Dr. Meena Singh is a star Dermatologist and Hair Restoration Surgeon. As a graduate of Harvard Medical School, Dr. Meena has been featured on the cover of the New York Times, in Ebony Magazine, and on Essence.com. In addition, her work has been published in the some of the top journals in her field including, the New England Journal of Medicine.
Dr. Meena is an ambitious and strong willed woman who embraced her natural hair as a representation of beauty, stemming from her unique cultural heritage. She is the oldest of 5 siblings, all born and raised in Kansas, to Black and Indian parents. Growing up they had a very interesting childhood she says, “Not only were we the only Black kids in school, we were also the only Indian kids,†she continued, “we never felt the need to assimilate because we felt like a part of both cultures and that made us special…we loved it.â€
Her long journey towards embracing her natural hair had its roots in her childhood, which was marked by difficulties with her natural texture. She says she had the most difficult hair out of all of her siblings and her mother just wasn’t sure what to do. While her sisters all remained natural, her hair struggles lead her to get a relaxer during the seventh grade.
Dr. Meena kept her hair relaxed all through college, although she was unhappy because it was not healthy. “My hair refused to grow past my shoulders, and it was very thin†During her time in Los Angeles, Dr. Meena encountered the new and growing natural hair movement and she says she was inspired by her younger sister to make the transition.
Her transition turned out to be a disaster. In her first attempt at braids she was forced into the big chop. “After eight weeks in braids my hair had become so tangled, I had to cut it all off.†She was left with what she calls a “really short Jheri Curlâ€. Unfortunately, her new style was not very popular with her friends. “Everyone was kind to my face, but they would not comment on my hair, saying things like ‘oh, you have a pretty face’â€
It took nearly 4 years for her hair to grow back, but she could not be happier saying “everyone loves my hair now.†Her natural hair is more than twice as long as her relaxed hair ever was and so much more versatile. She credits her amazing new look to the Devachan Salon in New York, where they helped her curls come to life. She said before she her experience there she never knew her hair could look as good. Now all she really has to do to keep looking her best is wash and go, her favorite style.
Dr. Meena’s professional career as a Hair Restoration Surgeon and Dermatologist is where she really shines. Inspired by her mother, a physician and one of the first Black female students to graduate from her medical school, Dr. Meena attended and graduated from the prestigious Harvard Medical School. She later trained at the world renowned Mayo Clinic, and completed her surgical residency in New York. She initially wanted to be an orthopedic surgeon but she found a great opportunity to serve the community and stand out in her new field.
“Black Dermatologist make up only 1-2% of the field†she says, “I realized I had found my niche by focusing on hair loss and hair restoration surgery.†Dr. Meena is passionate about helping to educate the black community on preventable forms of hair loss and the options available for hair restoration.
One of the biggest issues she focuses on is Traction Alopecia. Traction Alopecia is caused by tension and traction in the hair that leads to inflammation of the scalp, often requiring steroid injections to remedy the condition. Women with a history of hair weaves, braids, and tight ponytails are at a greater risk for this type of hair loss, particularly along the edges of the hairline. Dr. Meena encourages women to give their hair a rest from the tension and if they begin to see signs of hair loss, they should see a dermatologist.
When asked how she lives such a phenomenal life Dr. Meena says, “First of all, I know what my priorities are and I understand the consequences of the order of my priorities. For example, my children are my top priority before [my] career. People always ask me how I do it all. I never think that I cannot. I just try to think [about] how I can make it possible. I also try to have a background of stellar work, so that it makes it very difficult for requested individuals to say ‘no’ to me. Finally, I try to live life to the fullest, worry very little, and not plan too much!â€
