Community Highlights: Meet Salar Hazany of HazanyDerm / Scar Healing Institute

Today we’d like to introduce you to Salar Hazany.

Salar, we appreciate you taking the time to share your story with us today. Where does your story begin?
I was born in Iran in 1984, and my family immigrated to the United States when I was five years old. Like many immigrant families, we faced a host of challenges—language barriers, financial hardship, and the emotional weight of starting over in a new country. But through perseverance, my family and I are proud to represent what’s possible in the U.S. My journey has taught me to deeply value health, happiness, and the importance of equal opportunity in achieving both.

Academically, I was driven from a young age and eventually graduated at the top of my class from the UCLA David Geffen School of Medicine. During medical school, I was honored to receive several prestigious merit scholarships and awards from institutions like the Mayo Clinic and the National Institutes of Health. I then completed a one-year surgical internship with a focus on plastic surgery at Grady Memorial Hospital in Atlanta, Georgia.

My interest in dermatology, particularly surgical and medical dermatology, led me to complete my residency at Harbor-UCLA Medical Center in Los Angeles, where I had the privilege of serving as Chief Resident from 2013 to 2014. After residency, I pursued a highly specialized fellowship in Mohs micrographic surgery, cosmetic dermatology, and laser surgery at Houston Methodist Hospital, where I trained under Dr. Leonard Goldberg, an internationally renowned dermatologic surgeon.

My approach to patient care is centered around individualized treatment plans, open and thorough communication, and surgical precision. I believe in taking the time to understand each patient’s needs, and my patients often note my meticulous attention to detail and gentle, pain-free technique.

Most recently, I founded the Scar Healing Institute, a center dedicated to advancing the science and treatment of complex and traumatic scars. Our mission is to offer hope and healing to those who have often been told that nothing more can be done. This work is a direct extension of my belief that everyone deserves access to compassionate, cutting-edge care—no matter how challenging their condition may be.

We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
The road has definitely not been smooth, but I think that’s true for most meaningful journeys. As an immigrant, I watched my parents work tirelessly to rebuild their lives from scratch in a country where we had no connections and barely spoke the language. That experience shaped my mindset early on—I knew that nothing would be handed to me, and that hard work was non-negotiable.

Academically and professionally, the path was equally demanding. Medical training is intense on its own, but balancing that with the pressure to succeed as a first-generation student added an extra layer of challenge. I’ve faced setbacks, self-doubt, and long hours that stretched into years. Specializing in dermatologic surgery, especially with a focus on scars, meant entering a niche field with limited established paths. Founding the Scar Healing Institute was one of the most rewarding but difficult undertakings—I had to build something entirely new from the ground up, often with limited resources and a lot of skepticism around whether advanced scar treatment could be significantly improved.

But I’ve learned that obstacles often lead to clarity. The struggles helped me define my mission more sharply: to bring excellence, innovation, and empathy to every patient interaction—and to push forward even when the path isn’t clear.

Thanks – so what else should our readers know about HazanyDerm / Scar Healing Institute?
HazanyDerm is my private dermatology practice in Los Angeles, founded on the belief that every patient deserves highly personalized, precision-driven care. We specialize in medical dermatology, cosmetic dermatology, and dermatologic surgery — including Mohs micrographic surgery for skin cancer. From laser treatments and injectables to non-surgical skin tightening, every service is tailored to the individual, with an emphasis on natural, long-lasting results. My approach is grounded in meticulous technique, honest communication, and a “less is more” philosophy.

In addition, I founded the Scar Healing Institute, a separate, research-driven center focused exclusively on treating complex scars. While HazanyDerm addresses a broad spectrum of skin concerns, both clinics share a commitment to excellence, innovation, and restoring patient confidence through evidence-based care.

Let’s talk about our city – what do you love? What do you not love?
What I love most about Los Angeles is its diversity — in people, culture, and opportunity. L.A. is one of those rare places where you can meet people from every corner of the globe in a single day, and that richness is reflected in everything from the food to the art to the medical community I’m proud to be part of.

Professionally, L.A. has been incredibly rewarding. The city attracts patients who are well-informed and value cutting-edge care, which constantly pushes me to stay at the forefront of innovation. There’s also a unique openness here to new ideas — whether it’s a novel laser technique or a fresh approach to scar revision — and that kind of environment is energizing.

What I like least is probably something most Angelenos would agree on: the traffic and the sprawl. The physical distances and congestion can make it hard to feel truly connected to the broader community, even though we’re all part of the same city. But even with that, I think the good far outweighs the bad — Los Angeles is a place where resilience, reinvention, and ambition thrive. And that resonates deeply with my own journey.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.hazanyderm.com/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/drcancerkiller/
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@SalarHazany
• Yelp: https://www.yelp.com/biz/salar-hazany-beverly-hills-2
• Other: https://shi.org/