About

Dr. Ronda Farah is an Associate Professor in the Department of Dermatology at the University of Minnesota. She is a board-certified dermatologist with clinical interests that include medical dermatology, cosmetic dermatology, laser surgery, hair loss, acne, skin rashes, and moles. Dr. Farah's care philosophy emphasizes providing each patient with high-quality, evidence-based medical care in a caring environment. She is actively involved in clinical research, focusing on areas such as alopecia, neurodermatology, phototherapy, and clinical trials. Her hospital privileges include Fairview Maple Grove Medical Center, University of Minnesota Medical Center, and University of Minnesota Children's Hospital.

Research topics

• Medicine
• Computer Science
• Political Science
• Internal medicine
• Surgery
• Medical education
• Family medicine
• Psychology
• Human–computer interaction
• Nursing
• Social psychology
• Dermatology
• Oncology
• Algorithm

Selected publications

• Assessing workload, compensation, and burnout in academic dermatology: a national multi-institutional survey study

  International Journal of Women’s Dermatology · 2026-02-11

  articleOpen access

  Background: Academic dermatologists manage a broad array of responsibilities, often extending beyond clinical duties to include education, research, mentorship, and administrative work. Objective: This study aimed to quantify the scope of paid and unpaid responsibilities among academic dermatologists in the United States and identify disparities based on gender, career stage, and geography. Methods: A cross-sectional survey of 63 board-certified academic dermatologists from 12 institutions collected data on demographics, workweek allocation, after-hours tasks, compensation, burnout, and resilience from January to May 2025. Results: Respondents reported spending 58.3% of their time on clinical care, 15.9% on administrative duties, 13.8% on education, and 11.9% on research. Nearly half received 11 to 50 daily patient messages via the clinical inbox, and over 80% took hospital call duties, with most receiving no extra compensation. Burnout affected 63.5% of respondents and was significantly more prevalent among women, early-career physicians, and those in the Mid-Atlantic and Northeast regions. Resilience scores were lower among women. Consulting opportunities, often associated with supplemental income and career advancement, were more common among male and senior physicians. Parental leave policies were inconsistently applied and poorly understood; nearly 20% of respondents had 8 or fewer weeks of paid parental leave. Limitations: Study limitations include the relatively small sample size and overrepresentation of the Northeast region, potentially hindering generalizability. Additionally, no significant race-based differences were observed, which may be due to insufficient sample sizes within comparator groups. Conclusion: These findings highlight the cumulative burden of undercompensated labor, inadequate institutional support, and gender disparities in workload and opportunity. Structural changes in compensation transparency, workload distribution, recognition of academic labor, and support for early-career and female physicians are essential to fostering sustainability and equity within academic dermatology.

  PublisherDOI

• Switching between Janus kinase inhibitors for treatment of alopecia areata: A multicenter retrospective review

  Journal of the American Academy of Dermatology · 2026-01-30 · 1 citations

  article
  PublisherDOI

• Regenerative Medicine for Hair Health: From Principles to Practice (Part II)

  Journal of the American Academy of Dermatology · 2026-01-01

  article
  PublisherDOI

• Caffeine Supplementation and Hair: A Systematic Review

  Journal of Drugs in Dermatology · 2025-10-01 · 1 citations

  reviewSenior author

  BACKGROUND: While caffeine has been proposed to stimulate hair growth, its safety and efficacy remain unclear. This systematic review evaluates the effects of caffeine interventions on hair loss and growth outcomes. METHODS: A systematic review of seven databases, including PubMed, Medline, and Embase, was conducted in August 2023. Original studies investigating caffeine's effects on hair loss were included. Study quality was assessed using the National Institute of Health Study Quality Assessment Tools. Outcomes of interest included caffeine intervention types and their effects on hair growth. RESULTS: Of 587 citations, nine studies met the inclusion criteria: five randomized controlled trials, three prospective cohort studies, and one twin-twin cohort study. Most studies investigated topical caffeine; one assessed oral caffeine intake. Topical caffeine consistently demonstrated hair growth or reduced hair loss with minimal adverse effects. However, none of the studies used tattooed or marked scalp areas for hair counts. CONCLUSIONS: Caffeine appears to be a safe and promising potential treatment for hair loss. Topical caffeine shows potential as a therapeutic option, though further large-scale randomized controlled trials with standardized outcome measures are needed.

  PublisherDOI

• Perspectives and Practice Patterns of Dermatologists Using Laser Hair Removal for Hidradenitis Suppurativa

  Journal of Drugs in Dermatology · 2025-11-01

  article
  PublisherDOI

• 0975 Effect of whole blood platelet concentration on platelet-rich plasma platelet concentration

  Journal of Investigative Dermatology · 2025-07-21

  articleOpen access
  PublisherOA PDFDOI

• The Role of Personality Test Results as a Tool for Student Self-Understanding and Its Implications in Counseling

  Darussalam. · 2025-06-25

  articleOpen accessSenior author

  Self-understanding is one of the main keys for students to achieve academic success and personal development, especially during adolescence which is known as the phase of searching for identity. In the world of education, personality has an important role in shaping students' behavioral patterns, learning styles, and social interactions. One tool that can support students' self-understanding is a personality test. This article aims to discuss the role of personality test results as a means of students' self-understanding and its implications in guidance and counseling services at school.

  PublisherOA PDFDOI

• Alopecia secondary to poly-L-lactic acid dermal fillers

  JAAD Case Reports · 2025-01-24

  articleOpen access
  PublisherDOI

• Platelet-Rich Plasma: Advances and Controversies in Hair Restoration and Skin Rejuvenation

  Dermatologic Surgery · 2024-02-20 · 11 citations

  review

  BACKGROUND: Platelet-rich plasma (PRP) and its combined therapeutic modalities have catalyzed new possibilities in dermatology; however, limitations in evidence and lack of consensus remain among clinicians regarding optimal composition, protocol, technique, and application. OBJECTIVE: To provide an update and analysis of the evidence for PRP in hair restoration and skin rejuvenation through review of recent available data, highlighting controversies and expert insights to guide future studies, and stimulate discourse and innovations benefitting patients. METHODS: A structured review and expert analysis of PubMed publications before October 2023, with a focus on recent literature from January 2020 through October 2023. RESULTS AND CONCLUSION: Growing literature supports the utility and benefits of PRP and related autologous products for applications for skin and hair, with strongest evidence for androgenetic alopecia and skin rejuvenation. However, this is limited by lack of consensus regarding best practices and protocols. Randomized, controlled trials with uniform metrics comparing outcomes of various compositions of autologous blood products, preparation methods, dosimetry, and frequency of treatments are still required. This will allow the medical discourse to grow beyond the realm of expert opinion into consensus, standardization, and more wide spread adoption of best practices that will benefit patients.

  PublisherDOI

• Use of artificial intelligence to track platelet-rich plasma treatment outcomes in females with nonscarring alopecia: A case series

  JAAD Case Reports · 2024-03-27 · 4 citations

  articleOpen access
  PublisherDOI

Frequent coauthors

• Maria Hordinsky

  53 shared

• Neil S. Sadick

  Cornell University

  36 shared

• Kevin J. Gaddis

  University of Minnesota

  21 shared

• Laurel L. Wessman

  University Health Care System

  20 shared

• James T. Pathoulas

  Stanford University

  19 shared

• Javed A. Shaik

  University of Minnesota

  18 shared

• Cindy Firkins Smith

  17 shared

• Alexandra Streifel

  Louisiana State University Health Sciences Center New Orleans

  16 shared