Professional profile
Dr Alia Ahmed is a Consultant Dermatologist at Circle Reading Hospital. She is also Clinical Lead for Dermatology working for Frimley and Barts Health NHS Trusts. She graduated from Barts and the Royal London School of Medicine in 2008 and completed her Dermatology training in London, including a research fellowship in Psychodermatology, becoming a consultant in 2017. Dr Ahmed also has a BSc in Psychology with Clinical Psychology (University of Kent).
In addition to her NHS work, Dr Ahmed is an honorary lecturer in Psychodermatology at the University of Hertfordshire. She is active in research and has presented internationally, as well as having several peer-reviewed publications and a research fellowship with the UK Dermatology Clinical Trials Network. Dr Ahmed is on the executive committee for Psychodermatology UK, and a spokesperson for the British Skin Foundation, as well as a contributor to the All Party Parliamentary Group on Skin. She is a regular contributor to several periodicals and enjoys writing about the link between mind and skin.
Her specialist interest is in the psychological effects of chronic skin disease, specifically the link between the skin and stress. Her other interests include inflammatory dermatoses (e.g. acne, rosacea, eczema, psoriasis), hair loss, paediatric and genital dermatology, skin cancer and skin infestations.
Dr Ahmed is part of the Psychodermatology team based at The Royal London Hospital, where she sees tertiary referrals. This clinic is specifically for people whose lives have been severely affected by their dermatological disease. Dr Ahmed provides holistic care to her patients, and strongly believes the interaction between the brain, skin and mind is key to achieving healthy skin.
Dr Ahmed says:
"Skin positivity is something that I am a great believer of. Skin conditions do not need to be hidden and we should all do more to empower people to feel comfortable to share their skin stories. Skin travels our life journey with us and will inevitably show the signs of ups and downs, supporting people in this journey is one of the best gifts that my work as a dermatologist has given me."
