD, FAAD

07/09/2026

The #1 anti-aging “secret” from a cosmetic dermatologist?

Sunscreen. Every single day. ☀️

Not just at the beach.
Not just on vacation.
Not just when it’s sunny.

UV exposure is one of the biggest drivers of premature aging: fine lines, discoloration, collagen breakdown, and uneven skin tone.

And the best sunscreen is the one you’ll actually wear.

There is truly a sunscreen out there for everyone — oily skin, dry skin, sensitive skin, acne-prone skin, tinted, untinted, mineral, chemical, glowy, matte, luxe, drugstore… we just have to find your match.

Because protecting your skin daily is one of the most powerful things you can do for long-term skin health and aging well.

Follow for dermatologist-led skincare tips that actually make sense.

07/08/2026

My summer morning skincare routine as a dermatologist living in Mobile, Alabama ☀️

When the UV index is high, my morning routine becomes much more focused on protection than correction.

Here’s my current AM routine:
1. Water-only cleanse
In the morning, I usually just rinse with water unless I feel like I need more.
2. Plated serum
I apply this to my under eyes, face, neck, chest, and the backs of my hands.
3. SkinCeuticals C E Ferulic
Vitamin C is one of my favorite morning antioxidants, especially when paired with sunscreen.
4. Lightweight moisturizer
I use Skinbetter InterFuse Eye Cream and Skinbetter Trio because it feels light enough for summer. In the winter, I often switch to Trio Luxe when my skin needs more barrier support.
5. Double SPF routine
This time of year, I like to start with an organic/chemical-filter sunscreen, let it dry down, and then layer a tinted mineral sunscreen on my face.

Today I used La Roche-Posay UVMune 400 first, then followed with a tinted mineral SPF on my face. I usually avoid tinted sunscreen on my neck, chest, and hands because it gets everywhere.

⭐️⭐️A few reminders:
You do not need this exact routine.
You do not need expensive products to have a good routine.
And sunscreen only works if you use enough and reapply.

I saved everything in my ShopMy under Summer Morning Routine. I included budget friendly alternatives that are worth it. As of now there is no alternative to Plated- so if it isn’t for you, just skip that step and go straight to antioxidant.

⭐️⭐️Some links may be affiliate links. This is for education only and not individualized medical advice.⭐️

07/06/2026

💊 Before you blame your sunscreen… check your medication list

Did you know your medication could be making you sunburn faster? ☀️

As a dermatologist, this is one of those things I wish more people knew before beach days, pool days, sports tournaments, vacations, and long summer weekends.

Some medications can make your skin more sensitive to the sun — and that means you may burn faster, get a rash, or react more intensely than usual.

A few common ones include:
antibiotics like doxycycline, certain acne medications, some blood pressure medications, some anti-inflammatories, and more.

This does not mean you should stop your medication — please don’t. It just means you need to be extra intentional with sun protection:

UPF clothing
wide-brim hat
sunglasses
shade when possible
broad-spectrum SPF 30+
and reapplication every 2 hours, especially if sweating or swimming

Save this before your next beach or pool day — and always ask your doctor or pharmacist if your medication can make you more sun sensitive. 🤍

07/05/2026

For my new followers- I’m really grateful you’re here. ♥️♥️

What do you want from this account? Comment below 🤍

I started sharing more on this page because, after years of seeing patients, I realized how much confusion there is around skin, skincare, sunscreen, aesthetics, beauty, and even the little everyday things that make life easier.

My hope is for this space to feel helpful, honest, and easy to understand — never overwhelming, never fear-based, and never making you feel like you need to buy or do everything.

Just dermatologist-led education, real-life tips, and the things I would tell my own patients, friends, and family.

I’d love to know what would be most helpful for you:
SPF? Skin 101? Hair loss? Aesthetics? Drugstore finds? Makeup/beauty tips? Mom-life hacks? Time-saving favorites?

Thank you for being here — I’m listening. Comment below and tell me what you want more of 💓⭐️

07/03/2026

POV: a dermatologist and longtime swim-team mom packs your pool bag ☀️🏊‍♀️

These are the pool-day essentials I actually use—and the ones that are worth buying:

🏖️ The customizable BAUBLE BAR tote in a medium. You will not regret this one! It is the best pool bag I have found, holds everything we need and is so cute and completely customizable.
🥽 Speedo goggles. As a longtime swim-team mom, trust me when I say we have tried them ALL. These are the best.
👒 My Janessa Leoné hat—the one I am wearing on repeat this summer.
☀️ Bask sunscreen, my current go-to for the entire family. Because sunscreen is always the most important thing in this bag!
🩹 Band-Aids, because someone will inevitably stub a toe.
🍿 Snacks. Always more snacks than you think you need.
🧣 A Coolibar UPF wrap for extra sun protection.
🕶️ Cute, affordable sunglasses that you will not be devastated about when your kids inevitably break them.

