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About Sama Dermatology

A different kind of dermatology practice — built around the patient, not the schedule.

Sama Dermatology was created to offer something that has become rare in modern medicine: dermatology care that feels personal, thoughtful, and genuinely human. We are a telehealth-first, direct-pay practice serving patients across Illinois, founded on the belief that healthy skin is part of a healthy, balanced life — and that expert dermatologic care should be unhurried, evidence-based, and centered on you.

Your care is provided directly by Dr. Sacharitha Bowers, MD, FAAD, a board-certified dermatologist in practice since 2009. You will not be passed between providers or seen by someone unfamiliar with your story. Every visit is with Dr. Bowers — focused, unhurried, and centered on your goals.

Areas served:

Sama Dermatology provides virtual dermatology care to patients across all of Illinois.

The Meaning Behind the Name

Sama is a Sanskrit word meaning balance, equanimity, and wholeness. It reflects both our clinical philosophy and the experience we want every patient to have: calm rather than rushed, clear rather than confusing, and grounded in evidence rather than trends. Skin health is rarely just about skin. It is shaped by stress, sleep, hormones, inflammation, lifestyle, and the broader story of who you are. Sama is our reminder — and our promise — to treat the whole person.

What Makes Sama Dermatology Different

Longer Appointments, Deeper Care

Most dermatology visits last seven to ten minutes. At Sama, appointments are 30 or 60 minutes. That extra time allows us to listen carefully, understand the full picture, and design a treatment plan that actually fits your life. The result is fewer repeat visits, greater clarity, and better outcomes.

A Whole-Person, Integrative Approach

Skin, hair, and nail health are deeply connected to stress, hormones, inflammation, and overall well-being. We bring evidence-based medical expertise together with thoughtful attention to your circumstances, values, and goals — without judgment and without snake oil.

Transparent, Direct-Pay Care

Sama Dermatology is a direct-pay practice, which means no insurance barriers, no surprise bills, and clear pricing upfront. This model lets us prioritize your care over paperwork — and quality over volume. Receipts are available for out-of-network reimbursement if your insurance allows.

Care Rooted in Compassion and Trust

You deserve to feel heard, supported, and empowered — never rushed or dismissed. Our philosophy is grounded in partnership: we explain the why behind every recommendation, and we leave every visit with a plan you actually understand.

More About Our Services

Meet Dr. Sacharitha Bowers, MD, FAAD

Board-Certified Dermatologist • Fellow, American Academy of Dermatology

Dr. Sacharitha Bowers knows dermatology from both sides of the exam table. At 12 years old, she developed a skin condition that would quietly shape the course of her life — and eventually her career. She remembers what it felt like to navigate the burden of skin disease, not just physically, but emotionally and mentally. That experience never left her. It’s a large part of why she became a dermatologist, and it has significantly contributed to how she cares for patients.

Dr. Sacharitha Bowers, MD, FAAD

Dr. Bowers earned her Bachelor of Science in Psychology from University of Illinois in Urbana-Champaign, her medical degree from Southern Illinois University School of Medicine and completed her dermatology residency at the same institution, where she later served as Chief Resident. Many years later, she would come full circle and return to SIU School of Medicine as faculty, teaching dermatology residents and medical students, and serving as the Dermatology Residency Program Director. She is a board-certified dermatologist and a Fellow of the American Academy of Dermatology, with clinical experience in both private practice and academic medicine, spanning over a decade at both SIU School of Medicine and Loyola University Stritch School of Medicine, while engaging in research and national education — including participation in landmark clinical trials for conditions like alopecia areata, psoriasis, and atopic dermatitis. Her work has been published in the Journal of the American Academy of Dermatology, Dermatology Clinics, and other peer-reviewed journals, and she has been an invited speaker at institutions and conferences across the country.
Dr. Bowers is also a nationally recognized voice in health equity and medical education, with a deep commitment to ensuring that all patients — regardless of background — receive excellent, culturally sensitive, inclusive care. She has served on multiple national and regional committees, for organizations such as the American Academy of Dermatology and the Association of Professors of Dermatology, and is an active member of the Chicago Dermatological Society, where she recently served on the Board of Directors as Vice President. She is a very active and highly engaged mentor for medical students and residents across the country, has mentored countless trainees across her career, and continues to find mentorship of the next generation of physicians as one of the most gratifying and purposeful parts of her career.
But credentials only tell part of the story. What drives Dr. Bowers is people — understanding what brings them in, what worries them, and what they need to feel heard and cared for. She believes healing goes beyond diagnosis and treatment. Connection, advocacy, education and empowerment of her patients is at the heart of her work and what drives her everyday to care for her community. She strives to be the kind of dermatologist she wished she had growing up: thorough, compassionate, and genuinely invested in the person in front of her, not just the condition on their chart.
When you see Dr. Bowers, you're not just seeing a highly trained clinician. You're seeing someone who understands, in a very personal way, what it means to live with skin disease — and who has built her entire practice around making sure her patients never feel alone in that experience.

Education and Training

  • Bachelor of Science, Psychology University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign
  • Doctor of Medicine Southern Illinois University School of Medicine
    Preliminary Year, Internal Medicine Southern Illinois University School of Medicine
  • DermatologyPostgraduate Research Fellowship VA Hospital, Minneapolis, Minnesota
  • Dermatology Residency Southern Illinois University School of Medicine
Learn More About Dr. Bowers

Care that meets you where you are

When you book a visit with Sama Dermatology, you are choosing a practice that has made deliberate choices about how to care for you. Smaller patient panels. Longer visits. Direct physician access. Evidence-based treatment without trends or pressure. And a referral pathway when something genuinely needs to be seen in person — because your safety always comes first.

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