Today we’d like to introduce you to Sienna Miller
Hi Sienna, thanks for joining us today. We’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
I originally became passionate about dermatology after I started struggling with cystic acne in college. I would spend hours doing research online and watching YouTube videos trying to better understand what was causing my acne. During this time, I tried countless skincare products, devices (i.e., Clarisonic brush), facials, prescriptions, and diets, and nothing provided any significant relief for me.
I finished college with a degree in marketing from the Carlson School of Management at the University of Minnesota while also completing medical school prerequisite courses. After college, I worked at a busy dermatology clinic, assisting dermatologists and PAs with documentation, charting, blood draws, and procedure prep. Through this experience, I realized I loved the patient interaction and diagnostic side of dermatology but still felt like there was something missing with the management approach and treatment options. I found myself wanting to ask so many more questions to patients suffering with conditions like acne, eczema, rosacea, and psoriasis. I stumbled upon naturopathic medicine online one evening, and become immediately fascinated with the profession. After meeting with a couple of NDs in the Minneapolis area, I was 100% set on becoming a naturopathic doctor. I loved the emphasis on preventative medicine, identifying and treating the root cause of conditions, and offering more treatment options beyond just pharmaceuticals.
I earned my Doctorate in Naturopathic Medicine from Bastyr University in Seattle, WA. My whole perspective on treating skin disease changed when I heard a lecture by Dr. Julie Greenberg at a gastroenterology conference during medical school. Dr. Greenberg is a leader and pioneer in the root cause dermatology space. She speaks at many conferences and universities and completes a lot of her own research. At this particular conference, she spoke about treating skin disease by treating the gut and shared cases exemplifying how she was doing this very successfully in practice every single day. This was a very pivotal moment for me in deciding the direction I wanted to pursue in my own career.
After earning my degree, I completed a year-long primary care residency in the Seattle area with emphasis in dermatology and gastroenterology. I have completed additional training in naturopathic dermatology and gastroenterology. Of note, I am a Certified Root Cause Dermatology Provider, which is Dr. Julie Greenberg’s practitioner training program. After 3 years working in primary care, I started my own practice where I specialize in identifying and treating the root cause of chronic skin diseases. Among other things, addressing gut health is at the core of what I do.
Back to my acne story, I ended up struggling with moderate to severe acne on and off for almost 8 years. It was not until I did bloodwork and functional lab testing was I able to completely resolve my acne. For me, I had a lot of gut issues, as well as elevated androgen levels and problems with cortisol and blood sugar dysregulation.
We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
Not at all.
Struggling with cystic acne for 8 years was one of the most difficult challenges I have ever experienced, especially dealing with this during most of my time in college and medical school. Acne took a huge toll on most aspects of my life, especially mental, emotional, and social health. I know what it feels like to not want to leave your house and not wanting anyone to see you. Acne was definitely a barrier for me in putting myself out there socially and professionally. Even if people don’t treat you any differently, it is still a constant daily struggle for most people struggling with a health condition that is visible to others. I am especially passionate about what I do because I know exactly what it feels like to struggle with a skin condition, and I want to help people get to the other side of it, as I did.
Four years of medical school was, of course, another struggle. It was definitely a tremendous investment in most areas of my life–time, socially, and financially. Luckily, I made amazing friends in school to experience all of the ups and downs with me. My four years in school ended up being some of the hardest and best years of my life because of my friends and all of the adventures we had in Washington and beyond!
Entering into entrepreneurship for the first time is never an easy feat. I am currently learning about all of the nuances of building and running your own business, while trying to provide excellent care and services to my patients and clients. It’s a challenge, but a challenge I am loving and truly grateful for every day.
Great, so let’s talk business. Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others?
Naturopathic Dermatology Group is a telemedicine practice I started to serve clients struggling with chronic skin diseases, including acne, eczema, psoriasis, rosacea, seborrheic dermatitis (dandruff), perioral dermatitis, lichen planus, hidradenitis suppurativa, tinea versicolor, and more.
I use functional lab testing, such as bloodwork, comprehensive stool analyses, organic acids testing, mycotoxin testing, and hormone testing to identify potential root causes of their skin condition(s). Treatment includes nutrition counseling, lifestyle recommendations, topicals, supplements, and pharmaceuticals (when preferred or needed). The goal is the clear or significantly reduce underlying causes and provide clients with tools to manage their condition moving forward. Sometimes we can achieve full resolution and other times, we can get to significant improvement with a maintenance plan to manage flare ups. It really just depends on underlying causes and pre-existing conditions.
Examples of common problems I treat include gut dysbiosis, SIBO, Candida infection, H. pylori overgrowth or infection, opportunistic microbial overgrowth (bacterial, protozoa, viruses, or yeast), mold-related illness, poor detoxification, cortisol imbalance, blood sugar dysregulation, and sex hormone imbalances (estrogen, progesterone, and testosterone).
What sets me apart from other dermatology professionals is my dedication to treating the root cause(s), rather than exclusively managing symptoms. I also hold Root Cause Dermatology Professional Certification, which I achieved through Dr. Julie Greenberg’s 4-month professional training program, which sets me apart from other naturopathic doctors or functional medicine practitioners.
Beyond patient care, I am also in the process of creating educational materials and courses for clients to complete online, at their own pace.
Can you tell us more about what you were like growing up?
I was really into sports, horses, and music growing up.
I started riding horses at a young age, as I have family who are really into horses. I was lucky enough to own my own horse throughout elementary school and high school. I would love to get back into horseback riding eventually.
I am almost 6ft tall, so I was really involved in sports — volleyball, basketball, and track & field!
I have always loved music. I took piano lessons and learned to play the guitar in grade school. Taylor Swift was an enormous inspiration for learning to play the guitar, and it is an instrument I still enjoy playing to this day.
I went to a small high school, so I was able to be very involved in various clubs and committees. I am an introvert and was relatively shy growing up. I have definitely come out of my shell throughout college, medical school, and beyond.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.naturopathicdermgroup.com
- Instagram: @naturopathicdermatologygroup
- Youtube: @dr.siennamiller
