I knew my calling was that of a doctor. It was going to be either medicine or teaching. My grandfather enjoyed reading things I wrote - he wanted me to write. My father, the final influence in my life, decided medicine it was going to be.

I remember going to hospital appointments as a child with my father, and I was in complete awe of the implicit trust one placed in this human being- allowing them access to your life and trusting them to heal you and cure your problems.

Whilst in medical school, I had a bad outburst of acne. I thought nothing of it till a friend drew a caricature of me with spots on my face. I sought help from a doctor and remember how very grateful I was when I completed my treatment and had clear skin again.

We often underestimate the importance of skin. Not only is it the biggest organ of the body, but it reflects everything that goes on beneath the surface. Having practiced medicine in two diametrically diverse continents, I soon realised the impact of skin on one’s life when a patient with leprosy told me he would rather have tuberculosis or even cancer for that matter, rather than leprosy.

Skin is visual impact. It is the first perception a person has of you and can be the cause of great pride or extremely low self-esteem.

Same with hair. Most people in the medical fraternity don’t take hair loss seriously but there are a range of conditions ranging from stress to autoimmune conditions – that can result in hair loss. My aim in running a hair loss clinic was to diagnose, explain and put in perspective hair loss for a patient, saving them time, energy and money on endless products and gimmicks. Above all trying to give them an answer and realistic as well as holistic solutions.

Medicine is at an exciting threshold; there is new research and newer treatments. At the same time life styles are more complex today and many women with pre-menopause and menopause suffer from skin and hair conditions which wasn’t the case in the past.

I use my experience from over two decades, lessons learnt from both continents and research contributions from colleagues and myself, to provide the best possible care for my patients.

It is also a privilege I enjoy of being invited to lecture General practitioners, dermatologists, rheumatologists, trichologists, nurses, medical students and trainee doctors on local as well as national platforms. I regularly teach colleagues and trainees on request, at my hair clinics at Kingston Hospital.

Writing – whether it is a blog, an article for a medical journal or Vogue, is something I enjoy doing.

As it turns out, it has been both medicine and teaching. With a bit of writing thrown in as well. Who says you can’t live all your dreams in one life?