DWI&I Holiday greeting 2025
By Warren R. Heymann, MD, FAAD
Dec. 24, 2025
Vol. 7, No. 50
I am writing this year’s holiday greeting with conflicting emotions ranging from exhilaration and gratitude to anxiousness and consternation.
Aside from the tragic loss of my colleague and friend, Dr. Robert Duffy, and surgery for a fractured wrist, on a personal level this has been a banner year, for which I am forever grateful. I celebrated my 70th birthday with my closest family and friends, received the Master Dermatologist award from the AAD, am serving as President of the American Board of Dermatology, and was selected as the next editor of Dermatology World. I am thrilled that our daughter Andrea married her ideal mate, Matt, in a glorious ceremony at the Museum of the American Revolution in Philadelphia, and that her younger sister Deborah celebrated her fifth anniversary with Christina. Although the Phillies broke my heart again — congratulations Dodgers (and the Blue Jays too for playing the most thrilling World Series ever) — the Eagles are the current (and maybe future) Super Bowl champions.
As our Rabbi Micah Peltz astutely observed in his high holiday sermon, how can anyone not feel conflicted, even if all is well personally? Every day brings forth startling headlines from here and abroad in our polarized, tinderbox world. Suffering and strife abound. AI dominates the news cycle — like any tool, it can enhance our lives (Open Evidence AI has changed my approach to practice for the better), but it can also alter our sense of reality, purpose, and direction. The holidays are a special time that can seem overwhelming, balancing stresses related to work, intrafamilial relationships, and world events. Rituals help bring us solace. For many, it may be watching It’s a Wonderful Life. For me, listening to Bing Crosby and Rosemary Clooney sing “Count Your Blessings” in White Christmas acts as a salve on my frayed nerves. Surely, one of the blessings we all share is being dermatologists, with the ability to improve the lives of those afflicted with skin disorders that profoundly affect quality of life.
Witnessing Matt step on the glass at the wedding (officiated by Rabbi Steven Lindemann) was particularly poignant for me. There are many interpretations of the custom, but the most common is to remember the destruction of the Temples in Jerusalem, reminding us that even in our most joyous moments, sorrow is part of life and history. Other interpretations focus on the frailty of life or the shattering of a prior existence as single people, who have now committed to being a tandem. Hearing “Mazel Tov” shouted by the attendants brought a tear to my eye, reminding me of my late mother’s aphorism: “We all need a little mazel (luck).”
Looking ahead to 2026, I am honored to be the next physician editor of Dermatology World. I will do my best to live up to the extraordinarily high standards set by my predecessors, Abby Van Voorhees (who laid the foundation) and Kathryn Schwarzenberger (who brought Dermatology World to new, award-winning heights).
For the past decade, Dermatology World Insights and Inquiries (formerly Dermatology Insights and Inquiries) has been an integral part of my professional life. While some might say that writing a weekly column is inspired, others might argue that such a task is insane (I tend to agree with the latter). Regardless, DWI&I allowed me to look at dermatology from unique perspectives. The more I’ve learned — and I have learned plenty — the more questions I have, affirming the notion that there is so much we do not comprehend about our specialty. To paraphrase Joni Mitchell and Judy Collins,
“I’ve looked at Derm from both sides now
From up and down and still somehow
It’s Derm’s illusions I recall
I really don’t know Derm at all.”
But I will keep trying to learn in 2026 and beyond. DWI&I started as a concept, and I am so appreciative of the support of the AAD community that has allowed these commentaries to become an ongoing column in the impressive family of AAD publications. DWI&I will transition to a monthly column in both print and online editions of DermWorld Weekly. For that reason, this will likely be the final DWI&I Holiday Greeting. Many thanks are in order. DWI&I is possible because of the unflappable dedication of our managing editor, Richard Nelson, our associate editor, Danielle DeHoratius, and our editorial board. Most importantly, I want to extend a heartfelt thank you to you — our readership — who have steadfastly read these commentaries over the years which hopefully benefited your patients.
On behalf of Richard, Danielle, our entire editorial board, contributors to “Our Expert’s Viewpoint,” the AAD board, and AAD administrative staff, I wish you and your family a spectacular 2026 and beyond, celebrated with good health and peace.
Sincerely,
Warren R. Heymann, MD, FAAD
All content found on Dermatology World Insights and Inquiries, including: text, images, video, audio, or other formats, were created for informational purposes only. The content represents the opinions of the authors and should not be interpreted as the official AAD position on any topic addressed. It is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment.
DW Insights and Inquiries archive
Explore hundreds of Dermatology World Insights and Inquiries articles by clinical area, specific condition, or medical journal source.
