Apex’s Board-Certified Dermatologists Trained at the Highest Ranked Medical Schools in the Country

Karin Harp, MD, FAAD, FASDS 

Dr. Harp earned her doctorate in Medicine and her Dermatology Residency at the University of Washington in Seattle - again ranked #1 for Primary Care in the US.  During her education, she was selected for the prestigious Alpha Omega Alpha Honor Medical Society. Today, Dr. Harp is affiliated with professional organizations, including the American Academy of Dermatology, the American Society for Dermatologic Surgery, the American Society for Mohs Surgery, and CalDerm.    Dr. Harp founded Apex Dermatology in Westlake Village, California. Her lifelong dream was to create a clinic that stands out for its excellence in care and customer service. Dr. Harp loves bringing scientifically proven gold-standard innovative services and treatments to Apex patients who come to see her from near and far.

     At Apex Dermatology, her goal is to maintain and enhance her patients’ natural features with rejuvenating laser skin resurfacing, skin tightening, volume support and restoration, scar reduction, and more. She truly enjoys reducing sun damage, building healthy skin, and slowing or removing the effects of time and sun damage to give the skin its best texture and appearance.  She works closely with our patients to maintain that in the short and long term. As an accomplished board-certified dermatologist, she treats skin conditions that can have a serious impact on patients’ comfort and well-being, including rosacea, psoriasis, vitiligo, and eczema. She’s also highly skilled in surgical procedures including skin cancer removal, mole removal, and Mohs micrographic surgery for skin cancers, such as basal cell carcinomas, or squamous cell carcinomas.

Aria Vazirnia MD, MAS, FAAD   

  A native of southern California, Dr. Aria attended UCLA and completed his medical education at UC San Diego School of Medicine. Because of his interest in research and development of treatments for skin diseases, he pursued a master’s degree in clinical research while also a medical student, and he authored numerous medical journal articles and textbook chapters. Dr. Aria completed his dermatology residency at UC San Diego School of Medicine and was elected at that time to the board of the California Society of Dermatology & Dermatologic Surgery as well as the American Society for Laser Medicine & Surgery. Following residency, 

    Dr. Aria completed a rigorous laser and cosmetic dermatology fellowship at Harvard Medical School- ranked #1 for research this year, Massachusetts General Hospital and the Wellman Center for Photomedicine in Boston – where the majority of laser technologies and cosmetic treatments are invented. While at Harvard, Dr. Aria was trained by international experts and the inventors of lasers and energy-based devices.

He appreciates the opportunity to evaluate patients closely, determine their best plan of action whether for medical or cosmetic dermatologic care and then to see the patient through that course of services to their best end result.  He has a caring and detailed approach that serves Apex patients wonderfully in order to achieve their goals.

  Kristin Rupert MS, PA-C

Kristin Rupert PA-C, is our Certified Physician Assistant at Apex Dermatology. She earned both her Master’s degree in Public Health and her Masters of Science in Physician Assistant studies at the esteemed George Washington University in DC.  

She is licensed by the state of California and Board-Certified by the National Commission on Certification of Physician Assistants. She holds memberships with the Society of Dermatology Physician Assistants and the California Academy of Physician Assistants.  Beyond administering a range of dermatologic treatments for skin diseases, psoriasis, spots, and scars, Kristin enjoys educating her patients about preventive care that they can do at home with the very best that Apex offers.  She is attentive to patients' needs and people enthusiastically refer their friends and family to her regularly.

Mary Hanna NP-BC     

 Mary Hanna NP-BC earned her Master of Science degree as a Nurse Practitioner at Harvard’s prestigious Massachusetts General Hospital Institute of Health Professions in Boston, MA before she moved to Los Angeles in 2017. Mary is a licensed Nurse Practitioner in California and is nationally Board-Certified by the American Nurses Credentialing Center (ANCC). While pursuing her graduate degree, Mary was selected for the highly coveted Dermatology clinical rotation at Boston Medical Center (BMC.) By the end of her time at BMC, she had fallen in love with Dermatology. Mary loves how Dermatology eloquently brings together the science of medical knowledge and the artistry of cosmetic dermatology.  

Robbins, R. (April 13, 2022)  U of Washington, Harvard Ranked Top Medical Schools ― Again, MedScape Medical News Retrieved

 from: https://www.medscape.com/viewarticle/972094