Beauty Is More Than Skin Deep Dr. Naana Boakye Focuses On Lifestyle Medicine

By kimBerly redmond

For Dr. Naana Boakye, beauty is much more than skin deep.

As a board-certified dermatologist, Boakye has run a thriving Englewood Cliffs-based practice, Bergen Dermatology, for over 10 years, providing a full range of cosmetic, surgical and medical dermatology services for adults and children.

As part of her practice, Boayke focus on lifestyle medicine, which she describes as a “holistic approach” to helping patients look and feel their best, both inside and out.

And while several dermatologists have begun focusing on the use of evidence-based lifestyle approaches to prevent, treat and, in some cases, reverse chronic skin diseases that stem from modifiable factors, like diet, alcohol, smoking and activity, Boakye was among the first to subscribe to the philosophy.

“I spend a lot of time educating patients on the importance of nutrition, exercise, sleep, skincare and stress management – and how all of those pillars impact their condition,” explained Boakye, who said it stemmed from an “aha moment” in which she realized she could better serve patients by addressing the connection between their skin and their lives.

Growing research has shown that proper diet, exercise, sleep, stress reduction and good social supports can go a long way towards treating and preventing dermatologic conditions, such as acne and psoriasis.

And, Boakye is pleased to see the shift over the past three years towards people, overall, becoming more health conscious.

Over the course of the extended public health emergency, Boakye said, “We finally had the time to self-reflect and realize the importance of taking care of you. Health is wealth and I truly believe you need to be intentional about spending time with yourself.”

Like many of us, Boakye found herself with time to fill while stuck at home during the pandemic, which prompted her to pen “Inside Out Beauty: Your Prescription for Healthy, Radiant and Acne Controlled Skin.”

Released in July 2021, the book, which is available on Amazon.com and BergenDerm.com, offers strategies for addressing skin problems, as well as highlights food and exercise choices to set you on the path to a healthy complexion.

During the COVID-19 crisis, as people developed deeper relationships with their wellness, they became more willing to try products, services and regimes to improve various aspects of their health.

Boayke, who has authored articles in the past for publications like Vanity Fair, Essence, Redbook and O, The Oprah Magazine, described the book as a “quick read” about her approach with patients and ways to improve overall wellness.

“A formula that I share in the book is Self-Love = Daily Inspirational Mantras + Eating Superfoods + Sleep + Exercise + Spirituality + Positive Connections,” she said.

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“For me, it is all about connecting to each patient. I learn so much about their personalities, culture, hobbies etc. We laugh, cry, pray and even have friendly disagreements. It is honestly my therapy and would not trade it for the world,” Boakye said.

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As a little girl, Boakye – whose family moved from Ghana, West Africa to the U.S. when she was 2 years old – wanted to become an artist, but her father suggested she pursue a more stable career, such as a lawyer, doctor or accountant.

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“Growing up in an immigrant household, this was not a surprise,” she said. “I chose to be a physician because that was what I was exposed to early on life – my parents are both physicians as well as many family members.” megAn montemArAno riChArD Posluszny

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But, she added, “Dermatology is an art, the skin is a canvas and I can make it beautiful and healthy by prescribing or recommending products.”

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After receiving a bachelor’s degree in biochemistry from Wellesley College, Boakye went on to earn a Master of Public Health in epidemiology from George Washington University and a medical degree at Temple University. She completed her dermatology residency at State University of New York Health Sciences, where she also served as chief resident. Boakye is affiliated with several professional societies, including the American Academy of Dermatology.

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Boayke’s passion for helping people maintain that inner and outer glow also led her to pursue several other ventures, such as launching a skincare brand and teaming up with celebrities looking to develop their own lines of personal care products.

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In 2017, Boakye, along with her sisters, Abena Slowe and Akua Okunseinde, founded Karité, a luxury skincare line that offers a range of essentials – including body cream, hand cream and lip balm –made with pure shea butter and palm oil sustainably sourced from their West African homeland, Ghana.

Formulated without harsh chemicals and solvents that can irritate skin, Karité products have been praised by the likes of Cosmopolitan, Elle Magazine, Bronze Magazine and CNN.

In addition to serving as chief executive officer of Karité, Boakye is chief medical officer of A-Frame, a company that focuses on building brands and products that amplify the unseen and unheard.

Through that role, Boakye has wound up working with stars ranging from award-winning singer/songwriter John Legend to actress Gabrielle Union to professional tennis player Naomi Osaka.

For Boakye, the best aspects of collaborating with celebrities is creating affordable and accessible skincare lines.

“For example, Naomi Osaka did not realize growing up the importance of wearing sunscreen and many people of color still do not know the importance of wearing sunscreen,” explained Boakye. “A-Frame brands partnered with her to create a suncare line, KINLO, designed for melanin rich skin tones. In addition, this brand educates people of color on the importance of wearing sunscreen daily.”

A-Frame also collaborated with former NBA star Dwayne Wade and his family to create a baby care line formulated for melanin rich skin tones.

“The Wades were looking for a baby line to address their daughter Kaavia’s skin issues and were unimpressed with some of the choices available on the market. They teamed with A-Frame and Proudly was born,” said Boakye, noting that the products leverage plant-based ingredients and are designed to hydrate and protect the skin.

I kind of thrived with my spacial memory and everything like that waiting on tables,” John said.

John, who now completes numerous managerial tasks, still considers his title to be a waiter, though, only taking that salary. His approach to customer service is humor.

After marking Bergen Dermatology’s 10th anniversary in 2022, Boakye is looking forward to continuing to help her patients feel more confident in their own skin.

“That’s how I feel in every situation that if someone comes in and you make them kind of smile or chuckle that you now have them. And then it’s up to the cooks to make the food taste good and go from there,” John said.

Despite her busy days at work, Boakye makes sure to practice what she preaches when it comes to keeping a healthy lifestyle, such as eating right, staying active and spending time with her husband, Stanley, and their two children.

Valerie Levy and James Chirillo, a married couple from Teaneck, have been dining at the Bendix for between 15 and 20 years. Chirillo explained that the Bendix is a “flash from the past” where he enjoys Greek omelet. Levy shared that she enjoys that family feeling present and the fact that the diner is family run.

The diner, which has been featured in numerous movies including “Jersey Girl” (1992) and “Caged” (2006), according to IMDb. The diner has recently made its name known in pop culture as well. The Bleachers, a Grammy Award winning American rock band, filmed a music video for “Stop Making This Hurt,” uploaded in May 2021 at the Bendix. In January 2020, Singer Nicole Bus also uploaded her music video “Rain,” also filmed at the Bendix. John also shared in May 2021 that the diner was used as a backdrop in filming for the Sopranos sequel as well.

The 2022 New Jersey International Film Festival in June featured two documentaries on the Diakakis family at the Bendix. In “Bendix: Sight Unseen,” Director Anthony Scalia depicts the life of single-father John Diakakis and his three sons running the diner. “Bacon ‘N’ Laces,” by Director Stephen Michael Simon, featured a similar story on John’s struggles operating the diner and raising the three boys while being blind.

Boakye offers in-person appointments at her office in Englewood Cliffs, as well as telemedicine-based services in New Jersey, New York, Connecticut, Pennsylvania, Washington DC, Virginia, North Carolina, Georgia, Florida, Texas, Arizona, Hawaii, California, Washington state, Michigan and South Carolina. For

“It’s a nice place to bring people if they’re from out of town and they’ve never seen a real New Jersey diner. Because it is. It’s a piece of history,” Levy said.

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