Save this before your next pool day—and send it to the mom who somehow has to remember everything for everyone. 😂

Everything is linked in my Pool Bag Essentials collection!

07/02/2026

I think I just found the best self-tanner I’ve ever tried—and it only had to stay on for 10 minutes. 🤯

As a board-certified dermatologist, I will always remind you: a UV tan is a sign of skin damage. The safest way to get that bronzed look is with a sunless tanner—while still wearing your sunscreen, of course.

I tried the new Loving Tan 10 MIN Express Self-Tanning Smoothing Mask before our Fourth of July beach trip, and I am genuinely impressed.

✨ Natural, even color
✨ Rinses off after 10 minutes
✨ No brown marks on my sheets
✨ Not even a stain on my white robe
✨ And I actually liked the scent

As a busy mom, sometimes 10 minutes is truly all I have. I do not always have two—or eight—hours to walk around waiting for a self-tanner to develop before rinsing it off.

This was my first time using it, but it is already at the very top of the self-tanners I’ve tried. A total game changer for busy women.

Would you try a 10-minute self-tanner? Tell me below—and save this before your next beach trip.

07/02/2026

Being a woman can be so overwhelming… and somehow, it is also just the best. 🤍

We take care of the kids, our parents, our partners, our homes, our careers, our businesses—and usually everyone’s schedules, appointments and needs in between.

Then we are expected to sleep 7–8 hours, exercise, eat well, look polished and act like we have it all together.

For this video, I had exactly 22 minutes from stepping out of the shower to being ready to film. That is real life.

I am not interested in pretending any of this is easy. I am interested in sharing the products, routines and shortcuts that genuinely make it easier—even if they only give us five or ten minutes back.

Because women already carry enough. We should be helping each other wherever we can.

🌟 🌟 What is one life hack that makes your day easier? Share it below—because I know another woman needs it too. 🤍

07/01/2026

🖤 Hair loss can affect far more than appearance. It can impact confidence, relationships, work, social life, and the way someone feels moving through the world.

That is not vanity. Hair loss can be genuinely distressing, and it deserves to be treated seriously, sensitively, and without dismissal. Your doctor should listen to your concerns. Some of my most complex visits deal with hair loss.

A proper evaluation starts with a thorough history and scalp examination. We look at the timeline, pattern, symptoms, medications, recent illness or stress, nutrition, hormonal changes, family history, and signs of inflammation or scarring. Labs or a scalp biopsy may be helpful in certain cases—but the evaluation should guide the testing.

🖤 Because the diagnosis drives the treatment. 🖤

Depending on the cause, treatment may include:

• Correcting an underlying trigger or true deficiency
• Adequate calories, protein, and balanced nutrition
• Topical or oral minoxidil
• Spironolactone, finasteride, dutasteride, or other prescription medications
• Intralesional corticosteroid injections
• Treatment for autoimmune or inflammatory hair loss
• PRP to deliver growth factors that may support healthier follicle activity
• Low-level red-light therapy
• Treating scalp redness, itching, scale, or inflammation
• Reducing heat, bleach, tight hairstyles, extensions, and unnecessary breakage

Some supportive habits can fit into many treatment plans—but there is no single shampoo, supplement, vitamin, or medication that treats every type of hair loss.

And a reminder about biotin: it is not a universal hair-loss solution, and high doses can interfere with important laboratory tests. Always tell your clinician what supplements you are taking.

Hair loss is complex. Treatment should be individualized, monitored over time, and adjusted based on the diagnosis and response.

Save this guide and swipe through Part 2B to see the treatment options your dermatologist may consider.

This post is for general education and is not a personal diagnosis or treatment plan.

06/30/2026

When you think of melanoma… what do you picture?

Most people imagine a dark black mole.
Raised. Irregular. Obvious.

But one of the most commonly missed melanomas… is pink.

It can look like:
• a small pink spot
• a pimple that won’t go away
• a scar-like area
• something subtle… but new or changing

And because it doesn’t fit the image we’ve been taught to look for… it’s often ignored.

This is exactly why skin cancer checks matter.

If you have a spot that’s new, changing, or not healing—especially if it’s pink—don’t brush it off.

Not all melanomas look like melanoma.

And that’s what makes them dangerous.

06/30/2026