Dr. Gaile turns 41 soon, and as she looks back, she is sure of one thing: that her medical career has been a journey of finding the perfect balance with new opportunities coming her way, sometimes unexpectedly.
The board-certified dermatologist, who is a Medical Director of dermHQ Makati and partner at Beautique MD in BGC, aims to balance her time and energy between work and family. She has deliberately limited her practice to a narrow radius, knowing that Manila traffic can easily eat up one’s day. Less time on the road means more time with her family and work.
Gaile finished her Management Information Systems degree from Ateneo, but later she succumbed to a lifelong urge to take up medicine just like several of her close relatives. During medical school, she realized that she wanted to strike a balance between work and life, and dermatology was one of the few medical specializations that allowed this. She completed her Dermatology Training with Skin and Cancer Foundation, Inc. Later she founded dermHQ, a dermatology and lasercenter that specializes in skin, hair and nail conditions and with only board-certified dermatologists of the Philippine Dermatological Society. dermHQ also promotes brands and products curated by their in-house dermatologists.
Dr. Gaile has a penchant for teaching; she loves giving lectures and speaking in conferences and lay fora here and abroad. She is a clinical instructor in a dermatology training institution, an international speaker and trainer of laser and energy-based device, injectables, suspension threads and dermatology-related products. Her special interests include aesthetic and procedural dermatology. She also writes articles and makes informative videos related to her field of expertise.
The pandemic lockdowns opened new opportunities for her. She had to find a way to be productive within the confines of her condo. She started a YouTube channel hoping to share her dermatological expertise on many topics and conditions. Her vlog talks about beauty and skincare tips, aesthetic procedures, and products, and offers practical advice to her online community . She shares information, busts myths and misconceptions, and lets her more than 80,000 subscribers into her personal experiences. Her online presence provides a wider reach not limited by a zip code, province or even country -- this is the reality of the internet that opened many doors for her.
Many years ago, Dr. Gaile started lecturing for companies primarily to help explain how the active ingredients in their products work on the skin. Later on, she has also proven to be an effective host in medical events since she understands the products and can ask the right questions in panel discussions and Q&As. She regularly collaborates with foreign companies who wish to expand their reach here in the Philippines. These collaborations have allowed her to travel frequently for further training. She shares her learnings with fellow dermatologists in the country and abroad through workshops and lectures.
She has been approached several times by business people who want to partner with her to grow the clinic. Dr. Gaile has not YET seriously considered it, but she remains open to all opportunities. For now, she wants to focus on the growth of dermHQ and Beautique MD and improve everything from the clinic’s look, furniture, staff professionalism, marketing, and PR. Outside of the clinic, she dedicates a lot of time to her Instagram and YouTube channels.
Dr. Gaile genuinely loves her work. Her only dream is to continue what she is doing as long as opportunities remain available to her. She sees the industry as one that has much potential to grow not only for her but also her fellow dermatologists as colleagues.
Of course, Dr. Gaile is keen on striking a good balance of work, exercise, food, and leisure. Though still far from perfect, Dr. Gaile is working hard to be a little closer to it every single day. - Robbie Pangilinan
