Our current Author Spotlight features Darrell S. Rigel MD MS, one of the co-authors of A Randomized Controlled Trial Analyzing the Likeability, Usability, and In-Use Efficacy of Mineral Sunscreens Across Diverse Skin Tones, published in our June 2026 issue. Dr. Rigel is also an author on another article in this month’s issue titled, Predicting Benefit of Adjuvant Radiation Therapy for Cutaneous Squamous Cell Carcinoma: A Systematic Review. In addition to his articles, Dr. Rigel provided insight about the current state of dermatology and how the field is adapting to new advances in technology and treatments. 

Of all your research findings, are there any surprising or unexpected results that changed your perspective on the topic?

What surprised me most in this [mineral sunscreens] study was how much likeability mattered. You can formulate the most protective mineral sunscreen in the world, but if people don’t enjoy wearing it, they won’t use it, and that’s especially true across diverse skin tones where issues like white cast have historically been a dealbreaker. As someone who helped create the ABCDs of early melanoma detection, I’ve spent my career focused on detecting  skin cancer as early as possible, but this study reinforced that prevention starts with a product people actually want to put on every morning.

How do you see artificial intelligence and digital dermatology evolving in clinical practice over the next five years?

AI is going to be a tremendous asset for pattern recognition and early screening, and I’m excited to see how it evolves to help both patients and physicians detect problematic findings sooner. That said, no algorithm replaces the trained eye and clinical judgment of your dermatologist, think of AI as the best assist in the lineup, but we dermatologists are still batting cleanup.

What is a piece of advice you wish you had received earlier in your dermatology career?

Find a mentor early in your career who is willing to go to bat for you when you need it most and jump start your career. I was fortunate that Dr. Alfred Kopf took me under his wing early on and not only shaped me into the physician I became but taught me how to mentor others.  That’s why I teach residents and also mentor them as a fellowship director today to pay that forward for young colleagues to help them be successful in their future careers.. 

Outside of clinical practice and research, what excites you most about the future of dermatology?

What excites me most about the future of our specialty is how the breadth of our therapeutic armamentarium has grown so dramatically and how it continues to grow exponentially. With these ever-expanding options, the scope of the diseases that we will be able to treat more effectively will continue to expand and enhance the importance of Dermatology.