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Spotlight

A Conversation With Matilde Iorizzo, MD, PhD

October 2024
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Any views and opinions expressed are those of the author(s) and/or participants and do not necessarily reflect the views, policy, or position of The Dermatologist or HMP Global, their employees, and affiliates.

Matilde Lorizzo
Dr Matilde Iorizzo is a dermato-venereologist with specific areas of interest in hair and nail disorders. She obtained her MD and PhD and completed her residency at the University of Bologna in Italy under the supervision of Professor Antonella Tosti. She then moved to Switzerland where she currently lives and practices between Lugano and Bellinzona. Dr Iorizzo has also been a medical consultant and scientific advisor for the pharmaceutical industry for the past 15 years. She has authored and coauthored more than 150 papers and book chapters on hair and nail disorders, including coauthoring the book Color Atlas of Nails in 2010. A regular speaker at national and international conferences, Dr Iorizzo is an editorial board member for Skin Appendage Disorders, the official journal of the European Nail Society, of which she is vice president. She is also the founding secretary of the International Nail Society and the current president of the Swiss Trichology Study Group of the Swiss Society of Dermatology and Venereology.

Q. What part of your work gives you the most pleasure?

A. The part of my work that gives me the most pleasure is the relationship with patients. Listening to them and knowing that I can help make their lives better gives me great satisfaction. Anamnesis is very important to perform the correct diagnosis but getting patients to tell doctors every- thing regarding their diseases is sometimes an art! I also really enjoy writing scientific papers and delivering talks at medical conferences; exchanging knowledge and experience with peers and colleagues is very rewarding and motivating.

Q. Which patient had the most effect on your work and why?

A. Rather than a specific patient, I would say that a specific type of patient is impactful for me. Among other diseases, I deal a lot with hair disorders, and sometimes I visit women and children who have lost their hair and face limited treatment options. As you can imagine, the psychological side is essential with these patients. I always put a lot of passion into these cases, especially with respect to listening to their needs and trying to positively motivate them.

Q.Who was your mentor and why?

A. My mentor is still Professor Antonella Tosti, MD, who supervised me from medical school through residency and my PhD program. She taught me a lot, but 2 key lessons became fundamental for my career. First, she taught me to never be superficial or opinionated because even when you think you know everything, there is always something you miss! Second, she encouraged me to study abroad, and this helped me to be exposed to new colleagues, topics, and working cultures.

Q. What is the best piece of advice you have received and from whom?

A. Probably from my husband, who has always taught me the importance of freedom of choice to pursue what I like the most.Up until now, I have been able to do that. As a result, I am passionate about my work. I hope this attitude lasts forever!

Q. Which medical figure in history would you want to have a drink with and why?

A. Probably Hippocrates because, as the father of medicine, he contributed immensely to the clinical method by emphasiz- ing clinical observation as an important tool for the diagnosis of diseases. In dermatology, observation is essential, and this allows us to often to make diagnoses easily and quickly, sometimes with- out additional diagnostic tests. I would love to have the Corpus Hippocraticum in my library to consult now and then, one of the pillars of modern medicine.