David M. Pariser, MD, FAAD, FACP
Senior Physician, Pariser Dermatology Specialists, Ltd., and Virginia Clinical Research, Inc.
For 46 years, Dr. David Pariser has been involved in developing most of the new dermatology medications that have emerged on the market.
That’s no exaggeration: Dr. Pariser began at his practice in 1976 and has helped build it into a regional operation, with 24 providers and seven offices from Virginia Beach to Williamsburg. He also has been the Lead Investigator in more than 600 clinical research studies, publishing four textbooks and 300-plus scientific articles.
“I’ve had the chance to learn about new treatments well before they’re even available to patients,” he relates. “These changes and advances in the field have enormously improved the quality of life for so many patients.”
Dr. Pariser’s expertise has made him an in-demand speaker at medical conferences worldwide. An award-winning physician and instructor, he also has taught at Eastern Virginia Medical School for four decades and has been a Professor in its Department of Dermatology since 2003.
Dr. Pariser has held prominent leadership and committee posts within multiple medical societies at local, state, and national levels. That long list includes terms as President of the American Academy of Dermatology, the American Dermatological Association and the Virginia Dermatological Society.
Dedicated to continuing education, Dr. Pariser has completed several fellowships and used his deep knowledge of his specialty to promote the importance of skin exams to the general public as well as regulatory agencies.
Recent years have seen an explosion of new therapies for patients. Biologic medications for psoriasis and atopic dermatitis, for instance, have been a breakthrough for people who haven’t responded adequately to topical prescriptions.
Oral options also are emerging for systemic treatment of eczema, such as two JAK inhibitors that won FDA clearance this past January. And photodynamic therapy has proven to be a powerful weapon against early skin cancers and precancerous growths.
Dr. Pariser has a particular interest in sweating disorders and is a co-founder of the International Hyperhidrosis Society, a global nonprofit. Thanks in part to his efforts, adults and children as young as 9 years old have access to life-changing therapies such as daily medicated wipes that can block receptors for sweat gland activation.
Down the road, Dr. Pariser expects personalized medicine to dominate more treatment decisions. He notes that doctors are already studying the genetic composition of skin cancers and likely soon will examine the RNA expression of inflammatory skin diseases.
“We should be able to determine the precise medication or approach that is most likely to work for a given patient,” he explains. “That would not only bring patients faster relief but prevent us from prescribing expensive treatments that might not be as effective.”
Dr. Pariser is understandably proud of his practice’s growth during his long career. Pariser Dermatology opened in 1946 in Norfolk as a small practice led by his father, Dr. Harry Pariser, recognized as the first dermatologist in Tidewater and a pioneering educator at EVMS.
Dr. David Pariser completed his medical degree and internship training at Medical College of Virginia, followed by a Dermatology residency at the University of Miami. He and his younger brother, Dr. Robert Pariser, eventually joined their father in Norfolk.
“I enjoy seeing patients from infants to the elderly and doing both medical and surgical work,” Dr. David Pariser says. “With dermatology, you’re either helping people enjoy their lives more, or you’re literally saving their lives, particularly with an early diagnosis of melanoma.”
A married father of two adult children, Dr. Pariser is thankful that he is still practicing and researching at a time of rapid progress. “There’s so much coming down the pike,” he notes. “The future of dermatology looks very bright.”
